26 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVAL SERVICE 



6 GEORGE V, A. 1916 



The far-reaching effect of a stoppage of all potassium imports may be exemplified 

 by the fafct that to work low-grade gold ores requires a large supply of potassium 

 cyanide. 



The Science article reads further: " The importation of the above salts in round 

 numbers during the last three years has averaged 635,000,000 pounds in quantity and 

 $11,000,000 in value. The figures . . do not include the imports of kainite and manure 

 salts, which are used as fertilizers. The quantity of this class of material imported 

 duri)ig the last three years has averaged about 700,000 ti-ns valued at $4,300,000 

 annually. Thus it is apparent that the annual importations of potash salts exceed 

 $15,000,000." These figures, of course, apply to the United States. 



Whil^ the amoimt of potassium fertilizers at present imported into Canada is 

 small, those of the potassium salts are of the same order per head of population as 

 those for the United States, and show a steady marked annual increase. The figures 

 following are calculated from the Report of the Department of Trade and Commerce 

 (Ottawa) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1913, Part I. 



The imports include crude potassium hydrogen tartrate (cream of tartar), cya- 

 nide of potassium (and sodium), bicarbonate, bichromate, chlorate, chloride, sul- 

 phate, nitrate, ferrocyanide, and hydrate of potash. The total imports of these salts 

 for the fiscal years 1912 and 1913 are, respectively, 5,585 and 7,440 tons; the respec- 

 tive values for the years 1909-13 are : $496,704, $515,501, $610,455, $703,711, $848,759. 

 "In addition potash salts for fertilizers were imported to the respective values of 

 $7,993, $7,284, $5,921, $6,995, $252. It may be further noted that the corresponding 

 figures for crude iodine imports are $25,751, $24,241, $15,081, $16,866, $23,712, the 

 average yearly import being $21,138. The average total import of these commodities 

 is therefore $661,847, but it is to be noted that the largest of the above items shows 

 such a steady marked increase that the figure for the year just completed (which is 

 not yet available) is probably about $1,000,000. 



It is evident that it is highly important to ascertain whether there are any 

 sources of potash salts in Canadian territory, whether these are sufficient to supply 

 our own necessities, and whether any surplus can be profitably marketed. 



The United States, having realized their dependence on outside sources for 

 potassium salts, have been studying the problem for some years. The results of their 

 iiiitial inquiry were published in 1912 (F. K. Cameron and others, " Fertilizer 

 Resources of the United States," Senate Document 190, 62nd Congress, 2nd Session, 

 1912). Since that time they have carried out much more extensive investigations, 

 and Congress voted, during the past summer, $7,000 for the publication of the com- 

 plete results. Their investigators have fovmd that while certain mineral sources were 

 available, and could be probably worked and supplied profitably over a limited area, 

 by far the most extensive sources of potash were the large beds of different kelps 

 growing along their Pacific coasts. Accordingly, these have been completely charted. 

 Last year I drew the attention of the Biological Board of Canada to some aspects 

 of this problem, and this year was asked by them to carry out a preliminary investi- 

 gation of the kelp beds of the Canadian Pacific coast. The results of this investiga- 

 tion follow. 



NATURE OF THE AVAILABLE KELPS. 



Most of the larger sea plants belong to the family Laminariacece of the Phoeophycece 

 or brown seaweeds. The distribution of Laminariaca' , which include all the so-called 

 kelps, jilonp the shores of the strait of Georgia (which separates the British Columbia 

 mainland li'om Vancouver island) is exemplified by those species observed in the 

 neighboui'hc^od of Nanaimo, B.C. Here are found : Laminaria sacchanna, Lamindria 

 hullata, Costaria turneri, Agarum fimhriatvm, xllarila tenuifolia, Nereocystis lilt- 

 Iceana [along with two rock-weeds, belonging to another family, Fucus evanescens, 

 and Fucus furcatus (inflatus)']. I have seen also, cast up on a storm-swept bay on 



