Spartine is the Greek word for cord and refers to the stout stem of plants in the genus (Spartina). Salt Marsh Hay flourishes in marshes that irregularly flood with brackish water; thus, it is found on higher ground that Salt Marsh Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora).  Because of its nutritional value, it is an essential part of the salt marsh  ecological habitat. Salt hay farming became a prominent industry in New Jersey during Colonial times because of its multiple uses and its resistance to rot.  The industry grew in popularity because salt hay not required little cultivation and it could be harvested twice a year.  Farmers cut salt hay using a scythe or a horse-powered mowing machine and let it dry for a week before shipping. Market price in 1900 for salt hay was about $5 per ton, compared to $3 per ton in 1835.  By 1955, the market price surged to $16 to $25 per ton, but the industry began to  decline.  Eventually, many salt-hay farmers went out of business. The farmers who harvested Salt Marsh Hay had to wear heavy clothing to protect them from mosquitoes and greenhead flies.  The heads of horses that pulled the mowing machines had to be covered and horses were also outfitted with enlarged mud boots to keep them from getting stuck in the marshes. Since the plant will not germinate in the absence of salt, Salt Marsh Hay is used today for erosion control at construction sites, drainage in dry-well construction and septic tanks, bulkhead construction, mulch in gardens and landscaping.