Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-26
a sheet Of paper, and perhaps two

a sheet Of paper, and perhaps two
inches wide. Specimens have been OBJ
tanned that were 1900 feet long. AT
the surface Of the water great, clean
crown is formed, from which leaves
which divide like antlers grow the
length Of thirty or forty feet. There
are big air-bladders at the bases OF
these leaves which form the fayorite
resting places Of the valuable sea-ot,er
as it watches It's prey swimming round
below. Like the tlaments of Lucky
Minny's lines, the fibres of this plant
are used for fsh-lines by the inhabi-
tants along the coast, One would think
that some enterprising Yankee would
bring a cargo Of those long ribbons to
New York and work them up into rope
and bagging, if not into the finer goods
made from flax.
If you were to travel from the icy
shores Of Alaska to the summer skies
and shining seas around the island of
Java, you would find a sea-weed Of
great value to the people Of China. IL
grows under the rocks above which the
birds called salanganes make the nests
that are so highly priced for Chinese
soups. These rocks are calcareOuS.
The waves are never still at their
feet even when the sea Is tranquil.
The action Of the water has
worn holes and caves in the rock
clear to the top. In these cavities the
birds by the million build their nests.
They seem to seek the places where
the sea RACES most iiefcely. lowering
in countless thousands around the
rocks. they dash into the thickcSt spray
seeking their food on the fOamng wave
crests, only to appear again among the
rainbows that form above the waters.
In tho boiling waves they find the sea
weed known as plocarla tcnaS, and
from it take the gelatinc with which 70
build their nests.
The Japs. wiser than the Chinese.
make their own birds nests by boiling
the gelatinc out of the weeds. and. run.
ming 1t into the form of ycrmicelli, use
it a. soups as the birds nests are used,
and export large quantities to other
countries, where 1t sells as imitation
birds nest. The genuine birds nest
sells as high as SIS apound. The Chi
ncse, however. import similar weed,
from which they extract the juice IN the
form of a glue. 1T. used for a variety
Of purposes. but chiefly in place Of
glass to form, with the aid If bamboo
Stats. the queer little lolengc-Shapcd
window of their houses. They make
lanterns Of it. and Use it as glue gene
rally, not forgetting TO mix a little Of il
as sizing with the silks they sell to the
western baibariaus.
No one can talk of sea-Wced without
referring 60 class of marine amin Al
life that is but one remove from ,he
vegetable Kingdom. ! mean the polypc>.
All varieties Of poiypes have a body
Ike a bag surrounding a cylindrical
stomach, which open, IN wide month
at the top. From the lips there grow,
fringe Of long tentlcles that are
almost invisible as they spread
out in and move about in the water.
But as thu tiny fish and ,rls-
tacesrs which form their food com.
within reach the tcataclcs close .n wnh
re,lstlc>s grasp, piercing the Victims
with minute needles. poisoning tlcm
with an acid liquid and hlry'ng thcm
into the gaping mouth. Thee are chile.
the lowest forms Of animal life. They
have no nerves, and therefore sustain
80 shocks Their tcna.ity Of lif,
Is such hat they can stan!
freezing or scaling without ma
teual change, while if a par, D.,
amputated another grows in its place.
They seldom move from the place, =
their birth. They have no occasion 20
do 50. for their food come; to them IN
endless quantities, They are never 10
want They dwell 10 thc cool, inviting
depths Of the ocean, They are with
ont pain and without sorrow.