222 THE FORESTER. October, 



The Reclamation of Drifting Sand Dunes. 



(GOLDEN GATE PARK, CALIFORNIA.) 



Being a Paper Read at the Summer Meeting, Los Angeles, Cal., 1899. 



(NUMBER six of the series.) 



About 700 of the 1,040 acres com- layed much later, dry weather is apt to 



posing the reservation were originally set in before the plants become firmly 



acres of drifting sand that moved with rooted, and the consequence is many are 



every gale, heavy storms sometimes lost either by drought or by being blown 



moving it to a depth of three feet in out by the winds. 



twenty-four hours. This sand is sharp Where any large areas of plants were 



and clean, with nothing in its composi- blown out by the roots, care was taken 



tion of a loamy nature, barren and poor, to have the ground immediately re- 



so poor that barley sown on its surface, planted, a gang of men being sent after 



after being plowed and cultivated in every storm to pick up the scattered 



a favorable season with plenty of moist- roots and to plant them deeper if possi- 



ure, grew only about six inches in height, ble than before. The entire tract being 



and failed to perfect its seed, although planted with this grass, the next opera- 



perfectly protected from winds by a high tion was the building of brush fences, 



embankment on its westerly side. across the wind about 100 yards apart 



The first operation necessary in the and from four to six feet in height, on 

 reclamation of ground of this sterile the sheltered side of which young seed- 

 nature, was to bind the sand to prevent ling trees were planted, averaging five 

 its moving. Experiments were made by feet apart. A variety of trees were ex- 

 sowing barley, also by sowing seeds of perimented with, among which were the 

 the blue and yellow shrub lupin Lupinus Norway Maple, which is so highly recom- 

 Arborea, also by planting seeds of Pinus mended in European works of reclama- 

 Maritima, all of which were partially tion; the Tamarix and the Poplar, the 

 successful; but the first complete success Monterey Cypress, the Pinus lnsignis, 

 was with the planting of the entire area the Pinus Maritima, the Acacia Lophan- 

 with the sea bent grass (Calamagrestis tha, the Acacia Latifolia and the Euca- 

 Arenaria), which was done by planting lyptus, Viminalis, Globulas, etc. All 

 the roots about three feet apart, and run these made satisfactory progress, ex- 

 in with the plow. A furrow was run cepting the Norway Maple and the Pop- 

 about fifteen inches deep, in which a few lar, the summer winds blowing off every 

 roots were dropped, about three feet leaf, almost as soon as formed. The 

 apart; then two furrows were turned, in Acacia Latifolia and Acacia Lophantha, 

 which no roots were set; in the third the Monterey Pine, the Monterey Cy- 

 furrow roots were again planted, and so press and the Tamarix are all about 

 on over the entire tract. Where the equally well adapted for standing exposed 

 dunes were too steep for horses to travel, sea winds, and all seem to thrive equally 

 pits were dug by hand and the roots well in the sand; but we find that the 

 planted the same distance apart as when barren sand does not contain nutriment 

 the land was plowed, care being taken sufficient to grow trees more than ten 

 to firmly press with the foot the sand feet in height, or until the tree begins to 

 immediately about the roots. Moist or form heart wood. 



even wet weather is, of course, the best About that stage of growth the tree 



time to plant this grass, the best season begins to show signs of distress, the 



for planting being between December leaves of the conifers gradually grow 



1 and February 15. If planting be de- shorter, the bark gets bound and the 



