Specimens of numerous marine species of the green, red, and brown algae from the Atlantic coast of Canada have been analyzed for total ash, Na, K, Ca, and Si, and the trace elements, As, Co, Cu, F, I, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Figures for fluorine in seaweeds are recorded for the first time. Thorough washing with tap water lowered the content of the ash, Na, K, and Si, but did not affect appreciably the concentrations of other elements.Accumulation from the sea water was apparent in greatly varying degrees in the following ascending order: F, Mo, Co, Cu, As, Ni, Mn, Zn, I. The ranges in concentration observed were Na 1.6–4.7, K 2.3–7.1, Ca 0.9–2.3, Si 0.5–2.0, as percentage of dry matter; I 20–2490, Zn 35–97, Mn 20–50, Cu 6–62, As 2–75, F 2–22, Pb 0.8, Ni 0.3–2, Co 0.1–0.7, Mo 0.2–1.4 as p.p.m.No seasonal variation was detectable in the concentration of trace elements in Chondrus crispus. Differences in concentration were observed between frond and stipe in two species of Laminaria.

Natural vegetation common to the forested areas of Nova Scotia was sampied and analyzed for the nutrient elements calcium, phosphorus, cobalt, molybdenum, manganese, zinc and copper. Results showed considerable variation within and between species. Variations due to plant part, season and location of sampling also occurred but to a lesser degree. With the possible exception of molybdenum and copper, the elements are present in adequate quantities for normal nutrition. The average range of nutrient content for cobalt was found to be 0.09 to 0.44; molybdenum 0.01 to 0.32; zinc 13.0 to 91.0; manganese 44 to 594; copper 4.9 to 31.7 in terms of parts per million while calcium ranged from 0.36 to 1.11 per cent and phosphorus from 0.06 to 0.21 per cent.

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Eight crops were grown in greenhouse experiments on limed and fertilized sphagnum peat soil treated with various rates of borax. All crops, including beans and potatoes which have low requirements, gave marked response to borax when none was present in the chemicals used for correcting soil acidity. Commercial lime apparently provided sufficient boron as an impurity to reduce the response considerably.Boron levels accumulating from successive applications were toxic to sensitive crops like oats and beans, only when heavy rates had been applied. With cabbage, a tolerant crop, the heaviest rate of 600 pounds/acre, applied over a 4-year period, gave no indication of toxicity.Boron deficiency was alleviated and maximum crop yields were obtained at water-soluble soil boron concentrations ranging from 1.5 p.p.m. for beans to 2.8 p.p.m. for lettuce. Toxicity symptoms were apparent at soil levels extending from 4.8 p.p.m. for oats to > 11 p.p.m. for cabbage.Minimum sufficiency concentrations in the plant tissue varied from 12 p.p.m. in beans and potatoes to 32 p.p.m. in spinach. The lowest values associated with toxicity extended from 105 p.p.m. in oats to > 200 p.p.m. in cabbage.

Samples of sea water from eight locations at the surface around the coast of the Atlantic Provinces of Canada have been analyzed for their content of major and minor chemical constituents. The salt water in the Bras d'Or Lakes of Cape Breton Island, N.S., was different from that in the contiguous Atlantic Ocean and showed evidence of much dilution. The seven other samples examined averaged 17.17‰ for chlorinity and 31.03‰ for salinity. These averages are low for open oceanic waters. The average composition of sea water for this area was as follows in grams per kilogram: Na, 9.55; K, 0.34; Ca, 0.37; Mg, 1.15; SO4, 2.36; B as H3BO3, 0.0243. Concentrations of the trace elements in micrograms per litre varied within the following limits: As as As2O3, 1.4 to 2.0; Co, 0.33 to 0.67; Cu, 13 to 22; F, 860 to 1200; I, 6 to 53; Mo, 6.3 to 14.0; PO4, 5 to 69; Si, 44 to 95; Zn, 6.5 to 10.9. Nickel was also present in all samples but vanadium was not detected. The various ratios of the mineral elements, especially to chlorine, have been calculated, and show only slight divergence from those for open ocean water.