One day recently I met two small boys on West 6th Street 

 with their arms full of slabs of "chalk," a p^eneroiis supply of 

 which I secured in exchange for a buffalo nickel. It ])roved to 

 be very rich in diatoms of great variet}- and beauty. L'i)on in- 

 quiry I learned that it had been found on Xew High Street in this 

 city. 



The time of the appearance of diatoms in geological forma- 

 tions is still uncertain since the authorities do not agree upon this 

 ])()int. Some hold that, though so simple in structure, they made 

 their appearance in comparatively recent times — as late as the 

 Cretaceou'^. ( )thers believe that the>' date much farther back — 

 even to the Devonian or the Silurian. 



Their range is world-wide. No temperature is too low for 

 them. 



They are found in unthinkable billions as far north as man 

 has penetrated and the tropics teem with them. They swarm in 

 the hot springs of the temperate zones. T have found them in the 

 hot water of the springs of Calistoga in Xapa County — water so 

 hot that one could not hold one's hand in it. 



In sha])e diatoms show a wide variation. They are "round, 

 s(|uare, triangular, stellate, oval, ovoid, crescent, sigmoid, cuneate, 

 bacillar, etc.,'" with various frills and appendages and sculpture for 

 the further enhancement of their beauty. Tn addition to all this 

 there is tlie refraction of light from their angular and wavy sur- 

 faces which makes them, with i)ro])er illumination, objects of 

 beautv bevoud. description. 



Why these little plants should be so wonderfully beautiful 

 and yet so small that no imaided eye can see them is a mystery. 



( )f all these lovelv things not one in a thousand trillions car. 

 ever be seen because they are so numerous. 



They would make as good silver ])olish if they were (|uite 

 plain instead of being so ornate. Thev would serve the pur])ose 

 of making ])etrolium even though they were not so elaborately 

 frilled and sculptured. Thev would serve in the manufacture of 

 dynamite witliout their refractive powers. 



The southern part of California is rich in diatomaceous earth. 

 In Los .\ngeles we have the Xew High Street deposit, and, with- 

 out doubt, others also. In Temescal canyon some excellent mate- 

 rial has been found. On the beach at Santa Monica along the 

 high water line lum])s of earth rich in diatoms may be gathered. 



.\t Clifton-by-the-Sea, near Redondo, thousands of tons of 

 such material are j^led high. 



I have sent samples from Kedondo, Santa Monica, Temescal 

 and Los Angeles to Air. ( )liver Kendall of Providence. R. L, and 

 he has returned to me mounted slides of the diatoms. 



44 



