■^P"'-] Hart, Some Coastal Plants. 225 



buried branches, which adds to its vakie on the outside edge 

 of the shelter. 



Leucopogon Richei, in quantity, would he an element of 

 danger, being easily ignited. 



Tetragonia implcxicoma and Rhagodia Billardien are both 

 very useful in thickening the protection on the seaward side. 

 Tetragonia covers the ground often just behind the first shelter, 

 but can get started with only the shelter of the grasses outside 

 the shrubs, though it seems to like to start with some pro- 

 tection. Accumulation of dead material under Tetragonia and 

 Rhagodia may possibly lessen their utihty against fire. 



Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.L.S.. in " The Forest Flora of New 

 South Wales " mentions the Coast Honeysuckle as an excellent 

 tree for sandy coast-lands, while it is also ornamental. If 

 the " cones " are heated at 120° Fahr. the seeds drop out, 

 and can be sown a quarter of an inch deep in leaf soil and 

 sand mixed. As regards ease of ignition, I find it probably 

 not quite so resistant as Coast Wattle, though my tests are 

 not decisive. It occurs among the shrubs of the outer edge, 

 and well-grown trees are sometimes found on the seaward 

 side, as well as amongst the scrub generally. The same 

 work also mentions sheoke as an excellent seaside plant. 

 Its beauty is unaffected by wdnd ; it is propagated from seed. 

 " Physicus," in the Australasian (19th August, 1911), called 

 attention to Myoporum (Boobialla) as a neglected hedge-plant, 

 though the example quoted may not have been our common 

 coastal species. 



Bursaria has a strong claim to inclusion as scattered trees, 

 on account of its fine show of white and scented flowers at 

 midsummer, and it is not lacking in beauty in fruits and young 

 foliage at other seasons ; but it is inflammable, and should be 

 reckoned with the tea-tree in taking precautions against lire. 



As to arrangement of planting or preserved shelter, that on 

 the seaw-ard side should evidently be as complete as possible. 

 Necessary access to the beach, either for private or pubUc use, 

 should be by paths with an angle, at least to the extent of a 

 good patch of scrub directly opposite the outer end of a straight 

 short path. Long, straight paths of any sort should be 

 avoided, except perhaps parallel to the coast, and well away 

 from it. A path which comes out obhquely to the beach, but 

 is otherwise straight, is exposed to \\ind directly from that 

 quarter. Care should be taken of the scrub alongside paths, 

 so that they are not unduly widened. The seaward end of 

 a road that is cleared should have artificial protection with 

 a view to immediate restoration of a block of scrub. 



A considerable mixture of non-infiammable plants should 

 be preserved, or introduced where they do not at present occur 



