16 RECLAMATION OF CAPE COD SAND DUNES. 



The undcrjj^rowtli witliin the timbered area consists largely of 

 ink havvy (lie,/! (jltihra) and huckleberry {Gaylusmcla resinosa). The 

 wintergrcen or checkerberry {GaultJieria procitriibetis) forms an exten- 

 sive substratum below the two species just mentioned, while the hog 

 cranberry or bearl>err3^ {Arctosttqjhylos uva-arsl) forms extensive mats 

 where the undergrowth of shruljs is more open. The two grasses, 

 Agrostis kyenialls and Dantlwnla ^picata^ are abundant, forming scat- 

 tered clumps throughout the open woodlands. Less important but 

 characteristic species of shrubs and vines occurring in the forests are 

 green brier {Smllax rotimdifolui), bay berry {J^fyrica carolmoit^ls), 

 service berry {Anielanchier hotryapluni)^ Virginia creeper {Partlumo- 

 cissiis <iuin(iuefolla) ^ dwarf l^lueberr}^ {Yaccinium pennsylvanicuni)^ 

 and coast arrowwood ( Vihurnuni venosatii). Several species of wild 

 rose are to be noted in the more open places in the forest and along 

 its borders. 



AKEAS NOT KECEIVING GRADUAL ACCUMULATIONS OF SAND. 



If, instead of receiving the gradual accunmlations of sand, an area 

 is subjected to the eroding action of the wind or at least fails to 

 receive additions of sand, the early stages are quite different from 

 those which characterize the areas just mentioned. The reclamation 

 process at first is very slow, for the heavy winds frecpienth' destro}^ 

 the work of a whole season and the I'educed vigor of the plants inci- 

 dent to the conditions renders the process of humus accumulation 

 extremely slow. The beach grass as before is the pioneer and contin- 

 ues to occupy the area for some time, although not showing a thrifty 

 growth. The poverty grass {lludsonla to)ne)itosa) formation gradu- 

 ally develops and often nearly covers the ground with its procumbent 

 herbaceous stems. This condition continues for some time l)efore 

 there is sufficient humus accumulation for the next members of the 

 cycle. At this stage the bearbcrry or hog cranberry {Arctostaphylos 

 uva-ursl) appears and extends its mat-like evergreen growth over large 

 areas. This is associated with such species as Polygonella articulata 

 and Co7'e7na coriradil. These are followed l)y the bavberry and the 

 beach pkun. The ensuing development is su})stantially that cited for 

 the areas receiving gradual accunmlations of sand, as when the forma- 

 tion becomes closed in the two instances there is no further opportu- 

 nity for either the addition or removal of sand, and hence the initial 

 differences no longer obtain. 



As indicated above, the succession of stages from the accumulating 

 beach to the forest was probably the one which characterized the 

 development of the vegetation upon the original sand areas of the 

 Cape. As the deposition of the sand was comparativel}' slow the vege- 

 tation was able to keep pace with the increments, thus preventing the 



