60 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



research under the Biological Board and his estimate is that from the 

 shores of British Columbia, which are well clothed with the two kinds 

 of kelp, the bull-head kelp or Nereocystis, and the giant or great kelp, 

 the Macrocystis, a harvest could be gathered of probably 235,000 tons 

 of a value of $11,000,000 per year at $50 per ton. The yield of iodine 

 from this would be about 950 tons, and would be valued at $3,500,000 

 at $38.75 a ton. He estimates that our kelp industry on the British 

 Columbia coast ought to bring in, if properly utilized, $15,000,000 per 

 annum. These estimates are based upon the price of potassium 

 chloride and iodine before the war. Potassium chloride, which was 

 quoted at $38 per ton in July, 1914, is practically unobtainable, though 

 nominally quoted at $400 to $500 per ton. Iodine has also advanced 

 from $4.00 in 1914 to $4.75 at the present time. In addition, the 

 refuse could be utilized as a valuable fertilizer. 



There is also a vast number of sea-mosses or 

 Ornamental zoophytes. Japan has harvested these. They are sold 

 as air plants, because it is popularly said that they grow 

 without having water, that they flourish on the air. As a matter of 

 fact they are dried skeletons of a kind of coral, or rather hydroids. 

 They are found both on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Microscopic 

 colonies of animals live on the branching stems, which they buUd 

 out of homy and limey matter. Japan has shipped hundreds of tons 

 of these air plants or dried hydroid zoophytes for ornamental purposes 

 and I know that some years ago the United States imported probably 

 $50,000 worth from Germany which had been prepared and dyed and 

 sent over for ornamental purposes. Originally, they are of a white or 

 brownish colour. It seems to me that along our shores' the younger 

 people could carry on some of these industries. Perhaps the men 

 might not feel inclined to go around collecting material like that, but 

 in many countries the families of the fishermen are helping and, if 

 attention were directed to possible industries of that nature, quite a 

 few enterprises could be carried on in the collection of sea-mosses for 

 the markets which demand them. 



There are other unutilized products which I might refer to, but I 

 think I have said enough to indicate that our seas, although wonder- 

 fully productive, might be made still more productive if we realized 

 how many resources have not yet been developed. 



Hon. a. E. ArsbnaulT : With reference to the dog-fish, if it is very 

 prolific — is the reduction plant going to serve any purpose. For com- 

 parison, take lobsters. Notwithstanding that they have been caught 



