30 
from further eating away the saltings, already so nearly 
destroyed. 
It is apparent at once that success is likely to attend the trial. 
There are sure signs of a vigorous and healthy growth of the 
grass, as the dots on the mud (S) show that it has already 
obtained a good foothold. The circular tufts are becoming much 
larger, and, whilst coming close together in some parts, are in 
others arranging themselves into miniature meadows across the 
run of the tide. 
The number of tufts amount to several thousands, and as the 
mud is continuous into the bank they can send up new plants 
by means of their far-reaching runners or stolons. It is notice- 
able that the outermost tufts run in a nearly straight line, 
and this probably marks the spot where the mud is covered at 
ordinary tides by 2 to 3 ft. of water, and left dry again after 
a short time of immersion. The distance of this line is from 
59 to 100 yds. out from the sea-bank (O). At one part, 
the sea-bank on the shore opposite this stretch has been breached 
recently by heavy waves (B), and the path along it cannot at 
present be used. 
This arrangement of the Spartina tufts in lines parallel with 
the shore is very noticeable at present in three small bights, where 
the rush of tide may be slightly checked by the intervening head- 
lands, and a similar arrangement has been observed to occur in 
the quieter waters of the English Channel; but what is particu- 
larly interesting is the arrangement at the outermost belt, and it 
may be that the depth of mud rather than the height of the tide 
is the determining factor for the vigorous growth of the grass. 
Four years ago the landowner, Mr. A. E. Clothier, of Keyns- 
ham, obtained a quantity of Spartina Townsendi from Hayling 
Island, which he had split up into one thousand small tufts con- 
sisting of two or three plants in each, and these were planted by 
the Warden one yard apart in a straight line in the mud close 
against the upright earth-bank of the saltings. The waves, how- 
ever, promptly fioated them all out, and deposited them 40 or 
50 yds. to seaward. There most of them fortunately took root, and 
gradually settled down in a more or less straight line opposite 
the place where they were originally planted, with many of them 
shifted nearly half-a-mile northwards. : 
It was further stated that in about the year 1900 there was over 
6 ft. of mud on this shore lying upon a layer of peat 4 in. thick, 
under which is found a bed of white clay, but by 1917 the mud 
was only 6 in. deep on the same spots (T). It would seem that 
on such thin mud close into the bank it was not a good place to 
plant the Spartina, but it is remarkable and novel that the fufts 
should able to re-arrange themselves some way further out 
where the conditions were more favourable. : 
‘o illustrate er the scouring away of the shore it was 
learnt that in the three bights mentioned the earth-banks had 
been faced with carefully placed stonework, which for some years 
