Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-11-08
peooorTY ssAcA mosseas.

the Housewife with Blanc Mango.
Fair old Scituate boasts an industry
In which. II in no other, it is the lead
ing town in the country. II has, a.
none OF its more wealthy sister
have. its moss. From the rocks that
carpet its harbor and make its shores
feared by the sailor is gathered an in
come every year that may not be
yrincely, but is still large enough ~
compensate the town for the lack OF
noisy, smoky factories and strong
smelling wharves.
When the moss gathering industry
began in Scituate no one knows Prob
ably the value Of the moss was first
discovered by accident by some fisher
mans wife. The gathering and curing
Of moss for food began in Ireland many
years ago 1t was used principally by
the people Of the south Of ireland, near
the s-eacgast. Many people have made
the clam that they introduced the ia
dustry I'm this country, but even the
oldest inhabitants Of Scituate are in
doubt as 20 who was the first
The particular locality whore the
business IS carried on Is called Peg
gotty Beach Little Per-otty village
is punched here. and here the mossers
and their families ply their trade
There is no loating. Everybody is eX
pected 10 do his share of the labor
While the father is out in his boat rob
bing the sea TO put bread in his familys
mouth and blanc mango and Jelly into
the mouths Of mankind, the wives and
daughters are wading along the rocks
near the shore filling their aprons with
the smaller pieces Of the moss
The boys are at the same time raking
and turning the patches of nos that
are laid out i'm regular lots in front OF
each creel house. The veteran moss
| er" is on the beach at sunrise. There
! is much TO do before the tide "will
answer" and he must watch the tides
With garden rake he levels of a patch
on the graveled beach. always being
careful not TO leave a footprint. Then
he carries the moss that his wife and
daughters have washed out the night
before and spreads it on the smooth
spots Ii is Of many colors, from the
maroon. purple black to a delicate vel
low, according TO the washings and
~bleachings it has received
A low tide in the morning and a
westerly breeze-not a wind--is what
the men pray for. Out by tie rocks %
Third Cliff the double spirits and doriei
were already stationed, and men wert
standing mp in the boat poking around
in the water with long poles. In ordei
TO get a nearer view tile reporter hire,
a typical small boy to take him "a il
his dory.
How do you know when you ar.
over moss+ was asked Of aman whom
the guide called father.
'Oh. I can see il, % was the answer
The uuinitiated could not distinguish
one rock from another al the bottom
but the experience Of years Gor some o
these people have been here as many a
thirty years. makes their sight wonder
fully keen.
The rake used in scraping the rock
has a handle fifteen feet long fitted int.
a heavy iron head The teeth are Sc
very close together and are sharl
pointed over the back part Of tai
head there is a guard that keeps tn
load hrom falling back into the water
As much as two pounds Of moss can b
torn of the rocks at one shove Of tn
rake. \ good days work for one ma.
is I2j pounds Of moss The cargo se
dom falls below seventy pound,
Should the mosser lose "a Of a roc
which offers a good yield, and III
ruf1ed waters interfere with his hudin
it. a bottle Of oil il brought into reqd
sitionsand a little Of it is thrown on til
water 10 quiet the ripples.
I The moss gatherers are met on I'll
. beach by the young folks, and "creels
E holding a barrel each Of the weed al
filed to the brim at the boats, and ii
4 then spread to dry on the beach I
q bleach the moss TO the desired colo
4 eight washings must be made; it
, housed, when perfectly dry, in Il
a shanties. Cor. Boston Globe.