[Illustration]
When visiting the sea-shore for the purpose of gathering sea-weeds, or
to learn something of their modest and simple lives, it will be noticed
that twice in every twenty-four hours the water advances and recedes,
affording an opportunity for the collector to follow the beach down to
the lowest tide-mark, and thus make sure of some small portion of the
beautiful marine vegetation of the wondrous ocean.
[Illustration]
The first band or zone of sea-weeds encountered is that of the coarse
olive-green sea-weeds commonly called bladder-weed or rock-weed. This
alga is easily distinguished by the double series of round air-vessels
with which the fronds are studded, and the coarse midrib running up the
centre of each frond. On all rocky coasts several varieties of this
family of sea-weeds are to be met with. When trodden on, the air-vessels
explode with a sharp report; from this fact it has been christened, by
young people living on the coast, the snap-weed, to whom it affords much
amusement. On this coarse weed, and under its dark and damp masses, in
the tide pools and on the rocks on which it grows, are to be found many
varieties of our most delicate and beautiful sea-weeds.
After the olive-green zone has been passed, the bright greens, brilliant
reds, and purples are reached.
Sea-weeds are rootless plants, and do not derive their support from the
earth, as do other plants, but obtain their entire subsistence from the
water. The small flat disk to be found on the end of the main branch is
only for the purpose of adhering to the rocks, stones, or other objects
on which they may be found attached.
I have figured five of the most beautiful types of sea-weeds common on
our coast, but they are so learnedly and scientifically named (being
without common names), as, for instance, _Polysephonia urceolata_, that
I have depended on the simple figures to enlist the reader's interest,
and have avoided the discouraging scientific names.
[Illustration]
On many of the apple stands in the city of New York may be seen a dark
purple-colored substance for sale; this is a sea-weed imported from the
coast of Ireland, and is called sloake, or lava. By many it is
considered as great a delicacy as pea-nuts. When mounted, it makes a
very handsome specimen. The best paper for mounting the sea-weeds is
ordinary drawing-paper, cut to a uniform size.
[Illustration]
After the specimens have been thoroughly washed, the finest should be
separated from the coarser ones, and placed in wide and shallow dishes
filled with clean fresh water. Sheets of the drawing-paper are slipped
under the specimens, which are arranged in a natural and graceful
position as they float over the immersed paper. A camel's-hair brush and
a coarse needle, with the assistance of the fingers, are all that are
required for the arranging of the sea-weeds on the paper. When the
specimen is in proper position, it is slowly and carefully lifted from
the water on the drawing-paper, so as to retain the desired position of
the sea-weed.
[Illustration]
The mounted specimen should be pinned up for a few minutes to allow the
water to drip off before placing it in the press. There is no need of
fastening the plants to the paper, as most of the sea-weeds are supplied
with a glue-like material which fastens them firmly to the paper when in
the press drying.
[Illustration: FIG. 1]
The most simple and cheap sea-weed press that I know of consists of two
large boards, as shown in Fig. 1, at AA, and on the lower board (A) are
placed layers of blotting-paper with layers of clean-washed pieces of
old sheeting. The sheeting and blotting-paper layers are for the purpose
of quickly absorbing all moisture from the sea-weeds. As soon as the
water has dripped off the mounted specimen, it is carefully laid on two
or three thicknesses of blotting-paper; on the face of the sea-weed a
piece of the muslin or sheeting is laid; over the sheeting more blotters
are placed, and on this second layer of blotters another set of
sea-weeds. In this way all the specimens are disposed of, and the top
board (AA) is placed; on this a soap box is placed, which is filled with
either sand or stones, by means of which the desired pressure is
obtained.
[Illustration: FIG. 2]
For a field press, the most simple form that I know of is shown in Fig.
2, which is made out of two pieces of three-quarter inch stuff, well
strengthened with a frame of black walnut, fastened with three screws in
each corner. After the sea-weeds are placed in position on one of the
boards, the top board is laid on, and the specimens are brought under
pressure by means of a stout strap. During the stormy days of next
winter, when you are confined to the house, you will find real pleasure
in arranging your pretty specimens in an album.
[Begun in No. 92 of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, August 2.]