150 
such employed by the Hercules 
Company at San Diego. One of the most 
likely leads on which they are working 
is the development from the celulose of 
the kelp of a base for the non-inflammable 
shellac which is used for aeroplanes and 
non-inflammable motion picture films. 
The company feels confident that it will 
be able to continue the San Diego plant 
after potash has shrunk to its pre-war 
price. The companies believe that more 
economical methods of refining of the 
potash salts will be developed as they gain 
in experience and cite as an example the 
wonderful progress that has been made in 
the process of sugar refining. 
At the beginning of the kelp industry 
there was much prejudice against the cut- 
ting of the kelp beds, for it was believed 
by many that the beds were the spawning 
places of many varieties of fish and that it 
the beds were cut the kelp would be de- 
stroyed and thus not only would the fish 
be destroyed for the want of a spawning 
place but the beaches would be deprived 
of the protection the beds afford against 
the high waves. It has been found that 
the kelp is not destroyed by cutting and 
as is 
Fig. 78. New patrol boat ‘‘Albacore” 
under way. Photograph by H. B. 
Nidever. 
that it regrows within ninety days. Even 
after the most severe cutting, which takes 
off the tops of the kelp spread out on the 
surface of the water, enough tops remain 
intact to still offer a good refuge for fish 
and to protect the beaches against the 
action of waves. It has been found 
through the investigations of the United 
States Bureau of Fisheries and _ the 
Scripps Institution that cutting the kelp 
does not destroy the fishes spawn. In 
fact, no spawn of any fish has been 
found on the kelp which is harvested. 
CALIFORNIA FISH 
; compiled 
AND GAME. 
Some complaint has also been made of 
the odor of the kelp at the factories dur- 
ing the process of incineration. ‘The odor, 
which is not unlike that of roasting coffee, 
has been mostly overcome by passing the 
gases again through the fire and thence 
through condensing rooms and sprays of 
water, 
FISHERY STATISTICS. 
In order that the statistics of the 
fisheries, which the Kish and Game Com- 
mission has been gathering during the 
past three years, may be more complete 
and accurate, a new system is being em- 
ployed. ‘he present Jaw requires that 
packers and dealers receiving fish from 
fishermen make monthly reports to the 
Fish and Game Commission of the amount 
of each variety of fish received. They are 
also required to issue reecipts to each 
fisherman from whom fish are received 
and to keep a carbon copy of the receipt 
which must be kept at least six months 
for the inspection of the commission. 
It is extremely valuable from a 
conservation standpoint that accurate 
records of individual boat catches be kept. 
It has proved to be of importance also to 
the Food Administration that individual 
boat records in certain fisheries be kept. 
The Fish and Game Commission therefore 
has undertaken to furnish the Food Ad- 
ministration with this needed information. 
Each packer and dealer now is furnished 
receipt books in triplicate to be used 
when receiving fish. One carbon copy 
will be for the use of the Fish and Game 
Commission. From these receipts will be 
the monthly records of the 
quantity of each variety of fish taken in 
the state. The Food Administration will 
be furnished with data as to prices paid, 
to whom fishermen under contract are de- 
livering fish, and the average yearly catch 
of boats in any fishery. By using these 
books the packers and dealers will be re- 
lieved of the trouble of making out the 
monthly fish report which has been re- 
quired and also the weekly report of 
receipts from individual boats now re- 
quired by the Food Administration in 
certain of the fisheries. Not only will the 
dealer and packer be benefited and the 
Food Administration receive the informa- 
tion it requires, but the Fish and Game 
Commission will be getting a system of 
statistics more complete and accurate than 
