6 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 422 



of the Soil Conser\'ation Service, searched over all the areas where beach plums 

 grow and noted all the bushes selected by local observers. After careful evalua- 

 tion, he selected several which he considered best. From among these, plants of 

 five which seemed best adapted to Massachusetts conditions were planted at the 

 Cranberr\- Station at East W'areham to be used for future improvement by 

 breeding and selection. 



Figure 6. Old Beach Plum Bushes Before They Were Mowed to the Ground. 

 There was much dead and diseased wood, and Uttle growth was being made. 



Photo by Bertram Tomlinson 



Soils 



The beach plum grows naturally in very light sandy soils, in many instances in 

 almost pure beach sand. These soils are deficient in moisture and all the mineral 

 nutrients necessar\- for normal plant growth. The ability of the beach plum to 

 grow and fruit under such adverse conditions (conditions under which most 

 plants cannot even survive) explains its natural distribution. It has little plant 

 competition, such as has probabh- crowded it out of better soils. 



On Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, there are 

 hundreds of acres of sandy soil suited onl\- for the growing of beach plums. By 

 improving this plum and developing suitable methods for its culture, these barren 

 acres could be made to produce an income. 



While the beach plum grows naturally only on the sandy soils in the south- 

 eastern part of the state, it is by no means limited to such areas. A number of 

 bushes have been growing and fruiting at the College for several years. On the 

 heavier, more fertile soils, they make a much more vigorous growth. There is 

 some evidence, however, that overstimulation ma\' result in winter injury. 



Propagation 



The beach plum can be propagated from seed. If the seeds are planted 3 or 4 

 inches deep in September, some will germinate and grow the following spring 

 and some may take two years. Since beach plum seedlings, like those of other 



