COMMERCIAL VALVE OF KELP-BEDS 



35 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 38a 



For the undermentioned data I am indebted to Capt. Holmes Newcomb, of the D.G.S. 

 Malaspina. 



Cape Naden to Bruin hay, wide fringe. 



Langara island, east and south sides, thick fringe. 



Frederick island to cape Knox, west coast of Graham island, a bed 15 miles long, 

 with an average width of IJ mile. 



Masset and Naden harhours, fringe. 



Outside Masset harhour, eastwards, bed 1^ by 1 mile, small plants. 



Cumshewa inlet, east coast of Graham island, a bed 7 by 2 miles on the south 

 side of the inlet; a second 5 by i mile on the north side (McCoy's cove to Clew); 

 iDOth thick. 



Farther south the greater part of the rocky coast is fringed thickly with kelp, 

 especially in the inside channels; e.g., Burnaby channel is solidly filled by a bed 3 

 by I miles in extent, ■ ' 



Estimating on the above figures alone, and assuming thick beds of Nereocystis 

 witli an average weight of 15 pounds per plant, the available kelp from the Queen 

 Cliarlotte islands would amount to more than a million tons. An accurate survey 

 of these beds is therefore very desirable. The waters are ' treacherous, and such a 

 survey would require the assistance of a man thoroughly familiar with the coast. 



TOTAL AVAILABLE KELP AND ITP, VALUE. 



From the data given above it is possible to get some idea of the total value of 

 the Pacific Coast kelp beds, but at present the calculations must be based partly on 

 analyses made of samples obtained farther soiith in the Puget Sound region. I have 

 obtained samples for analysis at various points along the British Columbia coast; 

 these have been forwarded to Dr. Shutt at Ottawa. His results, when available, can 

 be used to correct the following figures. I do not anticipate that much variation of 

 composition will be found. 



I have determined the water-content of Nereocystis at Departure bay, with the 

 following results: — 



Since an examination of the figures for plant-weight reveals a weight-ratio of 

 frond to pneumatocyst and stipe (available portion) of between 3 and 4 to 1, if the 

 figure 8 per cent be taken for the dry weight it will certainly give a conservative 

 estimate. 



Turrentine's figures for the potassium chloride and iodine contents of Nefco- 

 cystis obtained in Puget sound are on the average 30-9 per cent potassium chloride 

 and 14 per cent iodine.^ My own figures for iodine in Nereocystis from Departure 

 'bay average 0-12 per cent iodine.^ These are all expressed for the dried plant. In 

 the following calculations I have assumed 30 per cent potassium chloride and 0-12 

 per cent iodine. (Since Macrocystis contains similar amounts of potassium chloride 



1 "Fertilizer Resources of the United States". Senate Document 190, 1912, p. 220. 



2 Cameron, J. Biol. Chem., vol. 18, p. 350, 1914. 



38a— 3i 



