95 



was iiicntioncd as an article of food, namely Duy^'ilUa utilis, 

 which is saitl to be eaten b)' the natives in certain parts of Chili. 



The Laminaria forms, however, include a large number of edi- 

 ble species. Alaria esailenta, common both here and in Europe, 

 was at one time eaten occasionally in the Occident. At the pres- 

 ent time the Japanese and Chinese make great use of these forms, 

 indeed, after fish, they constitute the chief article of export of the 

 Hokkaido. They are exceedingly plentiful in that region and 

 their collection and preparation for market is a thriving business. 



In this connection, the report of Professor Miyabe and others 

 was passed around and attention was called to the illustrations 

 showing the mode of harvesting the seaweeds. The two most 

 important species seem to be Laniinaria saccliariiia {LaDiinaria 

 japonicii) and Uiidaria pi}iuatifida (perhaps identical with Uii- 

 daria distaiis more recently separated by Miyabe and Oka- 

 mura) which are known under the respective names of " Kombu " 

 and "Wakame" by the Japanese. Many other forms are eaten 

 however. After reference to the well-known examples "Irish 

 moss" {CJiondnis crispus) and "dulse," it was said that the two 

 types most used are the delicate Poipliyra forms and the more 

 massive cartilaginous kinds such as various Gigartina, Gclidium, 

 Gloiopeltis species. PorpJiyra has also been eaten by Europeans 

 and is said to be used by the natives in parts of Alaska, but it is 

 most highly prized by the Japanese and Chinese. Under the 

 name of " Asakusa-nori " it is put up in neat tin boxes and 

 largely .sold in the Tokio markets. It is used by itself or 

 for thickening, giving a very glutinous mixture with hot water. 

 "Fu-nori," used chiefly as we use starch, is a mixture of 

 species of Gloiopeltis and Endotrichia, and like all these forms 

 is sold dried. The speaker referred to agar-agar, which on 

 Wiesner's authority is said to come from different species in 

 different regions. That of Ceylon is from Gracilaria liclunoides, 

 that of Java from Encheiima spinosum, while the Japanese variety 

 is furnished by Gelidiuin cornaini and cartilaginaim, and Gloio- 

 peltis tenax. Agar, in addition to its uses as a culture medium 

 in bacteriological research, is said to be employed sometimes, as 

 an adulterant in the jellies of commerce, where it ma\' be recog- 



