40 EXPLOITATION OF PLANTS 
has latterly appeared in enormous quantities on the 
mud flats of Southampton Water and Poole Harbour, 
and which is certain to penetrate into other areas. 
Public attention was first directed to the spread of 
Spartina Townsendii (“rice grass”) some ten years 
ago by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, and a good deal of 
precise information as to the plant has been made 
available by Dr. O. Stapf. Spartina now occupies 
thousands of acres of mud flats in the areas named, 
and is still rapidly spreading—particularly in. Poole 
Harbour, where it was first detected in 1899. Its 
original appearance in the waters of Southampton dates 
back about fifty years, and it is presumed to be a natural 
hybrid between the indigenous species Spartina stricta 
and a supposed introduction from America, Spartina 
alterniflora, recorded early last century. 
At first Spartina Townsendii was an isolated botanical 
curiosity. A shy seeder, it penetrated slowly to new 
centres. Its vegetative power is remarkable, however, 
and the seedlings by spread of rhizomes deep in the 
mud, grow into clumps, and in time the neighbouring 
clumps unite into pure, continuous meadows. By 
occasional seeding and water carriage new areas are 
systematically invaded, and then as the grass gets a 
hold it rapidly covers the higher mud flats to the 
practical exclusion of other vegetation. 
Hitherto this miracle of Nature, which is transforming 
the waters it occupies, has been put to no definite use, 
that is to say it has not been exploited. 
It has been tried, in a small way, at various places 
as an agent in promoting reclamation in virtue of its 
powers of holding silt. And no doubt on suitable 
