NATURAL HISTORY. 29 



turn out to plant beach grass, as it was in the inland towns to 

 turn out and mend the roads. This was required by law, with 

 suitable penalties for its neglect, and took place in April. 



A farmer of much practical knowledge of this subject, says : 

 " Since the cattle have been kept from the beaches, by the act 

 of the legislature of 1826, the grass and shrubs have sprung 

 up of their own accord and have, in a great measure, in the 

 westerly part of the Cape, accomplished what was intended to 

 be done by planting grass. It is of no use to plant grass on 

 the high parts of the beach. Plant on the lowest parts and 

 they will raise, while the highest places, over which the grass 

 will spread, are levelling by the wind. To preserve the beach 

 it must be kept as level as possible. 



" Beach grass is of but little value except to prevent our 

 loose, sandy beaches from being drifted about by the wind. We 

 have but one species, and this is fast spreading over our upland, 

 making it useless for cultivation. Land that would produce 

 from twenty to twenty-five bushels of Indian corn to the acre, 

 without any manure, twenty-five or thirty years ago, is now 

 overrun with beach grass and will produce nothing else. If 

 the dead grass is burnt off in the spring, it will make a pretty 

 good pasture for cattle and horses. It keeps green longer than 

 any other grass we have. It can be cultivated from the seed or 

 by transplanting. Our loose, sandy beaches are the most suit- 

 able for its growth." 



Beach grass seems to require the assistance of some disturb- 

 ing causes to enable it to attain its full perfection. The driving 

 winds in some localities, arc sufficient, while in other places, 

 where it docs not thrive so well, it is probable that an iron tooth 

 harrow would greatly improve and aid its growth. It has been 

 extensively cultivated or propagated from the seed on many 

 parts of Cape Cod, on Nantucket, and in fact to considerable 

 extent all along our coast. It comes in of itself along Nan- 

 tasket beach from seed borne by the tides, probably, from 

 the Cape. It has been extensively used, at times, in this coun- 

 try, for the manufacture of coarse paper, though if I am rightly 

 informed, its manufacture has been discontinued in this State. 

 In other countries it is manufactured into door mats and In-ushes, 

 mats for pack-saddles, meal bags and hats, and into ropes for 

 various purposes. 



