366 Canadian Record of Science. 
by the highest spring tides. A low dyke, say a foot high, 
will then keep out the tide altogether, and the work of 
reclamation is complete. Various plants, the seeds of some 
coming in with the mud, others being brought by winds 
and birds, soon cover the red glistening expanse with 
patches of brown, gray and green. The following is in 
general the order in which these plants appear. The speci- 
mens, gathered by myself; were identified by my colleague, 
Prof. Fowler. 
1. Spartina stricta, var. alternifolia. 
. Salicornia herbacea. 
. Plantago maritima. 
. Suceda linearis. 
. Hordeum jubatum and Puccinellia distans. 
The salt grass, Spartina, grows luxuriantly on the banks 
of the canals, where it is partially covered by every high 
tide, and must grow fast to keep its head above the mud. 
After a year or two the land becomes suitable for tillage, 
and then produces large crops of hay and cereals. It is 
worth from $1.60 to $2.00 an acre, and requires no manure. 
I have been informed that about 3,000 acres have been 
reclaimed in the parish of Sackville, and that there is an 
equal amount awaiting reclamation. 
oum CW be 
DISCOVERY OF PLATINUM IN PLACE IN THE URAL 
MOUNTAINS. 
By R. HeLMHACKER.! 
The metal platinum has up to the present time been 
obtained only from alluvial washings, and its mode of 
occurrence when ‘‘in place” was for many years a matter 
of conjecture. 
The solution of the problem did not seem difficult. Since 
the most important platinum deposits occur in connection 
with serpentine, which is merely an alteration product of 
1 “Zeitschrift fiir praktische Geologie,” February, 1893. Trans- 
lated from the German by Dr. Frank D. Adams. 
