212! LICHEN AS FOOD. 



is not, however, so good as to be preferable in the European 

 dye-house., 

 but noi, its nu- Such infusions as are here mentioned would extract Ihd 

 tritive pnnci- rnost useful parts from vegetables in general, particularly guras 

 and sugars; but the lichen sustains no considerable loss, be- 

 cause its nourishing and soluble parts are very different from 

 sugar, gum, or even farina. 

 It requires a One quarter of an hours boiling in w^ater is sufficient to cook 



and giins " ''^"^ lichen, and render it as tender for use as can be wished ; 

 twice its at the same time that it extracts the soluble principle. After 



weig It. ^^^ boiling, one pound of the lichen from its dry state, three 



pounds of the plant, fit to be served up as a vegetable in the 

 solid state, are obtained. It is remarkable that the boiled 

 lichen, when pressed in a cloth, to expel the superfluous 

 water, recovers its first volume as readily as a sponge. So far 

 from resembling those vegetables which have a ligneous struc- 

 ture, which requires considerable boiling, it has the elasticity 

 of some champinions, and eats like the very tender cartillages 

 of animals. The lichen has not, however, any analogy to 

 animal substances. 

 When boiled The boiled lichen when dry, and preserved in that state, 

 and dried resumes its elasticity in an instant, and becomes fit for the 



scalding water , , , , • i -r i. v t- l 



instantly swells table by pounng boihng water upon it. Fresh water, or sea 



it out, and ren- water, are equally applicable to this object. Some persons, 

 * who kave eaten it at the author's table, and knew by expe- 

 rience what an invaluable resource fresh vegetables are in long 

 voyages, remarked, thaf a provision of boiled lichen would 

 afford a fresh sallad, no less agreeable than advantageous to 

 the health, under circumstances of this nature. The author 

 thinks that this sallad, which, without any consumption of 

 Sea water may ^''^^^^ water, is itself as fresh as if it came out of the garden^ 

 ^e used. must be of advantage against the scurvy. Cold water answers 



the purpose here mentioned as well as hot, but is not quite so 

 speedy ; so that the preparation of this sallad does not, in 

 strictness, require any consumption of fuel. 

 It is an agree- Professor P. speaks with great commendation of this vegeta- 

 able food. ble, when seasoned and served up under roast meat, and also 

 as a sallad. All his friends approved of it; and the consump- 

 tion of his kitchen was incomparably greater than that of bis 

 laboratory. He remarks, that a slight boiling gives it all the 



tenderness 



