FERTILISERS FROM THE OCEAN. 



Bv Marshall Llndie and Robert W'iexaar Hallack. 



The use of sea plants as manure was common on the coast of 

 the Mediterranean in ancient times, but the ancients had observed 

 that the sea-weeds had to be washed with fresh water, because 

 they saw that the sea-salt adhering to the weeds was not beneficial 

 to the soil. 



A large number of sea plants occur widely diffused throughout 

 the whole ocean covering our planet and are washed on to the 

 coasts. In many parts they are employed for other purposes 

 besides being used as fertilisers. The ashes are employed for the 

 manufacture of " Barilla Soap " in Spain, and for the extraction 

 of Bromine and Iodine in England and in France. Kelp, or sea- 

 weed ash, prior to the discovery of the Stassfurt Salts, was 

 largely employed for the preparation of Potash Salts, and was at 

 one time the principal source of Soda. It was then valued as 

 highly as ^20 per ton. 



A. D. Hall, in his work on " Fertilisers and Manures "* says : 



"Off the South and West coasts and in the Channel Islands, sea-weed 

 forms the staple manura, being collected after hea\y weather and laid up in 

 heaps to dry and rot. On the heaviest soils it is sometimes ploughed in 

 immediately after gathering just as ' long ' dung is used on clays to open up 

 the soil." 



The same author gives us some analysis of sea-weeds used 

 for manure in Jersey :— 



" Thus even the poorest of these samples is in the wet condition about as rich 

 as ordinary farmyard manure, while the FUCU3 would be valued as highly as. 

 £2 per ton. 



This statement of Mr. Hall's our farmers living near the coast 

 should take to heart. 



Dr. Edward Heiden mentions in his " Coprology "f the fol- 

 lowing sea plants as of special importance in agriculture : — 

 i. Fuciis J'esiciilosus. — Of general occurrence in the Ocean. 



2. Fticiis Serratus. — North Sea and the Baltic. 



3. Fucus Nodosus. — Throughout the Atlantic Ocean. 



4. Laminana LatifoUa. — In the North Atlantic. 



5. Laminaria Digitata. — In the North Atlantic. 



6. FurceUaria Fastigiata. — Very generally found in all Oceans. 



* Page 75. 



t Vol. 2, page 415. 



