NOTE 



The culture of algae as a research tool is expanding rapidly 

 as modern day experimenters become interested in such diverse 

 fields as photosynthesis, plant nutrition, food production, pond 

 pollution, and sea weed industry. Algae as a class are considered 

 the first or one of the first plants to appear on the Earth. Hence 

 this unique position in the plant kingdom makes algae, particu- 

 larly the blue-green, very interesting objects of biological research 

 because of the comparative simplicity of the organism. Marine 

 algae offer an almost inexhaustible source of certain mineral 

 elements, concentrated from the sea water. Chlorella and similar 

 green algae have been used in extensive development work in an 

 effort to show their potentialities as a food which can be culti- 

 vated commercially. On the other hand substantial amounts are 

 spent annually in research aimed at information which will make 

 it possible to reduce or prevent the nuisance of algal growth in 

 fresh water lakes and ponds. 



The Charles F. Kettering Foundation is interested in the use 

 of algae in determining the elements which participate in the 

 photosynthesis reaction. The possibility of culturing many types 

 of algae in test tubes, flasks or drums, greatly simplifies labora- 

 tory procedure. Nutrient solutions can be completely inorganic 

 without the necessity of such unknown quantities as soils and 

 soil extracts. 



It is felt that this volume of papers on Algal Culture will do 

 much to encourage research in many fields. 



C. F. Kettering 

 May 22, 1950 



VI 



