54 Journal of Agricultural Research voi. iv, no. i 



will not eat the leached or unleached fresh kelp unless it is well mixed 

 with other feed. 



In order to ascertain whether kelp might be preserved in the fresh 

 state as a sort of silage, a sample of Nereocystis hietkeana was packed in 

 an air-tight container and stored for three months. At the end of this 

 period there was no indication of putrefaction. The acidity had 

 increased slightly, the final percentage being 0.18 as lactic acid. The 

 sample had become soft and "crumbly," but there was no formation of 

 reducing substances or marked increase in soluble material. 



UTILIZATION OF BY-PRODUCTS 



Many uses were suggested by Stanford for the so-called algin. Vari- 

 ous patents for the manufacture and application of this material were 

 obtained (10-14). It was considered to be especially adapted for use 

 in sizing papers and fabrics. That a substance of this nature might 

 serve such a purpose is undoubtedly true, but that it would be commer- 

 cially profitable is questionable. From a mechanical point of view the 

 preparation of algin is difficult. The alkaline solution is extremely 

 troublesome to filter, while the final product is very bulky, having only 

 a very small proportion of dry matter. The dried material becomes 

 very resistant to solvents. It would not be adapted to the preparation 

 of spirit varnishes, since it is insoluble in alcohol, turpentine, and like 

 solvents. It is true that an algin solution has a very high viscosity, 

 but it does not follow that it possesses the properties of an adhesive, and 

 such is, in fact, not the case. 



Suggestions had been advanced that algin might serv^e for clarification 

 of wines. Mr. W. V. Cruess, of the University of California Division of 

 Bnology, made several experiments to test this point. He found that 

 the physical properties of the product did not well adapt it to the process 

 of clarification. A further suggestion was to utilize the leached kelp 

 in the manufacture of paper. It is difficult to understand how any of 

 the usual types of paper could be prepared from a plant having such a 

 low cellulose content. Redwood wastes and others of much greater 

 possibilities are still to be utilized. 



DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION 



Balch and others have claimed that kelp might be destructively dis- 

 tilled and yield a profit. Balch (i) states that the volatile products from 

 kelp, acetic acid, methyl alcohol, and tar "may be regarded as approxi- 

 mating in value those of beech wood." No experimental evidence is 

 presented in support of this conclusion. In order to obtain data which 

 would justify definite statements in regard to these points, distillation 

 experiments were made in this laboratory. The apparatus used was an 

 iron retort of about \% gallons' capacity, provided with a pyrometer 

 and a suitable condenser. Distillation experiments made in this way 



