1 Fen., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 125 
municipalities or divisional boards concerned. Why should thousands of acres 
of at present absolutely useless sand-hills for ever remain useless? Experience 
has shown that the barren-looking sea-sand which is driven before every gale, 
and piled up in vast mounds along miles of beach, is able to produce a 
splendid growth of forest timber, and to produce it at a most remarkable rate. 
All that is required is that the planted areas be protected until the growth is 
established. 
Professor John Gifford, D. Gic., who has had great experience in the matter 
of afforesting sand dunes, in an interesting report on the Forests of the State 
of New York, describes how the fixation of the dunes on Cape Cod was 
accomplished. These dunes were the result of the ruthless destruction of the 
timber over several thousands of acres of land. After 63,000 dollars had been 
expended in building jetties, sea-walls, &c., which were all either buried in the 
sand or carried away by storms, and in the planting of beach-grass to bind the 
sand, the Hon. Leonard W. Ross was consulted, and he commenced work on 
the extreme outside dune (there are three of them) in the most exposed part. 
First the base sand which was blown inland was fixed by planting clumps of 
beach grass (Calamagrostis arenarii) in alternate rows 18 inches apart. Then 
a woody growth was established of Pinus maritima, Pinus Austriaca, Pinus 
rigida, Pinus Sylvestris, Quercus rubra, &¢., which were found to succeed 
the best. A nursery was established in a sheltered spot, where many 
thousands of young plants were produced. These were afterwards trans- 
planted to their permanent situations. It was soon found, however, that 
this process was too expensive, and that direct seeding produced very 
satisfactory results. Once the outside dune was fixed (this was in 1895), 
operations were begun on the greater area to which the sand from it was 
blown. Again, pues and oaks were planted alternately, andin 1898 they were 
all thriving and healthy, averaging from 12 inches to 80 inches in height. _ The 
roblem was solved, and the progress of the dunes was not only arrested, but a 
litre area of hitherto valueless, barren sand was turned into a waving forest. 
It is clear from this that to attempt to reclaim the beaches here on a large 
scale would be beyond the power of private individuals or municipal bodies. It 
is a matter for the State to undertake. To some extent the planting of sandy 
areas has already been done by the Government, notably at Iraser’s or Great 
Sandy Island, which forms Harvey and Wide Bay. The work has proved fairly 
successful, and, doubtless, under our newly formed Forestry Department, much 
more will be done in this way once the revenue of the State has recovered from 
its late depression. ‘Ihe town lands of Southport, however, could be to some 
extent reclaimed at no very great expense. In a future issue I shall deal with 
the sand dunes at Caloundra to the north of Brisbane. : 
