424       GATHERING  OF  CARRAGEEN  IN  MASSACHUSETTS. 
is  comparatively  small,  as  a  limited  quantity  of  moss  yields  a 
large  amount  of  jelly.  In  the  form  of  blanc-mange,  it  is  an 
agreeable  and  nutritious  article  of  food. 
In  Ireland  carrageen  is  highly  esteemed  for  its  medical  virtues, 
being  regarded  by  some  as  a  universal  panacea.  It  was  once  a 
fashionable  remedy  in  consumptive  cases.  As  a  demulcent  for 
colds  and  fevers,  it  is  very  effective.  Carrageen  has  been  much 
confounded  with  Cetraria  islandica  (Iceland  moss),  which  con- 
tains starch  along  with  a  bitter  principle,  used  as  a  tonic  and  de- 
mulcent. This  opinion  has  extensively  prevailed,  and  many  still 
assert  that  the  edible  algae  of  Ireland  and  the  lichen  of  Iceland 
are  identical. 
Its  most  important  use  is  as  sizing,  it  being  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  cloth,  paper,  and  felt  and '  straw  hats.  The  poorer 
qualities  of  moss  are  bought  up  for  size.  The  hand-pulled  moss, 
however,  contains  more  starchy  matter  than  the  variety  which  is 
never  exposed  to  the  air.  The  second  quality  of  moss  is  sold  to 
the  brewers.  All  beers  when  well  brewed  and  sound,  after  a 
certain  repose,  become  transparent  or  "  bright,"  as  it  is  some- 
times termed.  When,  however,  beer  is  sent  out  very  new,  it  is 
necessary  to  "fine"  it,  or  impart  to  it  that  "brilliant  transpa- 
rency "  which  is  so  agreeable  to  the  eye.  This  is  done  by  means 
of  finings.  In  Europe  isinglass  is  used  for  this  purpose,  and  a 
lengthy  formula  is  given  for  its  preparation  ;  but  in  this  country 
Irish  moss  performs  the  same  service  without  any  preparation 
other  than  that  given  it  by  the  curer.  A  certain  amount  of  the 
moss  is  boiled  up  with  the  beer.  The  fluid  gelatine  unites  with 
the  tannin  of  the  hops  and  forms  a  flocculent  mass,  which,  en- 
veloping the  suspended  feculencies,  produces  the  clarifying  action 
desired.  The  impurities  are  removed  in  the  form  of  scum,  while 
with  isinglass  they  are  carried  to  the  bottom  in  the  form  of  sedi- 
ment. The  beer  is  called  "stubborn"  by  the  brewers  when  a 
disengagement  of  carbonic  acid  gas  occurs,  the  flocculent  parti- 
cles being  thereby  kept  moving  about  without  clearing  the  beer. 
It  is  also  used  for  fining  coffee,  and  if  it  has  no  other  recom- 
mendation, it  is  certainly  cheaper  than  eggs. —  U.  S.  Agricultural 
Report  for  1866. 
