DOMESTIC NOTICES. 



485 



vertises for subscriptions to the two new Camellias, 

 Wilderii and Mrs. A. Wilder, of which he now 

 holds the stock, at ten guineas the pair, deliverable 

 in the autumn of 1847. 



To FIX Shifting Sand-Banks. — Dear Sir : In 

 your excellent work, "The Horticulturist," from 

 which I have already learned very much, I find an 

 inquiry how to fix shifting sand-banks? and as I, 

 in my native countiy, often was engaged in that bu- 

 siness, 1 hope you will not think it improper for me 

 to write a few words about it. 



In Sweden, Denmark, and Holland, there were 

 formerly, more than now, shifting sand, or, as it 

 there is called " flighing" sand, in great extent ; 

 and a part ot the western sea-shore of Denmark, say 

 about 150 miles in length, was nothing but such sand, 

 often destroying whole villages. However, several 

 plants, as Elymus arenarius (upright sea-grass,) 

 jlrundo epigeios {wood reed ,) Carex arenaria (sand- 

 sedge,) coarse kinds of grasses, and even Juncus 

 congloineratus (common rush,) may be used for fix- 

 ing it, or making it solid. Nothing, however, is 

 equal to that species of reed called Arundo arenaria, 

 that the wise Providence evidently created just for 

 this purpose. It only grows and thrives in " fligh- 

 ing" sand ; and it sends its strong and spreading 

 roots out, more than fifty feet in length, at each 

 joint making a young plant, and dies gradually off", 

 when the sand is fixed , giving place for grasses, parti- 

 cularly Agrostis capillaris , Aira canescens, Festuca 

 duriuscula, Nardus stricta, and sometimes Festuca 

 ovina, until it by and by gets intermixed with Erica 

 vulgaris and tetralix (common heath,) making at 

 last, of what was once a driving sand-field, a tolera- 

 ble good pasture for sheep. 



The propagation oi Arundo arenaria is very easy, 

 and is best done from seed, sown in August and 

 September, as soon as ripe. The method commonly 

 adopted in Europe, is :o put rows of brushwood or 

 sods across the sand in difl'erent directions, in order 

 to retain the sand a little, that it should not blow 

 from the seed. On each side plant a row of Arundo 

 arenaria, just as you would plant potatoes, placing 

 a whole ear in each hole ; the plants will grow very 

 rapidly, and in a short time cover a large place. 

 But on shifting sands of small extent, or where it is 

 desirable to plant shrubs and trees, in order to fix a 

 border or bank, even when very much exposed to high 

 winds, several kinds are used, as the white birch (JSe- 

 tula alba,) dwarf birch (Betula nana,) gray willow 

 (Salix cinerea,) European alder (Alnus glutinosa,) 

 and A I nus incana ; nothmg, however, is better fit 

 for this purpose than the sea buckthorn (Hyppophce 

 rhamnoides,) which, among the shrubs, takes the 

 same rank as Arundo arenaria among grasses ; and 

 perhaps Hippophee canadensis or argentea, the Shep- 

 hardia or buffalo berry, as it is called here in some 

 places, will do well too. 



If any person wnshcs to plant larger growing 

 trees, the silver poplar or abele (Populus alba,) or 

 nivea, is preferable to all, I think, as it has very nu- 

 merous strong spreading roots, and will stand the 

 high winds perfectly well. It grows most rapidly, 

 and is content with a poor soil. 



Among ornamental shrubs, I always succeeded 

 best in planting the common lilac (Syringa vulga- 



ris,) Rosa pimpernellifolia, and the Scotch rose 

 {R. spinosissima,) the broom (Spartium scoparium,) 

 and furze (Ulex europceus.) I decidedly prel'cr fail 

 planting, as the sand is more firm in autumn and 

 winter than in spring ; and even cuttings from pop- 

 lars and willows will readily strike roots when 

 planted at that time. 



Perhaps there may be some of 3'our correspond- 

 ents who know less of this matter than3?ourself, and 

 to whom they will be useful ; and I hope you will 

 receive these hints as a poor reward for what I have 

 already learned from your journal. 



As 1 am a foreigner, only for a few months ac- 

 quainted with your language, I hope you will kindly 

 excuse my un-English style, and, as my whole life has 

 been devoted to the study of botany and gardening 

 for at least 25 years, and as in the profession of hor- 

 ticulture I have travelled over a great part of Eu- 

 rope, I hope to have been able to gather some expe- 

 rience, which I shall be glad to relate to you, as soon 

 as I can explain my ideas better in your language. 

 R. Nelson. Indian Hill, near Newburyport, 

 Mass. Feb 27, 1S47. 



[Mr. Nelson's remarks are intei-esting to rail- 

 road, companies who are troubled with sliding sand- 

 banks in " deep cuts," as well as to those residino- 

 on the sea-side. — Ed.] 



N. Y. State Agricultural Society. — At a 

 meeting of the State Ag. Society at Albany, March 

 11, 1847, the president in the chair, the following 

 resolution was adopted for the government of the 

 committees on fruit : 



Resolved, That the work entitled " The Fruits 

 AND Fruit Trees of America " by A. J. Downing, 

 be the established authority of the N. Y. S. Ag. So- 

 ciety, in classifying the varieties and nomenclature 

 of fruits in our future exhibitions. 



A. J. Downing, of Newburgh, and J. W. Bissell, 

 of Rochester, were added to the committee on fruit 

 appointed under the resolution of last year, and con- 

 tinued at the last annual meeting. The other mem- 

 bers of the committee are, Lewis F. Allen, of Buf- 

 falo, chairman ; Hon. Samuel Young, of Saratoga ; 

 and Dr. Herman Wendell, of Albany. 



The president stated that he had, in company with 

 the Secretary, visited Saratoga Springs, ai the re- 

 quest of gentlemen of that place, and had examined 

 various locations proposed for the show-grounds of 

 the Fair in September ; that several of these were 

 in the highest degree eligible ,• and that advice 

 had been given to the members of the executive com- 

 mittee there as to the location which was most de- 

 sirable. 



The secretary reported the Premium List, as 

 published, and was authorized to procure two hun- 

 dred and fifty copies of the same for distribution — 

 The amount of cash premiums, $3,004 ; 131 volumes 

 of agricultural works ; 05 volumes Transactions ; 

 59 diplomas, and 15 silver medals ; amounting in all 

 to $3,472. 



The secretary reported that he had received re- 

 turns from 39 county societies, and that their reports 

 were, in many cases, of very great interest, and 

 that all reports received had been prepared for the 

 Transactions. Only seven societies from which 

 reports had not been received ; and that he was in 



