Gardening in California 



fifteen feet higher than the roadway and from a hundred to three 

 hundred feet in width, firmly kept in position by this wonderful 

 grass. 



The culture of the grass is very simple. The roots are dug 

 or pulled up by hand, and, if the ground to be operated on is 

 reasonably level, the surface is plowed with an ordinary plow. 

 A few of the roots are dropped about two feet apart into every 

 third furrow and then covered by the plow, until the entire tract 

 is thus planted. Where the ground is abrupt or too steep for 

 plowing, holes are dug a foot deep and about two feet apart 

 and a few of the roots dropped into each hole, the sand around 

 the roots being pressed firm by the foot. The best season for 

 planting is February or March although the grass will do well 

 if planted either earlier or later in the year, provided the sand 

 is moist. It should, if possible however, be set out during rainy 

 weather, as at such time there is no dry sand to get about the 

 roots; besides, the rain settles the sand around the roots far 

 better than any treading can possibly do. 



The sand-shifting having been stopped by the Bent Grass 

 and no further trouble being apprehended from drifting, the next 

 operation in the work of park building to be undertaken by the 

 Park Commission was planting the ground with hardy trees and 

 shrubs. 



A great many different species of trees were experimented 

 with, including those especially suggested by European for- 

 esters, such as the Norway Maple, Sycamore, Maritime Pine, 

 English Yew, Austrian Pine, the Elder and many others highly 

 recommended. In exposed situations all of these, with the excep- 

 tion of the Maritime Pine, failed entirely. 



At the same time many of our native trees and shrubs, in- 

 cluding Monterey Cypress, Monterey Pine, Yellow Pine as well 

 as Alders and Maples were set out. The Cottonwood, Scrub 

 Oak, and other varieties of Oaks were also given a trial, but, 



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