370 



Popular Science Monthly 



The Japanese Eat Kelp; the Calif ornians Make Potash from It 

 Kelp is gathered in Japan from July to October. The seaweed is taken 

 into open boats by hooks attached to long handles. It is dried and cured 

 on the beach. When cured, the plants are trimmed and packed. Plants 

 of the same size are packed together, making neat, uniform bundles 



fish. There they throw away large quan- 

 tities of sable fish, which until recently re- 

 joiced in the name black cod — why, is a 

 mystery, since it is not even related to the 

 cod family. 



The Department of Dietetics of the 

 University of 

 Washington states 

 that the sable fish 

 is "excellent from 

 an economic as- 

 pect, as there is 

 little waste, being 

 almost free from 

 bone and requiring 

 very little time for 

 cooking. It is suit- 

 able for the hum- 

 blest home on ac- 

 count of its price and 

 for the millionaire's 

 table on account of 

 its fineness of texture 

 and delicious flavor." 



The adult fish 

 weighs about fifteen 

 pounds, although 

 much larger ones are 

 frequently taken. 

 They are found in 

 abundance in the 

 deep waters off the 

 coast from San Fran- 

 cisco to Alaska. Halibut fishermen have 

 been catching these fish for years, but 

 they have always thrown them away be- 



The -Burbot Belongs to the Cod Family 



The burbot lurks in holes at the bottom of the waters 

 all during the day. At night it steals forth and preys 

 upon other fishes, crawfish, insects and fish eggs. 

 It has a stomach which is very elastic, enabling it 

 to consume large quantities of food at a time. But 

 it pays for this appetite when it begins to grow 

 old, for then it loses its slim, graceful lines and 

 becomes heavy, flabby of flesh and "potbellied" 



Seaweed Is Also the Basis of Isinglass 



A bundle of "Slender Kanten," or seaweed isinglass. 

 It is only available from December to February 



cause there has been no market 

 for them. 



The peculiarly firm flesh of 

 the sable fish enables it to 

 stand shipping very well. It 

 may be frozen and successfully 

 shipped throughout the coun- 

 try, even as far east as New 

 York. 



The famous cod has a fresh 

 water cousin known as the 

 burbot. It is found in the 

 lakes and larger streams of all 

 the countries in the world. 

 In this country it abounds 

 from the Ohio and Missouri 

 Rivers all the way to the 

 Arctic regions. 



The meat is very like cod. 



As the fish is plentiful and its 



price low it should become a 



general favorite. However, 



none of our people may become 



as fond of it as a certain Italian countess 



of the sixteenth century w o spent all her 



income on burbot. 



Why Not Whale Steak with Currant Jelly? 



The sea produces meat which may be 

 substituted for 

 beef. That is to 

 say, all the crea- 

 tures which swim 

 in the sea are*not 

 fish. Whales and 

 porpoises are 

 mammals just like 

 cattle and sheep. 

 Their flesh is really 

 meat. Whale 

 steak was served 

 this summer in 

 western hotels and 

 met with a favorable 

 reception. A juicy 

 piece of sperm whale 

 steak with currant 

 jelly makes a fine 

 meal. The whale 

 steak is very like 

 beef in texture al- 

 though darker red in 

 color. The flavor is 

 much the same as 

 beef. It has no 

 slightest trace of 

 "fishy" taste. The United States Govern- 

 ment tests show that it contains about 

 four per cent more protein than does beef. 



