77 



means of the stolones of my favourite agrostis, occurred 

 also to another gentleman, well acquainted with the incon- 

 venience occasioned by such a moveable surface. 



Two years after my intercourse with Earl O'Xeil on the 

 subject, being in Edinburgh, I was told by my kind host 

 Mr. AiissLiE, that a Mr. Brown had requested to be in- 

 troduced to me, for the purpose of consulting me on a 

 question relative to grass, which he considered as of much 

 importance. 



AVhen Mr. Brown came, he told me he had been exten- 

 sively employed in managing estates in theLEWlS Isla>^ds, 

 where great injury was done by the moving sand ; that 

 he had observed in many spots and patches, the sand held 

 down by a grass running its shoots along the surface ; that 

 he had returned lately irom the main, and, hearing much of 

 florin grass, had been shown some, and immediately recog- 

 nized the long-stringed grass he had seen in the Hebrides^ 

 holding down the sand : that his object in seeking an 

 introduction to me was, to request my opinion on the 

 practicability of cultivating this grass on loose sands, 

 where he had observed such beneficial effects from its 

 spontaneous growth. I gave Mr. Brown my opinion deci- 

 dedly on the practicability of the measure, with full written 

 directions as to the mode I thought he ought to pursue ; 

 and I promised to communicate further with him by letter, 

 when he should apply to me. Not hearing from him, I 

 wrote to my friend to inquire about him, and found he had 

 got into employ in a part of Scotland not troubled with 

 blowing sands. 



With Mr. Brown I did not limit myself, as in the former 

 case, to the spontaneous efforts of Nature, for clothing his 

 surface, and arresting the progress of his mischievous 

 enemy. I advised him, very late in August, when the sto- 

 lones had acquired strength enough for vegetation, and 



