Crawford. — Directions for Raising Amraophila arundinacea, ckc. Ill 



have caused tlie reclamation of hundreds of thousands of acres of land from a 

 state of desolation to fruitfulness. Everyone can see with their own eyes the 

 rapidity with which, on the other hand, land is drifting in this province and 

 elsewhere in the colony from fruitfulness to desolation. 



Art. IX. — Directions for Raising and Si^reading Ammophila arundinacea 

 and Elymus arenarius. By J. C. Crawford, F.G.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 23rd October, 1872.] 



If the seeds of these grapes are simply scattered on the sandhills there will be 

 great waste of seed ; much will be blown away and lost, particularly if sown 

 where the sand is actually in motion. 



1. If there is any good land at the place a nursery ought to be fenced in 

 and a quantity of plants raised there as a stand by. "When well established a 

 number of these plants should be broken up every winter and planted out, but 

 care should be taken to replant in the nursery, and to keep it permanent. 



2. In sowing beds in the open, particularly late in the season, moist and 

 sheltered places should be selected, and the seeds trodden in or slightly 

 covered. 



3. When the plants are fairly grown and form large bunches a number of 

 them may then be broken up into several hundred plants each, and j^lanted 

 out. They must be planted deep so as to have a good hold of the ground, 

 otherwise many will blow out. It is also advisable when planting to cut off 

 the tops of the leaves, as the plants do not then suffer so much from the wind 

 before getting rooted and established. I use, for planting, a small spade, and 

 make a slit, well opened, the full depth of the blade. 



4. It is advisable to commence planting in hollows surrounding the sand- 

 hills and gradually to work round them. 



5. It will take a year or two before the plants make much show, after- 

 wards planting out must go on all through the winter season. 



6. The planting out of these grapes requires thought, judgment, and 

 constant attention, otherwise a very small result will be attained. 



Art. X. — On the Taieri Floods. By G. M. Barr. 



\Read before the Otago Institute, l'2th March, 1872.] 



Many schemes have been suggested for the prevention of the floods which 

 have been so disastrous to property on the Taieri plain, but those which were 

 generally recognized as the most practicable have usually been estimated at so 



