182 FORESTRY IN THE LANDES 



Lafond describes in great detail special problems caused by the action 

 of the ocean currents. 



Forestation.^^ — It has been seen that the first step is to make sure that 

 the protection dunes are stable, and that the first essential is to sow or 

 plant maram grass on the slopes toward the sea about 60 to 70 feet from 

 high tide. It is usually planted in November to February since, if planted 

 later after the rains have ceased, it is apt to die. It is dug up from maram 

 bunches (which are too thick) and usually six to eight shoots are planted 

 at one place. It is cut 8 inches below the soil when collected and is 

 dibbled 12 inches deep in the sand; it is spaced 31 inches apart near the 

 sea and farther back 20 inches. This wider spacing near the ocean is 

 because it needs plenty of fresh sand in order to thrive, yet inversel}^ if it 

 is covered with too much sand it dies out and must be replanted. 



The next step is to sow the maritime pine coming back to the barrier 

 dune. 



According to a report published in 1834 the method of sowing was as 

 follows : 



"Pine seed, mixed with genista, furze, or maram grass was used for sowing in the 

 littoral zone. It was covered with branches of genista, furze, or pine according to the 

 locaUty. . . . These branches were laid flat and placed as if they were ferns. . . . 

 They were held in place on the soil with a httle sand (thrown broadcast)." 



The methods have remained about the same. According to the in- 

 structions of May 16, 1888, 9 pounds of pine per acre with 8 pounds of 

 genista or 9 pounds of maram grass pure were used; in either case it 

 took 400 fagots of 44 pounds each for the covering. 



The present method of sowing takes about 18 pounds of seed ^^ per 

 acre of maritime pine, 1.8 of genista, and 1.8 of maram grass. The 

 tendency is to sow too densely. The correct method of sowing means 

 scattering the seed, theoretically about 1 to 2 inches apart. The seed 

 is then covered with branches held down by sand. The cover is abso- 

 lutely essential so that the sand will not burn the seed and so that the 

 surface will not blow. A second method is by holes 4 inches deep and 

 20 inches apart, covered with genista and held down mth sand. A 

 third method now used is sowing in ditches 8 inches deep and 8 inches 

 wide. These are then covered with sand and with a light brush cover. 

 For dry localities the best time to sow is in October but for wet localities 

 in March. When maritime pine is occasionally planted wild stock is 

 used. According to Boppe (already cited) : 



IS The land tax on forested land on mountains, dunes, or waste land is exempt for 

 thirty years; three-fourths the land tax is remitted on any cleared soil that is afterwards 

 planted. 



1' Maritime cones are collected from January 1 to March 1. Genista seed is collected 

 in June and July and thrashed the end of July; maram grass is collected in August. 



