The San Francisco call., 1909-01-17
OO0OS PLUrTOSKO
AS SIDEWALK TREE

the bush OF purple Canterbury bella
were the veritable bells that rung When
Dick Wilmington was on his way to
London; the passion vine. with Its wen
defined cross was the cross on which
the Savior died and which we neveE
passed without a shudder over that
awful day when the sun was darkened.
and the ferns that grew near BY In
network OF delicate green fronds were
the fairies dust brushes" Life was
all poesy and fanciful imagery then,
and no thought OF the trained skill and
study necessary to keep "one's green
things a-growing" was In our minds
"Will you have a rockery herer''
asked an obsequious gardener once OF .
wealthy patron for whom he was laying
out the grounds Of his newly bought
mansion site. NO said the owner per-
emptorily. dig me a pond. There's
nothing like water to vivify scene"
Though roughly put the above II
true. All garden and landscape authort-
ties coincide in this act Special stress
Is laic upon IT IN the desirable things
for California gardens. This Is how our
park wizard thinks OF It.
Where grounds have the required
space water effects should be intro
duceo, nothing IN nature being more
brilliant In its effects than water,
form. which is perhaps the most strik-
ing OF all. or IN reposs in pond or lake.
The size or extent OF the body OK
water should, OF course, be IN proper
ton to the extent OF the improved
grounds A glimpse OF q river or creek
In the background gives an ideal finish
to an otherwise charming landscape,
while a modest water effect IN pond
shape adds beauty to the smaller gar
den or grounds such as nothing else
can possibly give. II the surface Of the
pond be covered with floating water
lilies and the borders planted with the
semiaQuatics. such as the japanese iris
or the Gala lily. what more delightful
and fairylike effect can be imagfned1
A small lake bordered with willow and
pine Is a wonder study, and II the night
blooming cereus or lotus be somewhere
near the effect one is apt to realize
ones most joyous imagery OF such .
spot.
In sharp contrast to the quiet and
peaceful beauty afforded by the intro
duction Of pond. river or lake sfrects
into landscape comes the tale OF the
reclamation OF the sand dunes which
once formed the whole Of the thousand
acres constituting the park area Sand
reclamation IS a matter which deeply
interests the dwelIers IN the coast coun-
ties OF California. and the recalling OF
the manner in which the park commits
sfoners of San Francisco Overcame the
difficulties Of sand reclamation Will not
be anliss in this history OF gardening.
The sand IS formed OF small particles OF
granite. clean and sharp, without any
vegetable matter. and IL has no clay or
other soil mixed with il. even IN the
smallest proportion On account OF the
almost constant action OF the wind II
was formerly kept ever on the move,
and in heavy gales drifted like snow
to a depth OF three or four feet and
often being carried a distance OF over a
hundred
How to tie this moving mass OF
sand and 70 hold and bind IT from
drifting was the first problem OF the
park builders
The first experiment tried was the
sewing OF barley seed thiclly over tho
entire area. narrowing and cross har-
rowing the sand so as to cover the
seed In due course the seed sprouted
and grew to a height OF several inches,
covering the sand and holding Il fairly
well for few months. but. on account
OF the barley being shallow roOter
and an annual dying out In q few
months. 1t failed to hold the sands to-
gether after July. and tho winds OF
August started them moving again.
The next attempt was made with tho
yellow lupin. strong growing. peren-
q
This proved successful only In the pro-
tected parts OF the district
Then the sea bent grass, q native OF
the maritime countries OF Europe and
used successfully IN all the coast coun-
tries OF that continent was expert
mented with. This plant had been used
in Denmark but France. Holland, Italy.
Spain and Great Britain had also re-
claimed many thousands OF acres bv
means OF this wonderful sand binder.
and 1t proved its worth IN California
when the seeds were procured from
France, sown IN the nursery, the plants
taken up at the age Of two years ana
removed to the sand district, whore
they Immediately took root and bv
their tremendous root growth held the
billowins sands together and laid tha
foundation or one OF the most Wonder-
ful park gardens In the world"
On this 1000 acre tract, originally q
bleak waste OF drifting sand. NAV now
be found groves of superb trees. ma
tfves OF both hemispheres and all the
continents. Here one may see the cedara
OF Lebanon and OF Mount Atlas ths
cedars Of the Himalayas. the arauca-
rtas OF Chile and Brazil. the featherv
foliaged magnolia OF the soufharv
states. the elms OF New England ana
the sequoias. expresses and pines OF our
own state In addition may be found
--te JS"S oA OAQ England and the fra
grant acacias OF Australia. together with
groves OF bamboos. masses OF xavlv
nowering camelIlas and rhododendrons
Rpd stately rubber trees, while hun-
dreds OF varieties OF other treas 80
shrubs are there. all healthy and hapnv
In their new surroundings and spealr-
Ing worlds for the genial climate OF tha
Golden state and the kindly care. wise
knowledge and loving skill bestore,l
upon them by John McLaren. gardener.
norist. ootapist and landscape snxf-
Ices ana MS corps OF able aud VILLAS