PLANTS THAT BUILD ISLANDS 119 
~ This sand-binding habit of certain plants may be 
noticed in various parts of the world, especially on 
islands, and on the sea-coasts of many countries. 
It is largely due to these plants that many islands 
exist at all, and that the continents are as large as 
they are. Sand-binding grasses and other sand- 
loving plants are of sufficient importance to have 
been made the subject for special consideration by 
experts in topographical and geological botany, and 
by land commissioners of such countries as have 
land bordering on the sea-coast. 
An interesting example of the rapidity and ex- 
tent to which this action of grasses in binding and 
building lands can attain is shown in one of the 
reports of the Royal Commission on Coast Ero- 
sion. 
In Southampton waters were scattered seeds of 
rice-grass by a ship, whose cargo was chiefly of this 
grass. Probably but little of the cargo was so lost 
in the unloading, but this portion, washing up on 
the shores, grew and spread rapidly, until in its 
circular progress it had covered the earth to the 
extent of twenty miles, the distance between South- 
ampton and Hurst Castle. 
This sea-rice, or spartina, growing thickly along 
the mud-banks of the shore, gathered and held much 
seaweed that was washed upon its stiff points, until 
