THE BROWN ALGAE-ALGIN FROM KELPS AND FUCOIDS 103 



Water 6.5% Protein ( N X 6.25) 7.0% 



Ash 19.1 Crude fiber 6.2 



Ether extract 2.8 N-free extract 58.5 



In Denmark it has been proposed that the seaweed be partially digested in 

 manufacture. The fucus is thoroughly washed to remove as much of the soluble 

 salts as possible, cooked with superheated steam, drained, and then pressed into 

 cakes, which are dried in a vacuum and ground into coarse powder. The juice 

 formed during the cooking process is evaporated until a portion of the salts crystal- 

 lize out. The crystals are separated from the mother liquor in a centrifugal separa- 

 tor and the mother liquor is mixed with the powdered cake. The analysis of the 

 feed is as follows: water, 5 per cent; protein (N X 6.25), 13.12 per cent; crude 

 fiber, 9.0 per cent; and ash, 5.03 per cent. 



Because of its mineral and riboflavin content, dried kelp is of considerable 

 value as a component of animal and poultry feeds. In California the giant kelp 

 (chiefly, Macroctjstis pyrifera) is dried and ground for use in both cattle and 

 poultry feeds. It is a valuable mineral and vitamin (chiefly, riboflavin) supple- 

 ment to ordinary commercial feeds. 



Marine Plants Used for the Making of Mattresses and Upholstery. Eelgrass, 

 or seagrass (Zostera marina), which derives its name from its grasslike appear- 

 ance, finds extensive use in the stuffing of mattresses and furniture. This plant, 

 unlike all the seaweed considered in previous chapters, does not belong to the 

 group known as marine algae, but to the Naidaceae, or pondweed family. Un- 

 like algae, it bears submarine flowers, fruits, and seeds. It thrives only on the 

 muddy bottoms of shallow, protected waters and grows principally in brackish 

 water. Important eelgrass industries exist in Great Britain, France, and Holland. 

 The exports of this material from Holland amount to 2,000 to 3,000 tons annually. 

 The grass is mowed with scythes at low tide. It is necessary for the mowers 

 to work in the water as the grass does not grow above the low water mark. The 

 cut grass is spread in fields to dry. When it is partially dried and has become 

 black, it is soaked for several days in ditches filled with fresh water. It is again 

 spread on the fields and, when completely dry, is taken to the warehouses where 

 it is pressed into bales of about 100 pounds each. The blacker the cured grass, 

 the higher the price obtained for it. Eelgrass prepared in this way is used as a 

 substitute for hair in filling mattresses and upholstering furniture. 



Odd Uses for Seaweeds. Many processes of manufacturing paper from eelgrass 

 {Zostera marina) have been suggested. Although it contains a relatively small 

 amount of fiber, it produces high quality paper. The manufacture of paper from 

 eelgrass is similar to that from esparto; however, Zostera contains less foreign 

 matter and is, therefore, more easily bleached. At various times processes of 

 manufacturing paper from the true marine algae have been proposed, but none 

 of them have been adopted commercially. 



Many species of algae are used by the Japanese for decorative purposes. 

 Among them are Sargasswn enerve (called "moku" or "mo" by the Japanese), 

 other species of Sargassum, Ecklonia bicyclis, E. cava, and various species of 

 Laminaria. Sargassum enerve becomes an attractive green color when dried and 

 is intertwined with Laminaria radicosa to decorate Japanese homes on New Year's 

 Day. 



In some parts of the world certain species of seaweed are extensively used in 



