SAND BINDING GRASS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 11

SAND BINDING GRASS.

PLANTING THE SANDHILLS.

The chairman (Mr R. Rutherford) and two members of the Domain Board (Messrs Swan ! and Horsburgh), accompanied by the Mayor of Caversham (Mr Hancock) and the town clerk, visited the Sandhills on the afternoon of Saturday, July 8, and planted about lowt of marram grass (Psamma arenaria, or British bent grass). The board are indebted for the grass to Messrs' Robert Wilson and Co , who received it from, their correspondent ab Port Fairy. The marram grass, the seed of which was first introduced into the colony of Victoria by the Government botanht, Baron yon Mueller, in 1883 (and by him entrusted to the borough council of Port Faity for experiments on the barren shifting sind hummockg fronting the coatt line of Port Fairy), has been proved to be the most effective sand stay they ever planted. Practical evidence can be seen of its value in the miles of eandhills now reclaimed by the marram plantations, sown under the direction of Mr S. Avery, the park ranger. So complete has been the reclamation of .the lands, that, where a few years ago nob a 6ign of vegetation was to be seen, there now exists a succulent grass, eagerly devoured by cattle, and growing to a height of 4ft. Marram grass is practically indestructible-yburning, cutting, or eating off only makes it thrive— whilst in exposed shifting sand it propagates as surely as in the most sheltered position. The grass for transplanting has been supplied by the Port Fairy Borough Council not only to the Governments of Victoria and New South Wales, but to numerous municipal bodies and private individuals in all the Australian colonies, New Zealand, and Tasmania, and in no single instance has it failed to thrive. The grass is supplied at the actual cost of digging, packing, and carting to the wharf or railway station, Port Fairy, which does not exceed 25s per ton. The following directions how to plant marram grass have been prepared by the park ranger :— The grass to be planted in rows at a distance of 6ft apart, the space between the plants to be at least 2ft. The depth to which each plant is put into tho sand depends on the nature of the eand. If in sand not likely to drift for two or three months, 9in will be deep enough ; but in very loose and shifting Band the grass should be placed from 12in to 15in deep. A "plant" consists of as much grass as a man cau con- i veniently hold in his hand, and care should be

taken to have the roots regular. The system adopted in planting is for one man to dig the hole, and another to put in the " plant " and well tread in round the Bame. After 12 months' growth, the plants are fit for thinning out and transplanting. Cattle should nob be allowed to graze on the grass until the roots are thoroughly established. It takes 3630 " plants " to the acre, and there are about 2800 plants to the ton ; thus 1 too 6ewt will cover one acre. The most favourable time for planting is from Ist May to end of July. The grass will retain its vibality and strike root after being out of its sand bed for three months or more.