AVALON, THE BEAUTIFUL 



went into the fertilizer-plant, where many and 

 many a ton had gone before! 



It is not 'hard to comprehend. When they work 

 for the fertilizer-plants they do not need ice — they 

 do not need to hurry to the port to save spoiling — 

 they can stay out till the boat is packed full. So 

 often a greater part of the magnificent schools of 

 white sea-bass, albacore, and yellowtail — splendid 

 food fish — go into the fertilizer-plants to make a few 

 foreign-born hogs rich. Hundreds of aliens, many 

 of them hostile to the United States, are making 

 big money, which is sent abroad. 



I beUeve that the great kelp-beds round Catalina 

 are the spawning-grounds of these fish in question. 

 And not only a spawning-ground, but, what is more 

 important, a feeding-ground. And now the kelp- 

 beds are being exploited. The government needs 

 potash. Formerly our supply of potash came from 

 Germany. But, now that we are not on amiable 

 terms with those nice gentle Germans, we cannot get 

 any potash. Hence the great, huge kelp-cutters that 

 you hear cut only the tops of the kelp-beds. Six feet 

 they say, and it all grows up again quickly. But in 

 my opinion the once vast, heaving, wonderful beds 

 of kelp along the Clemente and Catalina shores have 

 been cut too deeply. They will die. 



Some of my predictions made in 1917 were veri- 

 fied in 1918. 



A few scattered schools of albacore appeared in 

 the channel in July. But these were soon caught or 

 chased away by the market boats. Albacore-fishing 

 was poor in other localities up and down the coast. 

 Many of the Jap fishermen sold their boats and 



257 



