SEA-SIDE PLANTS. 75 



(Zostera marina) is very abundant, growing in thick 

 clumps, on sandy shallows and banks in the sea, 

 and on stormy days being dashed in large masses 

 on the shore. One would call it a sea-weed, were 

 it not that this mode of fructification excludes it 

 from that tribe of plants, and connects it with 

 maritime, rather than marine, vegetation. It has 

 very long grass-green leaves, and hence its botanic 

 name is derived from the Greek word riband. The 

 French term it La Zostere, and the Germans Sea- 

 tang ; and our coast people commonly call it Sea- 

 grass. It abounds on the shores about Yarmouth, 

 and it is there torn up by the waves, and thrown 

 ashore in such quantities as that it is used to heap 

 up into mounds, to serve as a sort of wall for 

 resisting the encroachments of the sea upon the 

 land. It is also used for thatching roofs, and 

 in one respect it serves this purpose better than 

 hay, as sun and wind do not decay it ; and a sea- 

 grass thatch is said to last a hundred years, though 

 the sun soon deprives it of its rich green hue, and 

 bleaches it white. The Dutch and Swedes use 

 this plant more than we do, for they strew it largely 

 over their land for manure ; and in all the coun- 

 tries of the north of Europe it is not only used for 

 stuffing beds, but it is preferred to almost any 

 other material. It is sold in our shops for filling 

 mattresses, cushions, and other articles of domestic 

 use, under the name of Ulva marina. The rush- 

 like envelopes of the Italian liquor-casks are made 

 of Grass-wrack, and it is very much used for pack- 

 ing glass bottles and earthenware. The leaves 

 require to be steeped in fresh water, and well 

 dried before using them for bedding. A good 

 quantity of saccharine matter is found in the lower 



