Mu. Glassfo '<ry and 1> <>f the Kelp Manufacture. - IT 



From estiin;tt<\- made from information which I have collected as < 

 fully as possible, I should nay that there are about 600 tons of kelp at 

 present annually employed in the manufacture of soap, but even this is 

 getting slowly reduced, from the use of soda-ash in that manufacture. A 

 few years ago (G years) I have estimated that not less than 1100 tons of 

 kelp were annually employed for this purpose. The chief disadvantage 

 resulting from the use of kelp in snap-boiling, is the very extensive set of 

 ■■Is required, to furnish leys even for a very small manufactory. 



The oatimnton which I have here made of the quantities of kelp manu- 

 factured sad worked op in our chemical works, can only be considered as 

 an approximation to the truth. This occurs from the difficulty of procur- 

 ing correct information from almost any party connected with the trade, 

 — the utmost jealousy and suspicion being immediately excited by the most 

 distant query. Every one connected with the manufacture in any shape 

 is aware of this. 



Mode of collecting the Sea Weeds. — The observations which I have now 

 to make regarding the collecting and burning of sea weeds, were the fruit 

 of a four mouths' residence in the Hebrides, in the islands of Collonsay 

 and Oronsay, the property of Captain M'Neill, and my remarks apply 

 more particularly to the practice there followed. I was sent out there by 

 the Messrs. Turnbull & Co. of this city, during the year 1846, to prosecute 

 the manufacture of the kelp, and if possible, to make any improvements 

 which might suggest themselves to me. I beg to lay a few of the dot 

 of my experience before you at present, reserving for another opportunity 

 all the chemical part of the subject and other details which would render 

 this communication of too great a length. 



The methods of collecting and burning the sea weeds now demand our 

 consideration, and although it is a subject upon which much might be 

 said, my remarks shall be as brief and concise as possible. The methods 

 of collecting the weeds, and of burning in kilns, are differently conducted 

 upon the Hebridean and Irish shores; but the former demands our 

 attention at present. The kelp of commerce is known in the market 

 under the terms Cut-weed and Drift-weed kelp, the Cut-weed kelp being 

 solely prepared from weeds growing upon the shores, and alternately 

 immersed and left dry by the flow and ebb of the tides. The Drift-weed 

 kelp, upon the other hand, is prepared from wreck which is torn from the 

 rocks, and driven upon the beaches by the currents and swell of the sea. 

 The plants QOmprising this wreck grow always in deep water, firmly 

 attached to the sunken and shelving rocks, and are constantly submersed. 

 They possess different properties from the more landward plants, and 

 are usuaMy detached by the roots from the rocks on which they grow, and 

 thrown upon the beach daring the How tides which succeed violent storms. 

 The cut-weed kelp, which is that chiefly prepared on our Highland shores, 

 is made chiefly from two plants of the same order, from the yellow wreck 

 and from the blank wreck (technically speaking). The former, or yellow 

 Wreck, from its property of being able to float in water when cut or 



