(2) Cordgrass tends to be lower in both nitrogen and phosphorus 

 than the other three grasses and this seems to hold for both fertilized and 

 unfertilized plants. 



(3) Based on the single site sampled, the sea oat is fairly high 

 in nitrogen but not very different from the other grasses in the content 

 of the remaining constituents reported. 



(4) There does not appear to be any very definite pattern in the 

 other constituents except that cordgrass tended to be high in sodium and 

 to a lesser degree in sulphur. This could well be a site difference since 

 this species is grown only on the lower, wetter locations where sodium is 

 probably more plentiful and organic matter slightly higher. 



(5) These analyses tend to be in agreement with the growth response 

 data in suggesting that nitrogen is the principal limiting factor on the 

 growth of those grasses in this environment. The data also suggest that for 

 this stage of growth (early summer), the critical level of nitrogen in the 

 plant might be around 0.75 percent for cordgrass, 1.00 percent for American 

 beachgrass, and probably near 1.25 percent for dune panic grass and sea oats. 



e. M icronutr ients 



Two replicated trials were established in the spring of 1965 on 

 stands of American beachgrass which were planted in January 1965. One of 

 these was located on hydraulic fill and the other on windblown sand. The 

 treatments involved Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), 

 Boron (B), Sulphur (S), and combinations of these. All plots received 

 the standard treatment of 30-10-0 (125 pounds in April, June, July and 

 September. 



There were no significant differences in growth at the end of the 

 first growing season in either of these trials. This is probably not 

 surprising in view of the perennial nature of this species. The trials 

 are being continued. 



6. NURSERY PRODUCTION OF PLANTING STOCK 



The production of planting stock for experimental plantings has 

 been carried out cooperatively with the Forestry Division, North Carolina 

 State Department of Conservation and Development at the Clayton nursery. 

 Research on this phase has been very limited, to date, but some things 

 learned through this experience are worth repeating here. 



a. American Beachgrass 



Plantings of this species were made at Clayton in the spring of 

 1962. These consisted of (I) about I acre of single stems spaced 20 x 34 

 inches and (2) a 4 x 500-foot bed seeded with 1/2 pound of seed. Both of 

 these were successful with about 33,000 three-stem plants being harvested 



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