Document information

Physical location:

76.03.00

Plant names

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to James Knight, 1876-03. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1870-9/1876/76-03-00-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026

1
Letter not found. The text given here is from Belfast gazette, 17 March 1876, p. 3 (B76.03.02). The text is part of an article published under the heading ‘Sand Encroachment’ and is preceded by a letter to the editor from Knight, as follows: ‘Sir,– The question of how to arrest the encroachment of sand on the lands adjoining the sea coast in this district, and of how to reclaim the lands already devastated by it, are of such importance to the community that I trust you will find room in your next issue for publication of the following memorandum on the subject received by me from Baron Von Mueller, the Government Botanist, and which I am sure will be read with much interest. I am, sir, yours truly, J. M. Knight.’
HOW TO PREVENT ENCROACHMENT OF SAND.
Among the several methods to bind the drift sands of sea-coasts by rearing vegetation, that adopted along the Bay of Gascoigne, and originally suggested by Mons. Bremontier, is one of the most effective, and finally most remunerative. The sand near to the shore is sown with a mixture of the seeds of pinus pinaster, pinus maritima, and cystisus scoparius, about 8 lbs. of each to the acre, 4 lbs. of psamma arenaria or tall bent grass. To this advantageously can be added a few pounds of the seeds of elymus arenarius, or sealyme grass. A layer of brushwood is placed flat over the seeds. The broom and lyme seeds germinate quickly, and protect subsequently the young pine seedlings. After a few years the broom plants can be removed, the pines requiring then more scope, and covering finally the sands with a productive and sheltering forest. The expense in France for thus transforming the drift sand of the coast into a forest yielding deals, tar, pitch, and resin was about £2 10s. per acre. Here the seeds of the leptospermum laevigatum are one of the best local auxiliaries in cases of this kind.