PLANTS THAT BUILD ISLANDS 121 



through the damp sands, shoving their way by 

 means of a sharp point at the end of each shoot. 

 At every joint is sent out a new shoot and numerous 

 new roots, in the same way that couch-grass spreads. 

 As the wind blows the sands over a new shoot, 

 the grass keeps climbing above the surface, and so 

 for many feet the sand-hill continues to grow up- 

 ward. Every drift of new sand is hastily tied, 

 until at last an enormous tract of land is bound 

 and tied, laced and wrapped, until there is no 

 escape from the grass's clinging arms. 



Unlike many sand-binding grasses, the marram 

 does not like salt water. It prefers to occupy the 

 sand-dunes that are above the reach of the salt 

 waves; and yet, it will not wander too far inland. 

 This may be due to the crowding influence of am- 

 bitious inland grasses. 



One of the most striking things relative to the 

 sand-binding habits of the marram is its ability to 

 suck up vast quantities of water. These enthralled 

 patches of earth are always damp, due to the water 

 that has been drawn up by the grass. As a result, 

 all drifting sands immediately adhere to the damp 

 sands, and become saturated in a short time; even 

 the wind is helpless to move the sand grains when 

 once they stick. Dry sands continue to heap upon 

 wet sands; and the ever-eager grass reaches out, 



