102 J. H. MAIDEN. 
sand, vary from north-west to south-east. According to 
the preponderance and strength of these winds so will 
the direction of the sand-ridges vary; it will of course 
be borne in mind that the direction of the ridges will be 
at right angles to the prevailing wind. 
Mr. A. W. Howitt is of opinion that the strongest 
winds in the Lake Hyre district of South Australia are 
south-West. 
7. Remedial measures.—Since our knowledge of the 
inland drifting sands is so sparse, with such defective 
knowledge, I am afraid our remedial measures must be 
largely tentative. Having learnt the principle of arrest- 
ing the progress of a coast sand-dune from its source and 
coping with it, we should endeavour, as far as possible, to 
apply a similar principle to the inland ones also. In deal- 
ing with the latter, a large area of moving sand may be 
the source; hence we must modify our tactics, forming a 
number of more or less parallel lines of defence at a com- 
paratively great distance apart instead of practically one 
line of defence as with the narrower strips of sand on our 
coast. 
I think that conservation of vegetation should be our 
watchword, I would subordinate planting to this. An 
essential condition to success is to keep stock off areas 
which are being conserved or planted, perhaps for a con- 
‘siderable period. Close planting is necessary, otherwise 
weeds and grasses compete unduly with the young plants, 
which can be thinned out as necessity arises. The remarks 
I have made in regard to the utilization of the native vege- 
tation, when speaking of the coast dunes, I would particu- 
larly emphasise in speaking of those of the interior. I do 
not propose to exclude exotic plants, but I have no hesita- 
tion in saying that the bulk of the work of sand-binding in 
the interior must devolve on Australian indigenous plants. 
