1918.] The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
139' 
could make with fish-meal. I used it, and it was most agreeable and useful 
stuff to have : it would keep almost indefinitely ; you could transport it 
anywhere ; it was palatable, and its protein value was high.” 
Kelp: Definite research is required into the commercial value of all 
the common species of seaweed which occur along the coast. They pro¬ 
bably vary enormously in their potash and iodine content, the two chief 
materials yielded by them. Let me quote Professor Prince again : “ Pro¬ 
fessor Cameron, of Manitoba University, has carried on a 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 kelp (the Macrocystis )—a harvest could be 
gathered of probably 235,000 tons (of potash) of a value of £2,200,000 per, 
year at £10 per ton. The yield of iodine from this would be about 950 tons, 
and would be valued at £700,000. ... In addition the refuse could be 
utilized as a valuable fertilizer.” 
'i; 
... 1-1 ' 
The estimate is a generously optimistic one, but it shows at least that 
there is great wealth in the masses of kelp which occur on the coasts, if 
these can be harvested and utilized profitably. It may be added that dried 
jcelp, when submitted to destructive distillation, yields a considerable 
quantity of inflammable gas, as well as paraffin oils, ammonia, acetic acid, 
and tar, in addition to the iodine and potash. Whether such treatment, 
could be made commercially successful is a matter which is at least worth 
investigation. yv yy 
Salt: Common salt could be readily made from sea-water in New Zea¬ 
land, but it is questionable whether the manufacture will pay. In 1916 
there were imported into New Zealand 32,298 tons, valued at £77,004, 
which is about Jd. per pound. In addition to this, salt put up in retail 
packets was imported to the value of £4,919. 
A RELIC OF NEOLITHIC DAYS. 
By Elsdon Best, Dominion Museum. 
In the operations being carried on by the Waihi-Paeroa Gold-extraction. 
Company at Paeroa, in the Thames district, a necessary labour is the 
removal of many logs and snags from the bed of the Ohinemuri River, to* 
enable dredging to be carried out. These logs, some of them of considerable 
size and great weight, are of various timbers—totara, pukatea, rata, rimu, 
matai, and rnaire—but those of totara (Podocarpus totara) are the most 
numerous. It is impossible to say how long these logs have lain in the bed 
of the river, but the timber of many of them is still in a sound condition.. 
In some cases it is noted that the sap-wood has entirely disappeared,, 
leaving the heart-wood sound and, when dried, hard. 
There is evidence to show that the extensive flat lands of this district 
have at some time in the past been mostly, if not entirely, covered with 
forest growth. In Cook’s time, when he proceeded some distance up the* 
Waihou (?) River and examined a white-pine forest, the flat country probably 
