on 19 May. Aerial dry matter production data for 1972 and 1973 suggest 

 that there are major differences in adaptation within populations of this 

 species (Tab. 11) . The latitudinal population grouping nearest North 

 Carolina grew best the first year but the South Atlantic and Gulf coast 

 population groupings forged ahead the second year. Production by the 

 New England material was definitely less both years. These results imply 

 that there may be serious risks in producing seeds or transplants from 

 any single population for planting far away from the site of origin with- 

 out first testing for adaptation. However, within an area such as the 

 North Carolina coast, it appears that populations may generally be moved 

 with no great difficulty except for extremes, such as from Snow's Cut to 

 Oregon Inlet. Further, it appears that populations having broad adapta- 

 tion within a region might be found, as in the case of the Oregon Inlet 

 and Ocracoke populations in North Carolina. Propagation of such popula- 

 tions could have real practical application in nursery production of 

 material that might be used for stabilization purposes on a variety of 

 sites. This is one area of study that warrants additional attention. 



Table 11. Mean Aboveground Biomass for Two Growing Seasons for 

 Four Geographic Population Groupings Grown on Dredge 

 Spoil at Snow's Cut, North Carolina.* 



Population Grouping 



Aerial Dry Wt. 



(kg/ha) 





1972 



1973 



New England 



150 





1,140 



(Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and 









Connecticut populations) 









Mid-Atlantic 



560 





3,430 



(New York, Virginia, and North 









Carolina populations) 









South Atlantic 



350 





14,190 



(Georgia and Florida populations) 









Gull 



160 





11,340 



(Mississippi and Texas populations) 









transplanted 19 May 1971; harvested in September of 1972 

 and 1973. 



d. Transplanting Method . Hand planting is more appropriate on small, 

 irregularly shaped areas where access for equipment is difficult. Planting 

 is done by opening a planting hole with a dibble or shovel, inserting a 

 plant to a depth of 10 to 15 centimeters, and firming the soil around it. 

 The team approach is best with men working in pairs; one opening holes and 

 the other planting. This can be done while the soil surface is under 

 water, if the soil is pressed firmly around the plant before it floats out 

 of the hole. However, due to the tendency of plants to float free, trans- 

 planting while the surface is exposed is preferred. 



36 



