Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 1 [January 1902]

“Here were mighty groves
Far down the ocean-valleys, and between
Lay what might seem fair meadows, softly tinged
With orange and with crimson. Here arose
Tall stems, that, rooted in the depths below,
Swing idly with the motion of the sea;
And here were shrubberies in whose mazy screen,
The creatures of the deep made haunt.”

Chondrus crispus, the plant of our sketch, is a sea weed of the Atlantic. It is quite plentiful along the shore lines of the Atlantic states, Ireland and England. It is commonly known as Irish moss, though it is not a moss at all. It is also known as Carrageen moss or Carrageen. It is a perennial plant, 3 to 10 inches high, consisting of a flat, much branched thallus, as shown in the illustration. It is variable in its coloring, greenish purple, purplish brown, grayish purplish brown, etc., somewhat waxy or translucent in appearance. It is also very variable in form; no two specimens being exactly alike. It attaches itself to rocks, pebbles and boulders by means of a basal disk which serves merely as a mechanical support, the frond or thallus absorbing its nourishment from the sea water. In consistency the plant is cartilaginous, mucilaginous, and is entirely dissolved on boiling. When dry it becomes very hard, brittle and elastic and assumes a light-yellowish, translucent appearance. Chondrus crispus is closely similar to Gigartina mamillosa, another sea weed, with which it is usually associated.

Irish moss is extensively collected along the coast of Massachusetts. The plants being spread high up on the beach to dry and bleach in the sun. Its principal use is in medicine, although it has perhaps no curative properties in itself. It is a demulcent and emollient, that is the mucilage present tends to allay irritation of inflamed mucous membranes as in sore throat, pulmonary complaints, etc. It has been extensively employed as a popular remedy in dysentery, kidney troubles and pneumonia. Its principal use at the present time is as an article of diet, in the preparation of soup, blanc mange and jellies. Sometimes it is combined with chocolate or cocoa, sugar, lemon juice, etc., to improve the flavor.

Bandoline, a fixative for keeping hair in curl is commonly prepared from carrageen. It is also used as sizing for paper, straw hats, felt hats, cotton goods and for thickening the colors used in calico printing. It is also used for clarifying coffee, beer and other drinks.

Carrageen is a word of Irish origin and was apparently originally applied to sea weeds in general. The Irish were the first to use this plant medicinally and as a food.

    Albert Schneider.

THE CARDINAL FLOWER

I love each flower beneath the sun,
Wherever it buds and blows;
From the pale arbutus that hides like a nun,
To the flushed and queenly rose.

But the cardinal flower to me is best
As close by the rivulet’s brim
It regally wears its flaming crest,
In the woodlands cool and dim.

I long to lie in the pine tree’s shade,
Or tread on the tufted moss;
If once away from the ways of trade,
I’d care not for gain or loss.

I would peacefully fall asleep at night
To the sound of singing streams,
With the glowing cardinal’s flower of light
To illumine the realm of dreams.

    – Belle A. Hitchcock.