The sun., 1885-06-21
VALUABLE PLANTS sROHINo IN THE
OCEAN
Edibis seaweed. strange Fiat Lines, ana the
Happy Polypes.


Botanists class oil sorts OF the fowerless
plants that grow In the water. and that are
commonly called seaweed, under the general
term OF algtr. There are great variety OF
these plants. Some of them are like particles
OF dust: others spread out to size and
strength to compare with hawsers. though
they don't look much like hnwsors.
There are many curious and interesting
things to bs told OF seawecds. and tho number
OF people who would makes study OF such veg.
citation would be much creater than II is II
writer's on the subject would give names to the
plants which conld I've remembered without an
intimate knowledge OF Latin. Thus. to
begin with tho smallest plants. 1t ia as
serted that tho Red Sen got its name
from the rrodigious quantity Of n small red
plant that spreads over tho water under cor
tain circumstances. A much moro common
variety OF the marine plants Ia found In great
quantities around the coast Of the British
Islands. In tho streets OF Edinburgh you will
sse the venders going up and down crying.
Duse and tankle' They carry great bunches
OF tho dull red leaves. which are sold for food.
They arc on sale in this country to q limited
extent and the taste is not Mt all bad. Usual
ly you will find multitude OF minute shell nsh
clinging to the under side OF the leaf. and these
give flavor to the leaf that Is greatly liked.
Tho leaves are eaten either raw or cooked rs
greens or in soups. Thoy are also used In
place Of tobacco. The smoke Of cigar rolled
from dulss leaves is pheasant and healthiul.
A very abundant sort OF wcod found In vari-
Gus forms almost all over the world ie the
bladder wrnck. 1t is distinguished by Its long
arms or fronds. as the botanists call them.
which are supported in the water by air blad-
ders. There Is a legend that a great many
years ago crew Of shipwrecked sniors built q
When When the The fire had died out they found dark
cake where the ashes should have been. and in
wonder carried 1t away with them: A chemist
weed TO obtain this soda, which bore the name
could not understand thls new method OF
the ,ssk hsy "s or smdns wbe
cupations. was brutally careloss Of the feelings
rose UP and destroyed the pits. Arrests and
suits follHwed and learned n. council ~ ns t0Id
and Sne o se
hood. drive tho fish from tho coasts and create
an endemic am2nH the popu!ace. But they
more about it 20. 900 people engaged in tho Ork-
neys alone In gathering the weed that came to
land grew homesick whom he recalled the wild
craxs Of his native coast and tho rocks that
covered the beach when s the ,lde was low; Ior
rock to rock cutting the long fronds Of kelp
from their roots. while women and children.
with song and lest and laughter. gathered the
To ILLUSTRATE how and where this weed
Grows can tell y1n an incident ont .; Many yenrs
lighthouse on rock at the mouth OF the Firth
OF Forth. The rock was about 20 by GO feet
spring tides At ordinary low tides 1t could
be seen by the vcnturssome near the surface
With long % hair ri that % waved cd ur and and down in the
feed only to clear and level the surface Of the
and not until tho ist OF NAV did the waather
moderate so that thoy could begin again.
thoy found thnt the surface which they had
left clean and level was n mass OF rank yegota-
haa 1hsn sy s began wor
yet the force Of the waves which dashed against
that rock was such that pieces OF granite were
anmrt like pine, sticks.
The rocky shores OF the coasts OF Europe
weed; One variety is known as Lucky Min.
ny's lines. The, arms, or fronds. grow to !,
length Of forty feet. When outer bark and
9elatinous flaments are removed the frond Is
found to be composed OF a single tilnment like
a thread OF silk, that grows IN a coil, form
to each other. This is uncoieL by the coast
people. and when braided up in u four-ply, cord
makes * mn line o. IL nc strength
buckhorn handle? All. it is OF English
MAKE to- 1t is very good knife but Thu.
pencil is of lead. The rough sides. which every
QUO must admire are made Of pieces Of seq.
Scotland coast 1t Is 80 much like buckhorn
when cleaned and tho cut edges polished that
experts are often deceived. Another weed.
called grass wrack. is so much liko hnir that II
tnkos Its place in mattresses and cushions be-
side tho genuine article.
rocks OF Terra dol Fuego after rollng across
an almost limitess ocean there is kind Of
,H.a weed with o6 ste stem that reaches the surface
wrnck. Under its leaves. Darwin says. there
are numerous kinds OF fish and bivalves that
hecks OF seagu!ls. divers, and other birds sub
sist on the fish. as well as seals and offers.
wretched Inhabitants OF that in hospitahie coun.
try gain u living. Without the seawesd almost
the whole animal kingdom Of that part OF the
world would cease to exist
sseaYesd is the giEantic Lvsson!n Of the Fnlk:
feet long and u foot in diameter Il sort OF q log
from ono end OF which irniIing vines grow out
In a. dlrections. The weed is often uprooted.
ana when ndrlft In tho opon sea the long vines
roll up into monster cables hundreds Of feet
long and often TWO feet in dum.tcr. Should
Job to cut 1t adrift. for cut 1t must be. No ship
can make headway with such n drag out;
waters sss S So 1 II. hs olm o
ribbon no thicker than q sheet Of paper. and
parNai,s Two inches Wide. Specimens have
beon obtained .hnt wer. ]. 800 feet long. At tho
surface Of the water n great green crown is
formed. from which leaves which divide like
nnntirrs grow to th" !nngth Of 30 or 40 feet,
Ih"r: arn big mir bInddrrs at the bases OF those
Leaves. which form ms isvorite resting places
yw Si a." valuable sen otter i wntslesi, prey
Of Lucky Minny's lines. tho ibr.s OF this plant
nre used for fish lines by tho Inhabitants along
: tht coast: Ono would think that sons. enter
long ribbons to New York and work them no
Into, rop" and bn;ging. II not into the liner
goods made from flax.
II you were TO travel from tho icy. shores OF
Anskn to the summer skies md shining sons
around ths island OF Invn. you would ind
II grows on the rocks above which the birds
called salnngancs make the nests that are 80
highly priced for Chinese soups These rocks
are cnlcareous. Tho waves are never still at
their feet even when this sea IL tranquil. The
netion OF tho water has worn holes nnl caves
IN the rock clear 10 tho top. In these cavities
tho birds by tho nil ion build their netss. They
seen. TO seek tho places where tho sea RACES
most ierc"y. lowering in countless thousands
around tho rocks, they dash into the thckest
spray seeking their food on tho foumi nY wave
srests only TO appear Hgnin among the rain
bows that form above tho waters. In the boil
ing WavnS they find the SeuWeed known A