Kingk.—On the Reclamation of Sand Wastes. 45 
well worth a trial, and the necessary modifications in our circumstances would 
soon be ascertained. If our friends learned in those things will indicate such 
littoral grasses as have the properties of root-spreading and, at the same time, 
striking moderately deep into and flourishing on nearly pure sand, the 
practical result cannot be very uncertain, nor the application difficult. It 
is, in the first place, only a carpet of any sort of vegetation which will 
prevent the driving of the surface that is wanted. This will allow the 
planting of trees, and, where the soil is the more suitable, proper pasturage 
grasses can afterwards be substituted. But the great result would be attained 
if even the onward progress of the sand was arrested, and, as it must evidently 
be commenced at the sea, every year’s delay loses not only so much more land 
now good, but increases the width of waste to be reclaimed in order to preserve 
the remainder. 
Авт. IX.— Notes on the Plants best Adapted for the Reclamation of Sand 
Wastes. Ву T. Kırg, F.L.S. 
[Read before the Auckland Institute, 6th October, 1873.] 
As attention has been drawn to the importance of preventing the further 
inland extension of our coastal sand wastes by the recent papers of Mr. 
Whitcombe* and Mr. Stewart,t it seems desirable to point out the various 
indigenous and exotic plants available for the purpose, and to state their 
respective advantages and disadvantages so far as demonstrated ы actual 
experience or close observation. 
Mr. Heale has well shown that, as a general rule, it will be found much 
more difficult to reclaim the sand wastes on the west coast of the North Island 
than those on the east, on account of the greater set and force of the wind on 
the former. While assenting to the general truth of this statement, I am led 
to the belief that in allexcept perhaps a few peculiar localities, the object 
sought may ultimately be obtained by commencing the work of reclamation 
at high-water mark, since the added sand, except in the case of moving sand- 
hills, is chiefly derived from the space between tide-marks. If, therefore, we 
can succeed in arresting this at the extreme verge of high water, the mass 
will accumulate so slowly, owing to local eddies and coastal dispersion, as in 
most cases to admit of the growth of arboreal vegetation forming a permanent 
barrier. U 
When the sand is but slightly exposed to the action of the wind, the 
process is very simple, or rather a number of simple processes may be adopted 
* Trans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. V., p. 108. + See Art. VIII. 
