a year with the possibility of a much larger production. New Zealafid 

 produces about 15 tons a year, but this agar is of much higher quality 

 than other agair-agars and is ideal for bacteriological use. A solution 

 of 0.65 percent gives a solid medium; the agar-agar is colorless with 

 low ash £Lnd organic content. 



6. The United States ente/ed the agar-agar production field as 

 late as 1937 but, because of a lack of raw material, was only able to 

 produce an amount sufficient to meet military demands and to maintain a 

 stockpile d\iring the war years. As little agar-agar bearing seaweed is 

 fo\uid Eilong the coast of the United States, most of it must be iotported 

 from Mexico. A considerable quantity of this raw material is found along^ 

 the coasts of Lower California and Mexico Proper. 



7. An inferior grade of seaweed of several species called 

 "kirinso" by the Japanese was formerly imported from Formosa. A 

 substance used medicinally was extracted from the weed; the residue was 

 used in the manufacture of agar-agar. An annual average import of 110 

 metric tons of high-grade agar-agar bearing seaweed was also made from 

 Formosa. 



8. Table 8 shows the amounts of raw material imported into 

 Japan from sources in the Far East d\iring the years from 1939 to 1945 

 inclusive. 



17 



