The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-10

SNl pllSG lO DOldnlSlS pll etCN0uHI Ot lAt immense variety which 1t will show The growth of the wild rose In this sec ton is especially beautiful, the ground being absolutely carpeted with these flowers in the summer time This growth can, without doubt, be contln- ued to the sea, and when this has been done 1t will be possible to establish roads, and open up the section beyond now lying barren and waste, and to make use of it in various ways.
 In the first place 1t could be made to constitute one of the most beautiful | residential sections on the face of the | earth and rights to cottages or hotels might prove a large source of income, In the low lands, by shutting off the salt water, it would be possible to grow asparagus, as is done in other lands of | exactly the same character in nearby sections, and this land is also just suit ed to the growth of oser willows, which are exceedingly valuable when l grown under the proper conditions. It would also be possible for the state to stock the wooded area and let the shooting privileges to clubs, as the sec tion would be one of the most easily protected possible,
 The basis of operations in the work of stopping the drifting of the sand is the Race Run, shallow tongue of water which makes In from Race Point, the northwestern corner of the end of the cape, and runs about easter ly for some three miles, leaving a mar row belt of land on the northerly side. The work of planting has been begun on the southerly or landward side of the run, as the sand cannot blow across it to any great extent, and it gives a good place from which to make a start. From this point the formation of the | land is three Well-detined hills or dunes, running about east and west, the outermost about half a mile from the edge of the run, and the innermost at the edge of the wooded belt, which it | is filling up and killing out. These dunes have the appearance of huge waves, and the movement of the sand over them is exactly similar to that of the wave motion of water. The wind cuts into the northerly or windward side of the dune, keeping it bare of vegetation, while on the leeward side there is a growth of beach grass The drifting of the sand over the ridge cuts under the vegetation, so that the crest is constantly moving southward, and the sand from one dune is continually being blown over on to the next and so on. When the windward sides have been covered with vegetation the wind of course. can get no hold on the sand and it's drifting will be stopped entire ly. This has been accomplished to a large extent on the first dune its wind ward side having been covered with beach grass for length of about a mile, the whole planting comprising about forty-five acres,
 The beach grass alone would hold the sand With careful watching, but 1t is also being supplemented with a strong growth of fibrous plants of hardy na- ture, which will in time make sure and permanent foundation for the trees which are to cover in the whole section in the future, The commissioners have not as yet spent any large amount of money on the work, as it is considered best to ask for small appropriations at first, with the idea of demonstrating that the work is practicable, and as certaining just what are the best lines to follow before going into any exten- sve operations. An appropriation of S3,000 was granted in 1894 one of $3. 800 in 1895, and one of $3, 800 in 1896 With this sum of $1o.000, besides reclaiming the forty-tive acres mentioned above, the commissioners have established q nursery in a sheltered spot for starting plants and trees for ultimate transpor- tation to the windy slopes outside, and have built about q mile and half of excellent road where it was impossible before to build any road at all. Be- sides this, the sand in many places has been partially held down by brush cov- erings, which prevent it's blowing to a limited extent.
 In company with Woodward Emery, the chairman of the board of harbor and land commissioners, and Leonard w. Ross, who acts as the consulting landscape architect of the board, a Transcript" reporter was recently given an opportunity to visit the Pro- vince lands on one of their trips of in- spection, and found the trip one of great interest.
 As the horses moved forward into the sand they sank in fetlOck deep. and, although the wagon was moving down E. sharp decline, they were pulling hard, so heavy and yielding was the sand, As the wheels cut in and turned the sand over, 1t was noticed that it was damp immediately under the surface. and this is a characteristic of the whole district and one which makes the prospect of planting it successfully a particularly hopeful one. No matter how much rain there may have been, the surface of the sand is always dry, the dunes there is always moisture about four inches below the surface.
 A few minutes brought the party tC the edge of the beach grass plantation and here eight or ten men were found at work putting in the grass. They worked in pairs and did the work very rapidly. one man turning back the sand with a shovel and the other thrusting in the grass, when the first man removed the shovel and the sand was stamped down around the plant ing. The planting is being done now as it is found that the fall planting lives better than that put in in the spring which had been planted this spring and this was all alive and in a prosper ous condition, although it had not made much of growth. Beyond this again was the planting of the spring