277 

 A NEW MARINE DEPARTURE. 



JOHN IRVING, M.D., 



Scarborough. 



Singularly little shore work has been done on our coast 

 since the war commenced. We have almost forgotten how 

 to trip over the slippery rocks without stumbling, or plunging 

 into some camouflaged pool. Like a bolt from the blue, while 

 the Scarborough season is at its height, when every man, 

 woman and child has barely time enough to sleep, the authori- 

 ties at the Food Production Department call upon us to 

 denude the rocks, for miles, of certain sea-weeds, popularly 

 known as Irish, or Carrageen, moss ; to wash, bleach, dry, 

 and forward them to London, adding the characteristic remark 

 that it is essentially a labour of love. Those who are acquainted 

 with our rocks and know, by experience, the height of the 

 cliffs, will appreciate the word " labour." A prominent 

 official of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, in commending 

 this work, said he thought it was one wa}^ in which a naturalist 

 could do his ' bit.' If we had him here, we should certainly 

 give him the chance, and would, with much pleasure, watch 

 him careering over the outer rocks of Carnelian Bay 

 judiciously picking clumps of weeds, cramming them into a 

 sack till the sack becomes a firm cylinder measuring approxi- 

 mately a yard in length and half a yard in diameter. On a 

 fine sunny day the process so far might be to him a labour of 

 love, but he has to return with a burden, progressively growing 

 more burdensome, oozing slimy sea-water, now into one 

 shoulder, now into the other, and by the time he has negotiated 

 awkw'ard rocks, boulders, and pools, climbed a two hundred 

 and fifty foot cliff, and walked three miles to the nearest dump, 

 ■" labour ' consciously takes the precedence of ' love,' and the 

 " bit ' looms large. Let him repeat this performance day after 

 day, and he will assuredly come to the conclusion that the 

 "labour " is somewhat outside the scope of a naturalist, what- 

 ever his speciality may be. A lawn has been suggested as 

 a satisfactor}^ dumping-ground where the weeds — and there 

 are tons of them — are to be spread out thinly, exposed to sun 

 and rain, fenced by netting (if necessary) against winds which 

 blow, and, as weeds only bleach when kept thoroughly wet, 

 if rains cease to deluge them, a hose or watering-can must be 

 called into play. They are to be regularly turned over, watched 

 till ivory white, then cleansed, dried, packed, and sent by rail. 

 If anyone does all this he accomplishes a labour of love, and 

 is worthy of thanks ! 



Given groups of willing workers, with leisure to take ad- 

 vantage of daily varying low-tides, each group responsible 

 for one day's labour per week, much may be done, but a first- 



1918 Sept. 1. 



