I06 SEA BAMBOO AS A SOURCE OF POTASH. 



Organic Nitro- 

 Water. Substance, gen. Ash. 



Sea grass (Enteromorpha intcstinalis) 77-44 17-64 .567 4.80 



Algae (Ulva^ laciicca) 78.04 18.8 .35 3.16 



Fucus palmatus* (" sea bamboo " ) ... 86.42 8.71 .071 4.87 



The Ashe.s of these substances contained : — 



Phosphoric 

 Lime. Potash. Oxide. 



Sea grass 28.58 16.01 4.48 



Algae (Sea Point) 28.96 11.34 5-57 



Algse, 1st sample (False Bay) 19-87 — 6.9 



Algae, 2nd sample (False Bay) 21.78 9.5 9.98 



Fucus (Sea Point) 9.48 30.9 6.59 



Fucus (False Bay) 7.16 44.31 3.87 



The information so far available did not, however, disclose 

 exactly what was required, and this resulted in my carrying 

 out analyses to determine the nature and amount of the soluble 

 salts of the ash of the sea bamboo. Samples were selected from 

 various parts of the Cape Peninsula, two beins: obtained at dif- 

 ferent spots on the coast at Sea Point, one at Clifton-on-Sea, and 

 one at (Tamp's Bay. The analysis of these samples is as follows : 



Table I., — Composition of Fresh Pi..\nt. 



Lt-cality Sea Point. Clifton-on-Sea. Sea Point. Camps Bay. 



Stems. Leaves. Stems. Leaves. Stems Leaves. Stems. Leaves. 



Weight in grammes ... 691 647 745 2260 487 710 761 1430.5 



Diameter of thickest por- 

 tions in millimetres ... 43 — 33\ — ::i3 — 38 — 



38I 

 Tliickness of walls of 

 stems in millimetres .. 7.5 — 7-0 ] — 7.5 — 8.5 — 



7-5l 

 Ratio Stems: Leaves ... 1.07:1 — -33:1 — .69:1 — -53 :i — 



Moisture 87.20 81.26 86.18 82.67 85.39 83.59 86.48 81.38 



Organic Matter 7.49 12.91 8.60 12.10 9.76 12.15 8.12 12.79 



Ash 5.31 5-83 5-22 5.23 4.85 4.26 5.40 5.8.? 



The samples were ashed, and upon analysis gave the following figures: — 



Table IL — Composition of Ash. 



Locality Sea Point. Clifton-on-Sea. Sea Point. Camps Bay. 



Stems. Leaves. Stems. Leaves. Stems Leaves. Stems. Leaves. 



Total soluble salts 84.78 83.13 87.30 82.59 84.80 84.03 86.94 82.01 



Lime 5.76 6.28 5.06 5.58 5.25 5.75 S-65 7.13 



Magnesia 3.59 5-05 3-25 4-62 3.67 5.00 3.68 5.26 



Phosphoric oxide 1.04 1.51 1.22 2.28 1.09 1.56 1.25 3.27 



* This refers to the same species as the title. 



