52 BULLETIN No. 82. 



pine. The prevailing opinion of longshoremen is that it would be im- 

 possible to establish forests on the sand-bar. However, French exper- 

 ience has demonstrated the feasibility of growing forests anywhere 

 along the coast immediately back of the dune ridge of the lower beach 

 area. It will be a difficult undertaking at first, but it can be done. It 

 will be necessary to experiment with different methods in order to de- 

 termine the best ways and means of establishing forests. 



Remains of a pine forest on Cape Henlopen buried by sand dunes. 



Planting can only take place in the area back of the dune ridge 

 and only where there are sufficient beach or marsh grasses to hold 

 the sand. (See figure 10.) Loblolly pine will be the most desirable 

 species. It may be necessary in some instances to provide a nat- 

 ural growth of shrubs for protection to the young seedlings; myrtle 

 and baccharis, propagated from cuttings and placed 4 feet apart, will 

 form large clumps in three to four years, and two-year-old loblolly 

 seedlings planted to the leeward of such bunches will certainly grow. 



