THE BEACH PLUM IN MASSACHUSETTS 



By John S. Bailey^ 

 Assistant Research Professor of Pomology 



The beach plum {Prumis niaritima Marsh.) is a wild native plum which grows 

 in abundance along the beaches, among the sand dunes (Fig. 1), and on the 

 coastal plains from Virginia to New Brunswick. It is very abundant on Cape 

 Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Although it grows 

 wild in these areas, it is by no means limited to them for it will thrive on inland 

 soils as well. Several have been growing and fruiting at Amherst for a number 

 of years. 



Figure 1. Typical Beach Plum Area. 

 The low-growing bushes can be seen mixed with the grass in the foreground. 



Photo by Bertram Tomlinson. 



The fruit of the beach plum has considerable economic importance (5) on 

 Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket, where it is gathered for jelly 

 and jam making. This industry has been developed until it is now on a com- 

 mercial basis. However, the crop is uncertain, varying from almost no crop in 

 some years to as high as 15,000 bushels in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket 

 counties in 1941. Prices have varied accordingly from $2.00 to a high of $6.20 

 per bushel. In 1941 beach plums were sold on the Boston retail market at 25 

 cents a quart during August and September. 



Before the beach plum industry can expand, numerous problems of culture 

 must be solved. Because of the variability of the fruit in jelly-making quality 

 and of the bush in fruitfulness, there is a demand from those in the industry for 



'The author wishes to thank especially Dr. C. E. Cross of the Cranberry Station, East Ware- 

 ham, Massachusetts, for carrying out most of the field work. Thanks are also given to Mr. William 

 Foster of Sandwich and the A. D. Makepeace Company of Wareham for the use of the beach plum 

 property on which the experimental work was done; and to Mr. Bertram Tomlinson, County 

 Agent of Barnstable County, Dr. H. J. Franklin, Cranberry Station, East Wareham, and many 

 others who assisted with the work. 



