Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-10
peoeoIrY neAcn Mossrns.
A Sew hngiaud iniustry That Provides
the Housewife With uianc Mage.

A Sew England iniustrv That Provide.
tho Housewife With nianc Mango.
Fair old Sci.uatc boasts an Industry
IN which, " Ia no other. It Is the lead
ing town In the country. II has. "a
none Of its more wealthy sister towns
have H. moss From the rocks that
carpet ~ harbor aud make IT, shores
feared by Che sailor O. gathered nn iu
come every year That may not be-
princcly. but Is s;Iil nrgc enough to
compensate the town for the lack Of
noisy, smoky factories and strong
smelling wharycs
Wien tie moss gathering Industry
began In aciJunta no ono knows Prob.
ahly the vuluc Of the moss wins tirt
discovered by accident by some fisher
mans wife The gathering aud curing
OF moss for food began In Ireland mnny
years ago. II wa. used principally b.
the people Of the south Of Ireland. near
the scacoast Many people have mad,
the clulm shat they introduced tho Co.,.
dustry In this country, but even tho
oldest inhabitants Of Sciiunte arc Ia
doubt o. 20 who was the lint
Tho particular locality whcro th,
business j. carried on IA called peg.
gotiy Beach" Little pcgroity village
. punched here, and hero the inossors
and thclr families ply their trade.
There Is no loallng Everybody Is ok.
pccici TO do lii share Of tho labor.
While the father Is ont Ia his boat rob.
bling the sea to put brad Ia hi. fninily's
mouth aud blame mango aud Jelly into
the months Of mankind. the wives and
daughters arr wadiug along the rocks
near the shore filling thoir aprons with
tho smaller pieces Of the moss
The boys arc at the same time raking
aud turning the patches OF moss that
arc laid out To- regular lots In front Of
each crcol house. The veteran "most
cr' Is on the beach ~ sunrise. There
10 much TO do before tho tide "will
answer. aud ho must watch tho tides.
With garden rake lac lcycls on a patch
on the Rruvoled beach. always being
careful not 10 leave "A footprint. Then
ho carries tho moss that his wife and
daughters have washed ont the night
before and spreads Il on tho smooth
spots Il Of many color, from tho
innroon, purple black TO delicate gel.
low, according 10 tho washihrs and
bloachings Il has received.
\ low tide In the morning and a
westerly brccye-not wind-i, whit
the men pray for out by tho rocks Of
Third CliI the double spirits aud dorics
were already stationed, aud men were
standing up IN the boat poking around
In tho water with long poles In ordur
90 get u nearer view the reporter hired
typical small boy to take lin out IN
| lis dory.
How do you know when you ara
over mossr was asked Of man whom
tho guide called father"
"Oh, / can SEQ It" was the answer.
Tho unlnitiatod could not distinguish
one rock from another az the bottom.
but tho experience Of years (ior some Of
these people have been hero rs many as
thirty years. makes their sight wonder.
fully Keen.
Tho ruko used In scraplng tho rocks
ms n handle fifteen feet long fitted Into
n heavy iron head. The teeth are set
very close together aud arc sharp
pointed over the back part Of thi.
head there Is a guard that keeps tho
load from falling back into tho water.
As much ne two pounds Of moss can be-
torn oil tho rocks at ono shove OF the
rake. A good days work for ono man
Is 1875 pounds Of mos. The cargo sel.
dom falls below seventy pounds.
Should the moscr loso run Of rocl.
which Offers a good yield, and tho
ruillrd waters Interfere with his finding
Il, bottle Of oil Is brought into rcqul
sitlon,nnd a little Of Il IS thrown on thc
water 10 quiet the ripplos.
Tho moss gathercrs arc mot ON tho
beach by the young folks, aud "crcels'
holding u barrel each Of the weed arr
filed TO the brm Mt tho boats, aud Il /.
then spread to dry on tho beach. Tc
bleach the moss 10 the desired color
eight wnshiugs must bo made; It /.
housed, when perfectly dry, In III,
shantles, Cor Boston Globe.