Upper Massach-Lisetts Coast •■ , ' 



Tlie rocky character of the Maine coast gives yray to a less 'brokeii 

 shore line in southern New Ha^rpshire and Massachusetts. A great part of 

 this region consists of fairly- shallow mudcly and sandy hays and numerous 

 tidal creeks, which pro\'lde idoal conditioned for the growth of eelgrass. 

 The typica].". eelgrass plants for this region; are "petwesn 2 and. 3 feet long. 



Pew evidences of the occurrence of Zostera on the Massachusetts 

 coast from Daxhury northward were noted. One report from Jlewhuryport 

 says that a few small patches of eelgrass appeared in Plum Island Sound 

 in the summer of 1935. Harlier reports from this same section have not 

 "been checked recently. On the other hand, a fairly extensive growth is 

 thriving at the mouth of Eel River, in Plymouth Hrrh or. 'There the eel- 

 grass reaches its greatest development where it h..: .s. access to the fresh 

 water from the river, the plants attaining a len-:;th of 25 inches. A 

 scattering of plants, rarely exceeding 10 inches in length, extends out 

 across the flats. 



The root stocks of eelgrass in this area show unusual growth for 

 the season, having increased in length hy as much as 14 inches within 

 the year. This explains the noticeable spread of some of the heds since 

 last spring. At no time this season was disease streaking found on the 

 foliage of this colony. 



Many patches of the eelgrass have been torn "by clammers, and loose 

 plants and clumps from these patches could he seen drifting about the flats 

 throughout the summer. Many of these drift plants quickly settled into the 

 mud in a new location and seem to be malcing a promising growth. 



Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay 



In the vicinity of Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay are numerous tidal and 

 brackish ponds, and salt bays and creeks. The section is sandy and muddy 

 throu^out . Ko eelgrass was noted by the writers on the north and east 

 shores of the cape daring the past year, although small patches were re- 

 ported from Barnstable Harbor early in the spring of 1936, and from 

 Wellfleet Harbor and ITauset Inlet daring the summer. 



The salt ponds on the south shores of the cape and of Marthas Vine- 

 yard harbor small local growths of eelgrass. In C-reen Pond, near Falmouth, 

 Zostera is scattered commonly through the Rappia beds, in places forming 

 rather rank, solid stands. The leaves average 18 inches long. The most 

 recent foliage is quite free from disease markings, but indications from 

 older growth point to a prolonged attack by the parasite during the summer. 

 Rootstocks are often not robust, and dead portions with leaves still 

 attached are not infrequent. The persistence of many leaf bases on the 

 rhizomes may indicate abnormal leaf prodaction stimulated by the disease. 

 The shore drift, which was comparatively heavy all the past fall, would 

 seem to bear out this hypothesis. 



G-reen Pond, like other ponds in the section, is shallow and some- 

 what stagnant and, as a consequence, the water is likely to heat up rapidly 



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