ON PRESERtlNG WATER, &C. 225 



srderctl a resource for food provided by Nature perhaps in 

 every country, which has hitherto been overlooked. I 

 would recommend you to draw the attention of the bota- 

 nists at Paris towards this plant, and provide some your- 

 self for the entertainment of your friends; it is an excel- 

 lent culinary vegetable. 1 think I once saw some at 

 Vincennes or in the Jio/.v dc Boulogne, 



One pound of this Lichen, dry, produced three pounds Particular ac- 



when dressed and well drained : it may be eaten with ^^^^^ °^ '.^5 



\\r \. good qualities 

 oil, butter, and no doubt in many other ways. VV-e have of ti^^ Lichen. 



already had it six times on our table, and my friends were 

 much pleased with it. Its texture is purely membrana- 

 ceous, containing neither wood nor filaments, which 

 renders it a very agreeable food. It may be reasonably 

 expected, that in so numerous a family, other species may 

 be found equally nourishing, and perhaps more so. Al- 

 though very elastic after being dressed, it contains not the 

 least animal matter ; for its products are similar to those 

 of sugar, which has surprised me, A pound of this Li- 

 chen will make eight pounds of soup, which in cooling, 

 turns to jelly, like that made from animal food. It is 

 slightly bitter, but not more so than weak chicory water. 

 I seasoned some with sweet and bitter almonds, lemon 

 peel, and sugar, and it made me a very nutritious and 

 ijgreeable dish. The mucilage of this plant is gelatinous, 

 very different from gum ; it appears to me to resemble 

 t'lat obtained from fruits. I am going to examine it iii 

 other respects, and to ascertain whether this plant affords 

 any colouring matter for dying processes. At all events 

 it appears that Nature cannot furnish a more excellent 

 article of food than this Yegetab'e. 



IX. 



On the Means of preserving Water m long Sea Voyages^ 

 and the application of the same Moans for keeping 

 Wines, By M. L. G.* 



.R. BERTHOLLET in the year 1803 communicated proposal by 



to the Class of Mathematical and Physical Science of the Bertholkt to 



carbonize or 

 * Annalcs dc Chimic, UX. p 9^. char the iasidfl 



National «^ ciuks. 



