Applied to the salt marsh the process may be visualized as the catchment 
of fine sediment by eelgrass and wigeongrass in guiet places, building up the 
bottom to the point that cordgrass can grow. This tnen occupies the soil with 
its dense and resistant root systems, entraps more mud, and holds the debris 
from its own annually worn-out stems. As this new foundation for plants ap- 
proaches the mean high-tide level, the marsh-hay types of plants take hold. 
They build again by catching sand washed in from the sea, anda loam coming down 
from the land: Then the high-tide bushes may get a start, further firm the 
soil, and make place for sucn bird-borne plants as bayberry and wild rose. 
An iskand then is well on its course of development, and if man does not run 
fire or graze cattle over the area, it may become clothed with trees. Where 
= of 
the coast is sinking, however, building up must be only a preliminary to tear- 
ing down, and as the various zones of the marsh work inland any islands form- 
ed, even if forested, must give way. When salt water kills their vegetation 
and the protecting belt of marsh moves landward, the wash of open water soon 
wears the islands down. All this is a slow, a very slow movement, however, 
and in a lifetime men may see of it only a step or two. 
PLANTS OF THE ZONES AND THEIR VALUZ TO WILDLIFE 
Water areas--the pools, the ponds, and the lagoons--of the Atlantic- 
coast salt marshes support, besides algae, or the seaweed group of plants, 
eelgrass north of Beaufort, N. C., turtle grass and manatee grass'on the 
Florida coast, and wigeongrass all the way. 
7 
Belgrass 
Helgrass has narrow, tapelike, dark green leaves growing from a joint- 
ed reddish rootstock, and its small barrel-shaped seeds are borne in thin pods 
enclosed by the bases of the leaves. I+ inhabits a considerable range of 
depths, and in some cases is left bare at low tide. In general it thrives 
best in water in which there is considerable tidal movement. It is a good 
wild-fowl food plant, and, being the chief dependence of sea brant, its scar- 
city in recent years, due to a disease, has had an unfavorable effect on the 
numbers of that bird. Helgrass is eaten to a considerable extent also by the 
Canada goose, and its seeds by the black duck; -it is taken in smaller quantity 
also by a variety of other waterfowl. The plant is known under a number of 
local names, as saltwater grass, seagrass, seawrack, and seahay. The last two 
names refer to the windrows of it cast up on the beach, particularly by winter 
storms. It dries and bleaches there and is used as bedding for domestic ani- 
mals, and for insulation and packing. When plentiful it has been harvested 
in large quantities for commercial purposes. The fluffy dry "sea hay" is 
recognized as good nest-building material both by birds and mammals. 
Manatee and Turtle Grasses 
Manatee grass and turtle grass are less conspicuous plants, growing 
near the bottom of the bays and creeks of the Florida coast. Their value as 
food for wildlife is not scientifically known, but the commen names indicate 
that they have a popular reputation in that respect. 
