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# Kelp

## Definition

A type of seaweed that, when burned, produces an alkaline salt used in glassmaking, soap production, and other industrial processes. Kelp grows on rocky shores within the high-water mark and can be harvested without cultivation.

## Source Chapter

Book I, Chapter 11

## Context

Smith uses kelp as an example of a natural product that can command rent even though it requires no human improvement, demonstrating that rent is not solely a function of agricultural improvements but also reflects the natural productive capacity of land.

## Economic Domain

Production

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