230 THE COTTAGE GARDENER. June 28. 
Psalmist say, “In wisdom hast Thou made them all." Here 
is a plant, requiring no assistance from man. placed in 
situations where it is most needed; a gifted plant, I may 
call it, for to how many purposes it may be applied, food for 
catttle, manure for land, Kelp-salt for cheeses, buoys for 
dangerous rocks, and breakwaters against the mighty waves 
of the ocean; besides, its iodine. AVI)at a field for thought, 
i What a variety of ideas may be suggested by this common 
and sombre-coloured plant of the rocks. What “sermons” 
on “ stones,” as well as “ in ” them. Unnoticed by the 
generality of passers by; or thought of as only too common 
to care about; yet there it is, ready to be made useful at 
at any time, or for anybody who may want it. This humble 
ocean weed may bring to our mind some Christian, unknown 
to the world, clothed in humility, but precious in the sight 
of Him who seeth not as man seeth; who looks not at the 
outer appearance, but at the heart. Of one “ ready to every 
good work.” What elevating views of the wisdom and 
goodness of God the examination of his works produce. 
“ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, I cannot attain 
unto it.” The closer our examination, the greater our wonder: 
—;-“ the well directed sight, 
Brings in each flower an universe to light.” 
I think the only place in the Bible where Sea Weeds are 
mentioned, is in the book of Jonah, where the disobedient 
prophet speaks of the weeds being wrapped about his head. 
The plate of this specimen of Cysloseira granulala, given as 
an example of one of the Fucacea?, is taken from a plant 
at or near Joppa, or Jaffa, the very place where Jonah found a 
ship ; where the Apostle Peter lodged near the sea-side; 
and where Dorcas, the friend of the widows, lived and died, 
and was restored to life again. 
The other species of Fucus arc— 
F. cjeranoides. —“ Less common than the last, and thinner 
in every part.” 
F. serratus.— “ Very common, 2—6 feet long; dark olive- 
green.” 
F. nodosus. “Common; substance extremely tough and 
leathery.” J 
1 . jiackaii. —“Found on muddy sea-shores, west of 
Ireland, and north and west of Scotland. 
F . canaliculatus. —“ ltocky coasts, near high water mark. 
Cattle are exceedingly fond of this plant, and never fail to 
brouse on it in winter, as soon as the tide leaves it within 
their reach.” 
HIM AN THALIA. 
“Frond top-shaped; receptacles very long, strap-shaped, 
repeatedly forked. Name from two words, signifying a strap 
and a branch; common English name, Sea-thongs.” 
H. T.oiiEA. —“ Rocky sea-shores common ; frond about an 
inch high; receptacles two;—10 feet long, thong-like; dark 
olive-green.” 
Dr. Landsborougli, in his delightful little work, “ Popular 
History of British Sea Weeds,” speaking of this plant, says, 
“ When dredging, in August, 1849, off the Island of Lismore, } 
in Appin, I saw it growing in such abundance as almost to 
retard the progress of the boat; for though well rooted, its 
floating receptacles covered the surface of the water. Some 
of them must have been of great length. The one which I 
took up, without any selection, measured twelve feet; others, 
I doubt not, were much larger. In Cornwall they are, at 
times, even twenty feet long.” S. B. 
ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SILKWORMS. 
WITH COMMENTS AND ADDITIONS. 
By the Prior Jacopo Ricii. 
( Continued from page 210. ) 
Section III. 
The bunches should be tied like a fan, so that the air 
may penetrate through them, and the worm may con¬ 
veniently form his cocoon without any danger of what are 
called doubles , when two worms spin too near each other. 
These doubles are rejected by the merchant as only worth 
half the single ones. 
The bunches of twigs must not rest on the paper that 
covers the hurdles, which must be raised sufficiently to 
allow the twigs to rest on the reeds—a precaution necessary 
for the convenient execution of the final cleansing, which 
must take place when the worms begin to ascend. The 
ordinary little tables are used, but the cleansing must be 
done by degrees : the bed from one table must be removed, 
the paper replaced, and the worms returned immediately. 
It will be well to leave spaces at about a foot’s distance from 
each other, where a bunch of twigs may be placed, as we j 
shall see by-and-by. 
And now I must offer a few observations on the worms’ 
last meal. The leaves must be the very best, free from all 
extraneous matter, and especially from the stalks, and must 
be given in small quantities, as they seem to need it. The 
little inclination they shew for food, and their desire to 
climb upon the leaves, make it necessary to give it sparingly, 
as, otherwise, the beds would be too much loaded and 
become oftensive. The digestion of the worm is much 
weakened at this period, and if they are induced to eat 
more than they ought, they suffer loss of strength in that 
organ which serves both as stomach and intestines. 
i he last cleansing of the hurdles, and the completion of 
the bush, require patience and attention. When many 
worms are gone up, the cleansing must take place, which, 
though a tedious process, is best accomplished by means of 
the little tables, two or three of which are to be filled at a 
time with worms removed with great care. This done, the 
sheets of paper, loaded with refuse, are removed, fresh 
papers arranged, and the worms made to fall upon them by 
gently inclining the tables. The worms may have a little 
food if they seem to require it. The same method must 
be followed till all are cleansed, taking the greatest care to 
remove all the beds, and to touch those remains of leaves 
to which any worms are attached with tenderness, so as 
not to hurt them, which is too often done either by care¬ 
lessness or too great anxiety. 
In placing the worms on the hurdles, it is necessary, in 
order to give them sufficient space, to arrange them in 
squares of about eighteen inches, around the bunches of 
twigs, keeping at least six inches between the square and 
the nest. This operation may be accomplished in half-a- 
day by six or eight people who understand their business. 
At this stage fresh air must be given, by opening all the - 
doors, windows, and ventilators, and by lighting fires in the 
