422       GATHERING  OF  CARRAGEEN  IN  MASSACHUSETTS. 
As  the  tides  in  ebbing  finally  cease  to  expose  the  belt  of  rocks 
that  produce  the  favorite  variety,  the  marine  farmer  repairs  with 
boat  and  rake  to  the  outer  Chondrus-bearing  rocks,  whose  abun- 
dant crops  wave  and  surge  with  the  swell.  Here  the  iron  teeth 
do  great  service,  coming  up  filled  with  a  variety  that  contributes 
largely  to  the  wants  of  the  brewer  and  the  cloth  manufacturer. 
This  moss  is  never  so  free  from  a  living  coating  as  the  hand- 
pulled,  and  is  mixed  at  first  with  tape-grass  (  Vallisneria  spiralis) 
and  other  foreign  substances.  If  he  be  an  honest  mosser  you 
will,  nevertheless,  get  a  good  article.  Some  men  can  scarcely 
fail  to  make  good  carrageen  of  any  gather,  and  they  should  be 
encouraged.  Messrs.  Howe  &  French,  of  Boston,  are  doing  more 
in  this  direction  than  any  other  dealers. 
The  advancing  tide  or  a  laden  boat  compels  a  return  to  the 
shore.  The  boat  is  shot  upon  the  beach,  and  the  hand-barrows 
come  into  use.  Two  men  soon  carry  away  the  load  to  the  top  of 
the  beach,  where  it  is  spread  on  the  bleaching-beds  to  dry.  The 
remaining  process  any  good  housewife  of  the  olden  time  well 
understands.  Like  the  linen  at  the  spring,  it  must  be  alter- 
nately wet  and  dried  until  the  proper  degree  of  whiteness  is 
attained. 
The  washing  is  done  in  the  tubs  on  the  banks  of  the.  creeks 
which  intersect  the  marshes  and  often  approach  the  beach.  Salt 
water  alone  can  be  used,  as  the  moss  is  very  soluble  in  fresh. 
The  tubs  are  quickly  filled  with  a  "  long-handled  "  bucket,  which 
must  be  an  Irish  invention^  taking  rank  with  the  long-handled 
shovel.  It  is,  albeit,  a  very  expeditious  method  of  filling  half  a 
dozen  half  hogsheads.  In  the  "wash"  the  moss  is  well  rinsed, 
and  all  floating  pieces  of  tape-grass  picked  off.  The  water  is 
then  allowed  to  drain  off,  provided  there  be  any  unabsorbed,  and 
the  tub  thrown  on  to  its  chine  and  dexterously  rolled  back  to  the 
beds.  The  spreading  is  repeated,  and  presently  the  whole  is 
turned  with  a  rake,  the  curer,  if  he  be  a  careful  one,  still  picking 
out  the  poor  pieces.  The  mosser  gives  a  great  deal  of  attention 
to  the  bleaching,  which,  in  fine  weather,  is  accomplished  in  about 
six  washings.  At  low  tide  he  still  continues  the  pull  with  the 
boat  and  rake. 
When  the  beds  are  covered  with  moss  the  heavens  are  as 
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