UTILIZATION OF SAND DUNES. 61 



saltbushes which seems well adapted to the cool summer climate of 

 the coast, is worthy of trial in these situations. It is a valuable forage 

 plant and seeds freely, but we have not yet demonstrated whether or 

 not it will stand trampling. On the Santa Barbara coast sand dunes 

 it has been found that Eriogonum fasciculatum and Lotus glaber, two 

 native perennial plants, grow luxuriantly through the dry season and 

 produce an abundance of nourishing feed which is much relished 

 by stock. It is doubtful, however, whether they would tolerate the 

 climate of the northwest coast. 



Hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa) is recommended for experimental cul- 

 ture as a sand binder, on account of its rapid and luxuriant growth 

 and read y propagation by seed, but we are not aware that its value 

 for this purpose has been determined. It is an excellent forage plant, 

 and is becoming naturalized in some parts of the State. 



Modiola (Modiola decunibens) has been found useful on the alkali 

 soils of the interior, and is said to be greedily eaten by stock. If it 

 will tolerate the cooler summer climate of the seashore, and the loose, 

 light soil of the sand dunes, it will make a valuable addition to the 

 list of sand-binding plants, as it roots freely from the joints and 

 spreads rapidly, forming a dense mat of herbage. a 



New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia expansa) is a succulent beach 

 plant, said to be eaten by stock. It has already become naturalized 

 on the sandy seabeaches along the coast in the vicinity of San 

 Francisco. 



Tree mallow (Lavatera assurgentiflora), native of Anacapa Island, 

 has been successfully used in San Francisco for the last fifty years 

 as a sand binder, wind break, and ornamental shrub. It grows to 

 a height of 6 to 12 feet, and thrives on light, sandy soil; it is also 

 valuable as a forage plant, cattle browsing greedily on the foliage. 



It does not appear that sand-binding qualities and forage value are 

 usually combined in the same plant, but it is possible that when once 

 reclaimed some forage crop might be raised on the dunes. It is an 

 open question, however, whether stock feeding on sand dunes should 

 ever be practiced on account of the danger of starting fresh drifts. 

 Mr. Sheppard, who has farmed at the mouth of the Garcia River for 

 nearly forty-five years, traces all his trouble with drift sand to the 

 time, some twenty-five or thirty years ago, when a neighbor of his 

 commenced sheep raising on the dunes, tempted to do so by the high 

 price of mutton and wool. In his eagerness to make money while 

 the prices were up, this man overstocked and left the sand almost 

 bare, with the result that it began to drift for the first time within 

 Mr. Sheppard's memory. Profiting from this experience the latter 

 gentleman has kept his stock off the dunes for some time, with the 

 result that a new growth of sand grass, sand verbena, blue lupine, 



a Since the above was written this plant has been found growing wild at Tomales 

 Bay, along the coast. 



