The fuci are, however, still largely used, either burnt or in a fermented state, as a valuable manure for green crops. Thus every year several small vessels are sent from Jersey to the coast of Brittany, to fetch cargoes of sea-weeds for the farmers of that island.
[A RUSSIAN OFFICIAL, ATTENDED BY A SOLDIER,
COLLECTING ALGÆ ON THE SHORES OF THE
NORTH PACIFIC.]
The annexed plate is taken from the frontispiece of the magnificent folio volume by Messrs. Ruprecht and Postels, on the Algæ of the North Pacific. This work, in which even the largest of the marine plants of that region are represented of their natural size, was published at the expense of the Russian Government, and copies were presented to some of the principal libraries of Europe.
In the middle distance, a Russian official belonging to one of the settlements is seen gathering algæ, attended by a soldier.
In the front of the picture the water is supposed to be so clear as to show distinctly the growth of sea-weeds of various kinds, which clothe the submarine rocks in that region. Some species of these have been added to the number shown in the original composition.
In the centre, with the light fully upon them, are streaming plants of a gigantic Alaria, whose fronds sometimes extend to a length of 40 feet. Immediately beneath it, to the right, is the curiously perforated Agarium Gmelini, the singular perforations of which are indicated by small white patches.
To the right is the curious "flower-bearing" sea-weed known as the Sea Rose, Constantinea Rosa marina, the flower-like growth of which, combined with the pink colour of its seeming flowers, is very remarkable.
In front, and rather to the right of the last, is a dark mass of the splendid Iridæa Mertensiana, the dark velvety masses of which, of a deep crimson colour, are often more than a foot across.
To the right of the last, in the corner, is one of the most beautiful of the ulvæ, Ulva fenestrata, a name which may be popularised as the "windowed" ulva, in allusion to its extremely perforated character, the openings being of considerable size, and often separated from each other only by the slenderest divisions, thus forming a kind of vegetable lace-work.