THE TROPICAL 
PLA.NTISG 1jT of SHIFTING SANDS 
NEAR DRESDEN IN SAXON A", 
BY A. M. REUTHER, INDIAN 
FORESTER. 
A coiisiderabls area situated wltliia the Dresden 
Forest Circle has since many years been leased by the 
Military Department with the object of providing 
parade-grounds for the C avalry and Infantry Regiments 
stationed there. lu 1857 it was decided to extend the 
parade grounds, for which purpose a further area 
of 100 hectares was included in the lease ; a id in 
order to obviate payment of compensation, the Military 
Department allowed the tree-stumps to be extracted, 
and the litter to be removed, from this area after 
the forest on it had been clear felled. 
The surface-configuration of this area is undulating 
and the soil consis.s mostly of pure sand, containing 
here and there an admixture of clay up to 18 or 19 
per cent. Very soon after the complete exposure of 
the soil, the sandy surface began to grow unstable, 
ana already in 1870 the shifting sand, moved by the 
wind, covered not only the adjacent Cavalry parade- 
ground but also blocked the more distant “Kcinigs- 
briicker’' Chaussee to such an extent as to interrupt 
all tradiic on it. In the next few years the evil 
■■assumed such large proportions that it was found 
absolutely necessary to reafiorest the area with the 
least possible delay. 
Operations were commenced in 1871 by covering 
the whole area with a network of wattled fencing. 
Strong stakes, 7 to 9 cm. in diameter, were driven 
into °the ground 60 cm. apart, in rows 20 m. 
apart running south to north, and interwoven with 
branches of Scotch Pine, the wattled fencing thus 
formed being 80 cm. high. At right angles to these 
lines of fencing similar fences were made, about 50 
m apart, and 60 cm. high. Towards the west, where 
the general surface-elevation is higher and exposed 
mounds and ridges exist, the fences were placed 
closer together than on the more sheltered east side 
80 that the average area of each rectangle enclosed 
by the fences was about 1 rood on the west, and about 
2^roods on the east side. The shifting of the sand 
■was thus greatly reduced, and restricted within the 
enclosures; and already in 1875 it became possible 
to be*'in planting. In that year birch aud alder 
■were planted in rows along the fences (on the sheltered 
side) the planting holes being filled with good soil 
brought from a distance— and in the following year 
nlautiug up of the interior of each rectangle was be- 
gun with Scotch Pine plants 1 to 2 ye.ars old, which 
•-were put out in squares with the aid of Buttlar's 
'nl-antiug tool, 8,000 p ants being used per hectare, 
and each plant supplied with a handful of good humus 
soli The compost w.as prepared in autumn and left 
lying in heaps during the winter, aud convened to 
the site of the plantation just before the planting 
season in spring. 
Results.— The results are quite satisfactory in so 
far as the ground is now fully stocked, aud the surface- 
soil completely consolidated. But owing to the dry- 
mess and poverty of the soil, the growth of the plants 
is in many places very miserable, many of the Scotch 
■.Pines being only 1 metre high though already 15 to 
18 years old. The average height is, however, about 
5 m and for the most part the plants have closed 
overhead. The entire area has been most carefully pro- 
tected- cattle have been strictly excluded, and grass 
cutting disallowed, and all unauthorised persons have 
been prohibited from walking across it. These pre- 
cautions were absolutely necessary to prevent dis- 
turbance of the unstable surface-.soil, and to give the 
plants a chance of establishing themselves. 
The Cost of the cultural operations was 41-40 rok' 
■per hectare. The wattled fencing was constructed by 
a local battalion of Pioneers, and therefore involved 
no direct outlay; had the work been done by paid 
labourers, the cost would have been about 0'20 mk. 
(21d) per ’running metre of fencing. 
AGRICULTURIST. [Nov. r, 1897. 
SALT IN AGRICULTURE. 
!Mr. W. R. Trin'GHAM sends us a couple of 
small paniplilet.s published by the “Salt Union 
Co.”, on the inaniiold uses of their stajile. Mr. 
Tringham says : — 
The pamphlet ‘-Agricultural uses of Salt” contains 
valuable information, for instance read General Ob- 
servations p. 15. 
AVe quote as follows : — 
Geneh.^l Observations. 
1. Salt should not, as a rule, be applied with the 
seed. A little salt is sometimes mixed with carrot 
seed, an exception to the above rale. 
2. It is not advisable to apply salt to very cold, 
wet clay land. Salt nevertheless assists in the dis- 
integration of clays, if applied before ploughing. 
3. One of the principal reasons given by scientific 
authorities for the application of salt more or less 
. to all soils is based upon the fact that Chloride of 
Sodium, like other soluble Salts, is constantly being 
carried off the land into the rivers and seas. If the 
soil is to be kept fertile, this unavoidable loss must 
be replaced. Bearing in mind the abovementioned 
fact, It will be seen that those who think the land 
near sea coasts does not require salt are in error, 
as the small amount of salt c u’cied a short distance 
by sea breezes bears no comparison with the quan- 
tity carried away. 
4. As a guide to those who wish to make experi- 
ments, we may say that a fair average quantity is 
two ounces of Salt per square yard. A rough calcu- 
lation is one handful to each square yard. 
6. Two cwt. of Salt to 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda, 
1 cwt. Salt to 2 cwt. lime, equal quantities of Salt 
with basic slag, guano, and suparphosph-ates, are 
usual proportions. Kiiuit generally contains about 
one-third common salt aud in a report of recent 
experiments at Beading it is stated that “An equi- 
valent amount of Salt to that contained in the Kainit 
dressing, has been equally effective.” 
The use of Salt for Agricultural purposes is by no 
means recent, as is evidenced by the fact that the 
Romans and Chinese used it as a fertiliser for 
centuries before the Christian era. Why its use has 
been so much neglected and undervalued ' in the 
nineteenth century is a mystery to many scientific men- 
A provider ot plant food. An absorbent. A puri- 
fier and cleanser. A destroyer of weeds and insects. 
Salt improves grasslands and renovat. sold pastures, 
Successful experiments with salt in the cultivation 
of grain crops. In the cultivation of flax Salt has 
proved to be very useful and necessary. Turnips, 
mangolds, and beetroot. Salt for gardens and orchards. 
Salt as a potato manure. Potatoes, cabbage, carrots. 
Save the ammonia by salting manure heaps. 
Salt and Nightsoil.— Where nightsoil or house re- 
fuse is used as manure, it should always bo mixed 
with Salt, which destroys any organic life therein, and 
by chemical action makes the manure more valuable. 
And from the other pamphlet 
Gardens. — Salt is useful to Gardeners in many 
respects, and when used with judgment its effects 
are often surprising. Light sandy soils require more 
salt than heavy loams and clays. For gardens in- 
fested with ' wireworms a good dressing of salt in 
autumn will effectually disperse this plague. Potato 
disease may often he prevented by mixing salt with 
the manure, or by salting the soil a week or two 
before planting. For celery a thin layer down the 
centre of the trench between the plants keeps them 
moist during dry weather and improves the growth. 
For onion beds a littled sprinkled between the roivs, 
not touching the bulbs, is of advantage. It is most 
essential to give asparagus beds a liberal top dressing 
in early spring, followed by a lighter application 
later on. Seakale b ds should also be dressed with 
salt. Salt is also beneficial to fruit trees, especially 
Peach, Cherry and Apple. These remarks also apply 
to flowers, as many practical gardeners recommend 
Bait for the Stock, Hyacinth, Amaryllis, Iris, Anemone, 
Colchicum, Narcissus, and Ranunculus, &c. As a 
