224 Hart, Sotne Coastal Plants. FvoT^xxx 



coarse shingle, with much less fine sand. At one place near 

 Ulverstone, Tasmania, as seen from the railway. Coast Wattle 

 is strongly predominant, with a little Boobialla : no Lepto- 

 spermum was noticed at this place. 



The danger from fire can be greatly reduced in' planting or 

 encouraging the natural growth of fire-resisting vegetation 

 partly mixed with the tea-tree, but in part to the complete 

 exclusion of tea-tree over strips sufficient to act as fire-breaks. 

 At the same time a diversified scrub, much more pleasing to 

 the eye than pure tea- tree, would be formed. 



Of native plants the Boobialla takes first place. It is 

 strongly resistant to fire ; it is easily propagated — even large 

 cuttings strike readily in sandy soil ; it is of rapid growth. 

 Trimmed to one main stem, it gives a fine shade overhead. 

 A row of four trees, a few years old, at Brighton Beach station, 

 shade a strip about one chain long, and are about ij feet high. 

 If cut and made to branch low it will make a good hedge. It 

 will flourish in full exposure and carry fohage well down to the 

 ground, making a good protection against wind. Its colour, 

 bright green, will considerably enliven the dull aspect of the 

 tea-tree. More than one variety of Myoporum is called 

 Boobialla. Other forms would be useful as far as they share 

 these characters. 



Coast Wattle wall also grow tall enough to give some overhead 

 shelter. In full exposure it makes extensive low patches, or 

 it may grow taller and keep its fohage well down to the ground 

 .on the exposed side. It roots from buried branches — a 

 character which increases its value for holding sand. Some- 

 times it is attacked by a gall-producer. Good plants of either 

 this wattle or of Boobialla are better shelter against wind than 

 old tea-tree, which goes bare underneath. 



If tea-tree is used for wind-breaks it should be interrupted 

 at intervals by considerable patches of non-inflammable plants. 

 Tea-tree hedges should not lead up to the vicinity of buildings, 

 and a tea-tree hedge or wind-break alongside a cart track is 

 a waste of a good opportunity to secure some protection from 

 fire by non-inflammable vegetation. 



Of the introduced plants, Coprosma liicidum can also be used 

 for hedges. Box-thorn must be regarded as inadmissible. 

 Tree-lucerne is less resistant to fire. 



Of the smafler plants, Muehlenbeckia appears quickly after 

 a fire. It was most advanced of all on the burnt area at 

 Chelsea five weeks after the fire. Plants of tea-tree and of 

 honeysuckle which had only been scorched were also shooting 

 again, and partly burnt plants of Correa alba. 



Correa alba is decidedly at its best in full exposure ; where 

 sheltered it is more straggly. It has the power of rooting from 



