﻿10 BULLETIN 9, XJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Almost all west coasts present similar problems, not essentially 

 different from those which have been successfully solved by Bremon- 

 tier in France, and by Reventlot in Denmark. 



The California dunes, the French landes, the Dutch polders, the 

 Danish heaths, and the barrens of the Baltic coast of Prussia are all 

 in the same category. Abroad the abundant use of the sea reed 

 Ammophila arenaria is of first importance ; but in the warmer regions 

 of the globe the acacias can always follow the grasses. In some 

 instances, if the acacias are freely used, they may entirely obviate the 

 need for the preliminary grasses. In these warmer climates the low- 

 growing acacias are much preferable to the broom and gorse so useful 

 in more northern latitudes, while the larger acacias grow much faster 

 than most other trees. 



Abroad. 



AFRICA. 



The experience of several countries with acacia plantations near 

 the shore emphasizes their desirability on such soils. 



Cape of Good Hope. — The official reports of the conservator of 

 forests, Cape of Good Hope Colony, South Africa, gives the results of 

 extensive reclamation of sandy regions near the shore. For nearly 

 30 years these "blue books" have been crowded with information of 

 interest to those who have to deal with the problem of fixing sands. 



While acacias were first grown in South Africa for tanbark, fire- 

 wood, and other uses, their value in making productive the enormous 

 sand wastes was soon recognized. Such situations were extensively 

 seeded, sometimes with acacias alone, and sometimes in combination 

 with cluster pine (Pinus pinaster), the favorite conifer of the South 

 African planter. The principal species were Acacia leiophylla Benth., 

 {Acacia saligna, Wendl.), Acacia longifolia Willd., and Acacia 

 pycnantha Benth., all of which yield tanbark, besides some of the 

 larger wattles, such as decurrens, together with many of the lessor 

 shrubby species. The climatic conditions are often more detri- 

 mental than those which prevail on the California sea coast, and the 

 labor problem is certainly no more satisfactory. 



Now that the plantations are well established, the seed from them 

 and from other older plantations is gathered every year at small cost. 

 In 1891 about 1,600 pounds of acacia seed were sown, or distributed 

 to the public; the next year, 4,000 pounds, 1,963 of which were 

 A. leiophylla. By 1898 the forest officers reported an annual sowing 

 of 4,840 pounds of A. leiophnjlla seed and 4,360 of the shrubby A. 

 cyclops. Summing up, not less than 20,000 pounds of acacia seed of 

 various species were sown or distributed to planters in South Africa 

 between 1888 and 1899. 



Port Elizabeth. — In 1892, at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 150 

 acres of drifting sands were reclaimed by the broadcast sowing of 



