TRANSACTIONS OK SECTION M. 771 



times the kelp has been used as a source of potash salts and of iodine, and as 

 such has had to suffer severe competition from German potash salts and 

 Chilian iodine. Owing to the war, there has been a revival of interest in this 

 decaying old industry as our supplies of potash salts for manurial and other 

 purposes have been largely cut off, and we have been endeavouring to find 

 means of obtaining potash compounds in our own country. 



It is interesting to note that in the United States also for the last few years 

 investigations have been in progress into the possibility of using the seaweeds 

 of the Pacific Coast as a source of potash compounds. The Americans began 

 to investigate this subject seriously before the outbreak of the great war, but 

 the events of the past year seem to have intensified their wise desire to make 

 themselves independent of foreign supplies of potash. It was in connection 

 with a movement to revive the kelp industry in Scotland that my ■ recent 

 investigations were made. 



There are two great families of seaweeds fonnd round onr coasts, the sup- 

 plies of which are plentiful enough for industrial purposes. These are 



(1) certain common varieties of Fiicu-9, which grow between tide marks, and 



(2) certain varieties of Lamlnarla, and in particular Lnminaria iVgitntn, which 

 grow below low-water mark but in comparatively .shallow water. Analyses of 

 these were made during the past winter and spring. It was found that 

 Laminaria is richer in potash and far richer in iodine than Fiicus. Samples 

 of Laiiiiiimi'i (lii/lldid may contain over 2 per cent, of potash in the fresh 

 state, or about i2 per cent, in the dry matter. At the same time they may 

 contain 0"1 per cent, of iodine in the fresh state, or about 0'5 per cent, in the 

 dry matter. Analyses showing the composition of different samples and 

 especially their content of potash and iodine were given. 



Observations were also made on the use of seaw'eeds as food for stock and for 

 human beings, in the western islands of Scotland. Analyses were given of tho 

 varieties which were found to be used as food. 



THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9. 



Discussion on Influence of the War upon ilie Fulure of British 



Agriculture. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. Systems of Farming and Food-supply: the Need for more Tillage. 

 By T. H. MiDDLETON, C.B. 



2. Tlie Probable Effect of the War on the Future of Agriculture in 

 Scotland^ By J. M. Caie, M.A., B.Sc, B.L. 



What the ultimate economic effect of the war may be is a problem of 

 extreme complexity, and, as th.e condition of agriculture is closely dependent 

 on the general economic position, any forecast of the future is necessarily both 

 difficult and liable to error. All that is possible -is 



I. To state what have been the tendencies exhibited by comparatively recent 

 changes in agriculture in Scotland ; 

 II. To point out the salient features of Scottish agriculture at present; 

 III. To attempt an estimate of the future economic forces affecting agriculture ; 

 IV. To consider in what way Scottish farmers can take advantage of these forces. 



I. The chief relevant tendencies revealed by the Scottish Agricultural 

 Statistics of the past thirty years are (1) a relatively large decrease in the area 

 of cultivated land, and particularly of arable land, which has not been accom- 

 panied by a corresponding decrease in the numbers of live stock ; and (2) some 

 improvement in the standard of production. 



II. For our purpose, the present position may be summed up in the following 



3 D 3 



