82 SAND-WASTHS IN PRANCE. 



and those of the interior of France, than with a view to becoming 

 acquainted more extensively with the less superficial conditions of 

 these sand-wastes than those previously detailed, whether common 

 to all or peculiar to certain localities. 



According to Herr Wessley, to whose work, entitled Der Europaische 

 Flugsand und Seine Kvltur* I have already had occasion to refer, 

 the "Landes" covering 270 German square miles (5,550 English 

 square miles) of the province of Gascony, form the area of the basin 

 of Bordeaux, a triangle bounded by the Atlantic, and formed by the 

 land lying between the lower portion of the beds of the Garonne and 

 of the Adour. 



On the coast are the " Landes Sauvages,'' or coast dunes, covering 

 an area of 19 German square miles, (nearly 400 English square 

 miles), which, through drifting, have extended to a breadth which is 

 unusual, and thereby has it frequently happened that the river courses 

 far inland have been stopped up, and thus, through their waters 

 penetrating into the Kehlen, or bared grooves, and hollows amongst 

 the dunes, whioh cover more than half the land, have these waters 

 been converted into lagoons and marshes. 



The inland portion of the " Landes " forms a kind of plain from 250 

 to 300 feet above the level of the sea, an extensive sand heath 

 covered with dunes, very much cut up, and of a composition so 

 unfavourable to vegetation that in many parts it is throughout the 

 year perfectly barren. It is only of late, as he says, that by extensive 

 sylviculture, chiefly of the maritime pine, a considerable extent of 

 forest has been produced, following mainly the water courses, and 

 thereby a better produce from the laud has been obtained. 



The superficial covering of these heaths is composed principally of 

 a very poor sand, devoid alike of clay and lime from 1*9 to 2*5 feet in 

 depth, resting on an impenetrable under stratum, from 11 to 15 

 inches in thickness, which consists of sand cemented by calcareous 

 and vegetable matter and is almost identical with the so-called 

 German " Ortstein." Under this stratum of ortstein again lies, sand 

 and although in some places they have dug to a depth of 63 feet 

 the lower extremity of this sand layer has not been reached. 



In the summer season there is neither spring nor brook to be seen 

 in these Landes. In the winter, however, being so near the sea, there 

 is a plentiful fall of rain ; and formerly, because of the little slope of 



♦Vienna : Fraesy and Freck. 1873. 



