The Portland daily press., 1899-04-22
CALIFORNIA FLOAT
ING GARDENS.
The Marvellous Kclp Growths That Bar
Many IIarbors.
(Charles f. Holden in the New York
Observer

(Charles F. Holden in the New York
Observer
Not only the mainland, but the islands
of California, which rise from the ssa
like submerged mountain peaks, have
wonderful floating gardens, through
which vessels often pillow with difficulty
| in entering the small harbors which dot
the coast At Santa Barbara, the en-.
| trance of the bay Is a maze of floating
vegetation, and the islands of the coast,
esecially Santa Catalina, are more or less
surrounded.
The floating gardens are formed of long
streamers of of kelp, which attached to
the bottom, grow upward to distance OF
so to 800 feet, throwing out broad leaves
ana air-bulbs, which act as SO many
balloons to support item. The effect of
this is to give perfect forest of broad
green leaves, rising upward and present.
ing sharp contrast to the blue water in
which they grow. Graceful in appear
ance, they turn it every within of the tide;
now floating directly upward, their leaves
high above water, and caught by the
breeze; again reaching away in long
streamers, they are among the most
striking and beautiful objects of the SUBJ
marine world. When in shore the huge
plants assume vertical position, ard
become floating gardens in reality. In
tho by of Avalon, they present so many
attractions that boats have been con-
struoted especially to float over them and
afford the occupants an opportunity to
observe the wonders of the ocean world.
These boats are all provided with large
plate glass windows set into the bott ON,
SO the observer can sit in the boat and
gaze down through the window and see
intensified small animals. Some OF these
boats AS propelled by oars; others are
doub;p catam aeLns, which hear sort of
house and hold 20 people, and ara pro-
PEELED over the floating gardens by an
eugiss. The glass, as suggested, magni-
tles objects and in floating along one can
almost imagine himself under the water
and roaming at will in these gardens OF
the SEE With the face bent down over
the window, u series of marine wonders
meets the eye Each leaf or frond is
resent varied animals or plants; some are
purple. red, green or yellow. Here are
delicate sea anemones, which so resem Bile
blooming flowers that they can scarcely
be distinguished from the true flowers OF
the land. At the slightest notice they
close up, withdrawing their many~colored
tentacles, then slowly blooming out
again.
Here are minute plant-like crea lures
that are really animals, though growing
in a shrub-like form, and among the
wonders of this floating garden are
some that give birth to minute young
which become Jelly fishes, to float away
and at night fill the ocean with won
derful phosphorescent light. Strange
shells crawl upon the great leaves; crabs
that mimic their colors perfectly. and
fishes OF the exact tint cling to them, safe
IN this resem blaDce from many enemies.
The long leaves when unaffected by the
current, rise directly upward and form
maze of arches down among which
many strange forms are to DO seen. Di-
rsctly on the bottom u large octopus
comes limping along, throwing out Its
eight sucEer lined arms, moving In
strange fashion, waves OF Color passing
slowly over il, that seem 10 adapt 1T to
the color of the bottom over which it Is
passing. Near by we catch a glimpse OF
Il cousin, the argonaut or nautilus. craw-
ling along, holding its delicate she'll over
its head.
In the oreyices of the rocks are black
hued echni. perfect maze OF Drlstiing
pinS and nesdles. which wave TO ana Ito
and resent the intrusion of any enemy
These are the ground dwellers of this
garden, but there are other forms. fishes
which vie with one another ana the
birds of the land in their beauty of color
They poise among the leaves, and present
strange contrasts One is of brilliant
cold hue with high tins. gold fish whose
GRACEFUL movements constitute an attrac-
tive feature of the garden. Scores of lit
tie fishes glide by that are vefitable gems
| in the brilliancy of their ornamentation,
| bright jewel-like spots appearing here
the small Try rush away as mighty form
| slides slowly through the garden. 1t Is
| the king of the bass; a fish i've feet long,
of rich mahogany tint, whose home is
| in these gardens of the sea. Following
we shall ses silvery fish with yellow
tail, and a stripe along its sides.
| Perhaps the most remarkable denizen
of the floating garden is lisa about IA
| foot in length, so grotesque in shape that
| il is almost impossible to distinguish 1t
| from the weed. Its head and back are
! covered with tentacle-like growths, while
| its color is an exact imitation nf the
weed. This curious fish builds IA nest in
| the kelp by winding the weed in and out,
| forming IA hall in which the eggs are de-
posted and the young reared.
| These gardens are not always the serene
Places of refuge We now SEE them. At
| night the seals and sea lions from the
ro0kerirs SWIM along shore, enter the
gardens and feed upon the fishes dash
| ing in and out among the arches, and
| making eager efforts to capture them
/ At night the scene is oftap strapGa one