400 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Fig. 8 had no protection after the grass cover broke. Nevertheless they 

 have maintained a health v and normal if not rapid growth. Incidentally 

 it should be remarked tliat in this locality black locust was entirely 

 free from the locust borer in August 1914. Fig. 8 further shows re- 

 maining evidence of grass still struggling against the constant tugging 

 of the wind. 



Another splendid examjjle furnished by the United States Government's 

 early work is at Saugaluck. A uniform planting of grass was made, the 

 plants being secured close by and spaeed 18 by 18 inches, at a cost of 

 approximately 115.00 per acre. Here again too much was expected of 

 the grass and dead cover. The last and most important operation was 



Fig. 9. Poplars half buried in a duue. Permanent planting should have been made before 

 this temporary cover lost its grip upon the sand. 



not performed, viz, the establishment of a permanent forest. Such in- 

 stances as these show the inadvisability of attempts on the part of pri- 

 vate owners to conquer the bad dunes at one oi>eration by the use of 

 beach grass alone. If, however, funds are plentiful and immediate re- 

 sults are demanded, successful reclamation may be secured by following 

 the entire cover system which is described later. For the small owner 

 or the farmer of moderate means other methods must be applied, calling 

 for moderate annual expenditures and slower results. 



ORIGIN OP '^'"blows." 



The vast ridges of sand often towering a hundred feet or more above 

 the water and extending in almost unbroken series from the southwest 

 corner of Michigan to the Straits, bear mute evidence of the ceaseless 

 activity of the water-wind action. Much of the surface of this series of 

 dunes has become forest covered, the same as other land. While there 

 are no data available there is every indication that under the wild 

 natural condition of things, most of the dune sand became covered with 

 permanent vegetation. With the exploiting of the timber wealth of 



