INTRODUCTION. xlvii 



remunerative to keep the kelp trade alive. The chief source 

 of iodine is still found in the Fuci, and so long as this re- 

 mains the case, the certain demand for kelp, from which 

 that valuable substance may be most easily extracted, will 

 be maintained." 



Many of the species that produce kelp are useful in mi- 

 nor ways. Fucus vesiculosus, which is one of the richest 

 in the alkaline salts, affords an abundant and wholesome 

 winter provender to the horses and cattle of the people of 

 Norway, who call it kue-tang or cow-weed, and of the 

 north-west of Scotland and west of Ireland. According 

 to JLinnaBUs the people of Gothland boil it, and, mixing it 

 with coarse flour, feed their pigs with it, whence they call 

 it swine-tang. In the Channel Islands it is used as fuel, 

 and employed in smoke-drying pork and fish. F. serratus 

 is also used as winter provender in some northern countries, 

 and in Norway is called bred-tang, being given to the cat- 

 tle sprinkled with meal. Its most common use, however, 

 is to spread over lobsters, shell-fish, &c., in order to keep 

 them fresh when sent into the country. For this purpose 

 it answers better than F. vesiculosus, being of a less mucous 

 nature, and consequently less liable to run into fermenta- 

 tion. The very young leaves and stalks of Laminaria di- 

 gitata are eaten in Scotland, under the name of tangle ; 

 and, according to Mr. Neill, the old stems are applied " to 

 rather an unexpected use, the making of knife-handles. 

 A pretty thick stem is selected, and cut into pieces about 

 four inches long. Into these, when fresh, are stuck blades 

 of knives, such as gardeners use for pruning or grafting. 

 As the stem dries it contracts and hardens, closely and 

 firmly embracing the hilt of the blade. In the course of 

 some months the handles become quite firm, and very hard 

 and shrivelled, so that when tipped with metal they are 

 hardly to be distinguished from hartshorn." 



