RE-PLANTING FORESTS SAND-STONE FORMATION. 207 



tion will allow such places to obtain a sward, and then 

 trees may be planted. 



At all events, in reclaiming such sandy locations there 

 should, if possible, be avoided any tearing up of the soil, 

 thus leaving a good deal cf the work to the kindness 

 and fertilizing power of nature. 



CHAPTER V. 



RE-PLANTING FORESTS ON MOUNTAINS OF THE SA1TD- 

 STONE FORMATION. 



THE cultivation of the poor sand soil on the plains 

 for farming and even for grazing purposes, meets very 

 often with so many difficulties, that sand-lands mostly 

 are considered worthless. And yet, if they would be 

 planted with suitable forest-trees, both the country and 

 the owner would be benefited, provided the latter is able 

 to stand the expenses of cultivation without expecting 

 any noteworthy income from his property during the 

 first quarter of a century. How easy it is to raise forest- 

 trees on deep sandy soil, shows the cultivation of trees 

 which is effected on mountains of the sandstone forma- 

 tion. With the exception of those parts in these moun- 

 tains, which are very steep and too much exposed to the 

 sun, and certainly with the exception of such places as 

 are infested with shifting sands, of which we have treated 

 heretofore, there is not much trouble in restoring de- 

 nuded woodlands on sand-mountains. This formation 

 contains always some clayey component parts and fur- 

 nishes, if the surface of the rocks becomes more or less 

 dissolved by the air, the best material for creating forests. 

 Usually we find at the top of these mountains a loamy 



