592 



The Agriculturai, Value of Sea- Sand. [Oct., 



of Perranzabuloe regularly shovelled away the sand from the 

 church doors on Sundays before they were able to enter the 

 building. 



At the present time the removal of the sand from one spot to 

 another is almost entirely prevented by the growth of Marram 

 Grass, Sand Reed or Sand Grass (Psamma arenaria, Beauv.), 

 v/hich almost entirely covers the dunes in all parts of the 

 county. The first record of this plant in the county is 

 given by Davey in his " Flora of Cornwall " as 1758 A.D., so 

 that its introduction into Cornwall is comparatively recent. 



The practice of carrying this sand for agricultural purposes is 

 doubtless centuries old and enormous quantities w^ere at one 

 time being drawn annually. Probably its use was overdone in 

 many places, for the idea that it was valueless w^as common in 

 various districts a few years ago. During the last 20 years, how- 

 ever, it has been applied in increasing quantities and it has now 

 entered into strong competition with burnt lime and ground 

 limestone, proving in many localities to be the cheapest form 

 of lime available to the farmer. 



Application. — It is applied to the land in various w^ays, but, 

 probcibly, most frequently as part of a compost or " mixed 

 dressing." In the Penzance district the variety known as " lug 

 sand " found at one part of the beach is carted to the farm and 

 mixed with refuse from the broccoli crop, sea-weed, and farm- 

 yard manure, the whole being allowed to rot down for a month 

 or two, after which it is turned or due over so as to mix the 

 ingredients and then ploughed in for the potato crop. A some- 

 what similar plan is followed in other parts. Frequently the soil 

 at the foot of the hedges (the so-called ditches) was at one time 

 ploughed for three or four furrow^s wide and carted to some con- 

 venient spot in the field where it was mixed with sea-sand and 

 dung. xAfter being allowed to rest for a time it was dug over 

 and mixed and then carted over the field. This plan was often 

 adopted on temporary pastures before the cost of the labour in- 

 volved made it more or less prohibitive. In other cases the 

 sand is carted to the field and spread with long handled shovels 

 from the cart as a dressing for grass. It is frequently used as 

 litter either alone or in combination with straw (often from a 

 mistaken idea of its value as an absorbent) and in this way finds 

 its way to the manure heap and eventually to the soil. 



The amount apphed per acre varies widely, being larger near 

 the coast. The average is from 4 to 6 tons per acre, but dressings 

 of twice these weights are common. 



