334 The Sea-weeds of Yar-Connaught, [July, 



principally indebted for this sonrce of industry. He introduced 

 and fostered it, and now carries on an enormous trade along the 

 west and north shores of Ireland, from the mouth of the Shannon 

 to Glenarm. 



Of the red weed, that knowm to botanists as " Laminaria 

 digitata vera" is the principal weed of Yar-Connaught, and of 

 this plant Mr. Steven believes that he has remarked two distinct 

 varieties. " One which sheds its frond early in April and May, and 

 when dried and stacked for a time, does not yield any mannite ; 

 while the other, parts the frond and a ])ortion of the stem besides, in 

 July, and gives out quite as much mannite as the ' L. saccharina.' 

 Of the other red weeds some varieties fall in June, July, August, or 

 September, but all the ' Laminariae ' are supposed to shed the frond 

 twice a year." 



Doctor Harvey thus describes the separation of the old leaves 

 from the stems : — " As soon as the existing frond has served its 

 purpose and begins to grow brown, an expansion commences 

 between its base and the apex of the stem. This expansion con- 

 tinues to increase in length and breadth till it has attained a 

 considerable size. We have then a large ovate lobe at the apex 

 of the stem, separated by a deep constriction from the old frond. 

 As yet this lobe is quite entire ; but after awhile longitudinal splits, 

 commencing near its margin, and continuing towards its centre, 

 begin to appear. These widen and lengthen by degrees, and at last 

 the outer ones reach the decaying base of the old frond ; a rupture 

 ensues, and the tip of the new segment is free. This process is 

 continued, until, when many segments have thus been formed, the 

 connection between the old leaf and the now nearly perfect new one 

 is so much weakened, that the former adheres by a very small 

 surface, and is soon cast off altogether."* 



The fronds of the red weeds are driven on the shore by the first 

 gale after the plants begin to shed, whereupon hundreds of men, 

 women, and children immediately congregate at the different cooses 

 or small bays to collect the weed driven in, and carry it inland on 

 their own or on ponies' backs. The produce of the spring and 

 summer harvests is usually spread, dried, and stacked to be burned 

 into kelp ; while that driven in during the late autumn and winter 

 (unless the weather is extremely fine) is spread on the land as 

 manure for the spring crop. The weed thus treated for manure is 

 supposed by the natives to retain its fertilizing properties, while any 

 which may be left above high-tide mark until it ferments, they 

 consider would be rendered useless. This, however, is controverted 

 by scientific men, as they say " the best way of using sea-weed for 



* ' Pliycologia Britannica,' by W. H. Harvey, M.D., M.R.I.A., &c., &c., vol. i., 

 eyn. 24. 



