24 



BULLETIN 5 



source of supply. The history of commerce affords no more 

 romantic episodes than the dispatching of the miniature ships 

 of those days on voyages of long duration and covering thou- 

 sands of miles, with no other purpose than the accumulation 

 of a plant with absolutely no other use or importance. 



Of the second genus affording dye lichens that of Lecan- 

 ora is the one from which the "cudbear" of commerce 

 was obtained, and this principally from Lecanora tartarea. 

 Any one of a number of other species served as well, 

 however, the tinctorial qualities apparently being best con- 

 served by such plants as were possessed of a thickened, var- 

 iolose, sorediiferous or tartareous thallus. Lecanora tartarea, 

 common in Norway, Sweden and the north of Europe, was 

 found rather abundantly in Scotland, and was imported from 

 Africa and the same islands producing the "orchella weed". 

 The process of manufacturer was the same, and the results 

 little different from those produced from "orchill". Alas for 

 the old days of "crottle", "cudbear", "graith", "litpig" and 

 "orchella," the progress of modern chemistry with its marvel- 

 ous discoveries among the coal tar derivatives, has forever 

 put the lichen dyes out of business. 



Hundreds of other uses were in remote times found for the 

 lichens. The mummies of Egypt have been found with spe- 

 cies of Usnea incorporated within their wrappings. The ex- 

 planation for this use is wanting, except it be conjectured 

 that the stuff would make excellent kindlings when the final 

 translation was consummated. 



Sticta pulmonaria has been made to furnish the bitter 

 principle of an excellent beer manufactured in Siberia. Ev- 

 ernia vtdpina or "wolsfbane" as this name implies, was much 

 employed at one time to destroy the wolf. A certain amount 

 of powdered glass was introduced into the lethal mixture, 

 however, and it is safe to say that the glass was fully as nox- 

 ious as the other element. 



Species of Usnea and Ramalina have furnished tremen- 

 dous quantities of a toilet preparation much used in former 

 times, called ^poudre de chypre" , made up into a sort of 

 sachet powder. Other species have been employed in tan- 



