CHAPTER VIII. 



Inland Sand-Wastes, and Sand-Wastes on the Coast. 



The different conditions of the maritime pine grown on the Landes of 

 Gascony, and of that tree grown on the Landes of La Sologne, indicate 

 that there must be some great difference in the conditions of the 

 sand-wastes themselves ; and I deem it of much more importance to 

 have this fact recognised by those who, without previous experience, 

 may contemplate the reclaiming of sand-wastes by sylviculture, than 

 to have the difference referred to precisely specified. All sand-wastes 

 are not alike : there are sand-wastes ; and there are sand-wastes ; 

 and there are trees which will grow luxuriantly upon one, which upon 

 another will pine away and die. 



Climate has to do with such results as well as soil. Sea air, and 

 saline constituents of the soil, destructive to some trees, may be, like 

 elements, life to others. The mobility of a drifting sand dune on the 

 coast may be a condition of life to one tree, while the comparative 

 fixity of an inland sand-waste may be essential to the growth of another. 

 Something has been gained by the discovery that even the maritime 

 pine, which has produced such wonderful results on the Landes of 

 Gascony and of the Gironde, will not grow everywhere, even on sand- 

 wastes in France. And the teaching of this is, that in every case in 

 which it is sought thus to arrest and utilize sand-wastes, the culture 

 must be determined by a special acquaintance with the case. 



A. previous study of the natural history of sand drifts and sand 

 dunes might facilitate the acquisition of such an acquaintance with 

 any one case as is referred to. But this comes not within the scope 

 of this volume, which is limited to the single chapter of that subject 

 indicated by its title. And it is the appearance presented by planta- 

 tions on drift sands, and by lands adjacent to the pine plantations in 

 Gascony alone, which have as yet been detailed. Points of similarity 

 and of difference between these sands and the sands of La Sologne 

 have only come before us incidentally. 



With the fact before us, however, that there are differences in the con- 

 ditions of sand-wastes, we may find it satisfactory to advance a little 

 further in the study of these sand-wastes of France, less with a view 

 of ascertaining the difference between the sand-wastes of the coast 



