Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-03
Natures economic LUXURY.

From rich soil it is easy to obtain
the staff of life and the various luxuries
of the vegetable kingdom. Plough and
seed such soil and it laughs harvest
But who expects TO extract nourlshment
from quartz or sandstone or granite
They can neither be plowed nor sown.
Bread is not looked for from stones. Yet
something akin to it, something more
nourishing and capable of being made
quite as palatable as any preparation
from the soundest and sweetest cereal,
actually exists on the rocky coasts of Ire
land, Iceland, Greenland and Norway,
where nothing else will grow; exists, too,
in quantities sufficient to supply the
whole civilized world. Ignorance travels
from Dan to Beersheba, exclaiming, All
is barrenl but Observant Science, ta-
king the same track as this blind sloven,
discovers, amid the seeming sterility,
much that can be utilized and made ben
eficial to mankind.
The rich prairie-land of the West
yields nothing more nutritious than the
marine lichen which clings to the rocks
on certain parts of the Irish coast and
is familiarly known as Carrageen or Irish
moss. For several years past many
tons of it have been annually collected
by the inhabitants of the northern dis
tricts of lrelend for home consumption
and expectation. 1t is used by the far
mers near the shore for fattening their
cattle, and by the peasants latter being
dried), as an article of food; and it is an
ascertained fact that its fesh-generating
properties are not surpassed, if equalled,
by those of any cultivated product of the
earth. 1t has also medicinal qualities
which render it an admirable article of
diet in consumption, dyspepsia and feb
rile diseases.
The only reason why this free gift of
nature has not heretofore been in uniyer-
sal use as an economic source of susten-
ance, has been the difficulty of cleansing
it and depriving it of the pungent and
unpleasant flavor which belongs to it as
marine production. This difficulty,
we are glad to learn, has, within the last
twelve months, been entirely overcome
Mr. Rand, the well-known chemist, hav-
ing discovered process by which it is
freed from every Objectionable property,
and rendered as palatable as it is whole
some and invigorating. For this process
its inventor obtained a patent about a
year ago, and under that patent Cara
geen or Irish moss is now being CON
verted into a most valuable, cheap and
agreeable element of food. The new
preparation has been named Sea Moss
Farine and is being manufactured in
New York in immense quantities, by an
enterprising association of capitalists
known as the Sea Moss Farine Co.
We congratulate the people on this
important addition to their bill of fare;
more especially those who have epicu- !
rean tastes and short purses, and have |
hitherto found it impossible TO combine |
luxury with economy. Daintier fare
than is supplied by this nutrient from
the rocks, no gastrOnome, however fas-
tidious, could desire. Cheaper fare
indeed, fare as cheap-is not procurable
in the American market We do not
write at random on these points; our
statements being founded on an impair
tial investigation Of the facts as regards
cheapness, and on the evi-
dence of our palate as regards the dishes
from the Farine
We have now before us circular pub
lished by the Company above referred
to, which we advise every one who takes
an interest in the food question to read.
1t describes, concisely, the origin and
uses of the new edible, and presents an
array of scientific and other testimony
in its favor which can hardly fail to con
vince the most skeptical of its para
mount claims as an economic, whole
some, digestihle, neutrality-suspicious.,
and very pleasant addition to the Ma
iional Carte This al least is the con-
,lusion at which many of the most emf
lent hotel keepers, artistic cooks, physi-
clans, chemists, merchants, etc, of New
York, have arrived; and they state their
opinions on the subject over their own
signatures, in the pamphlet to which we
lllude.
Among the various proofs Of the large
mount of nutritious gelatine contained
n the Sea Moss Farine, il is mentioned
hat package of il, costing only twenty
i've cents, will produce sirteen quarts of
rcellenf blanc BidFige, or proportion
tie quantity of custard, light pudding,
arine cream, farine sauce. Cruel, Char
otte Russ, etc. This seems almost in
redibie, but is vOuched for by ladies Of ,
he highest respecfability, who append
heir NAMES to their statements. The
company state that at least fifty delicious
ishes oan he made from the Sea Moss
Farine, aud give in their circular the
ec;pes for many Of them We consider
fr. Rands discovery highly important
-. e. tta rnrIl..r nu1 suIonl a. III