MATS AND MATTING MADE OF COCOA FIBER OR RATTAN.

Paragraph 371, act of 1913, 25 per cent ad valorem. (For treatment see par. 272.)

MOSS AND SEAWEEDS.

SUMMARY,

It is estimated that about 700 cars, or about 14,000,000 pounds of domestically produced eelgrass, commonly called sea moss, are used annually in the United States, and in addition about 100 cars, or 2,000,000 pounds, of Canadian sea moss. The principal uses of this sea grass or sea moss are for mattress making and upholstery. Small amounts are used for wiping in the furniture trade, and larger amounts are used in paper making, probably about, 2,000,000 pounds. The domestic supply is collected during the summer along the New Jersey coast near Barnegat Bay. It is dried on the beach and put up for shipment in bales of about 200 pounds each, and loads about 20,000 pounds to the car.

The price in 1914 of domestic sea moss was $17.50 a short ton, f. o. b. New York. European sea moss, principally from Belgium and the Netherlands, sold in 1914 for $9.30 a long ton, f. o. b. New York. Canadian sea moss has been selling for $10 to $15 a ton higher than the American product. It is collected along the St. Lawrence River. The other principal class of moss included under paragraphs 372 and 552 is commonly known as "Irish" moss. In Japan it is called 'kanten." It is collected to some extent in the United States along the New Hampshire and Massachusetts coasts, but it is not known that the collection is carried on as a commercial enterprise. The growth of kanten in Japan is quite an extensive industry. It is also collected along the rocky shores of the British Islands and continental Europe. It is used in the manufacture of food products-to thicken soups, jams, jellies, and ice cream-also in distilleries as a clarifying agent, in making sizing in the textile industry, in tanning, in the manufacture of medicines used in the treatment of throat and pulmonary affections, and in other ways. However, it is evidently not used in large quantities in the United States, since neither the import figures nor the statements of dealers indicate a large consumption of it.

Value per pound in 1909-$0.154.

* Exports of moss only after 1917, as seaweed is not stated separately after that year.

- Calendar years.

6 6 months ending June 30, 1921.

GENERAL INFORMATION.

1913 TARIFF PARAGRAPHS.

PAR. 372. Moss and sea grass, eelgrass, and seaweeds, if manufac tured or dyed, 10 per cent ad valorem.

PAR. 552. Moss, seaweeds, and vegetable substances, crude or unmanufactured, not otherwise specially provided for in this section.

Free.

DESCRIPTION AND USES.

The term "moss" covers a class of small herbaceous plants, being generally applied to a number growing together in a mass. The title is also popularly extended to similar growths of other types, particularly to some lichens and seaweeds.

Among the mosses valuable as food, the best known are Iceland moss, a lichen, Ceylon moss (kanten), and Irish moss (carragheen), the last two being seaweeds. "Moss" or "sea moss" farina is a prepared granulated food in which lichen or seaweed is the principal ingredient. Iceland moss is a nutritious lichen gathered chiefly in Norway and Iceland, where it is often dried, ground into flour, and made into bread. Elsewhere it is generally made into a decoction or jelly and as such is considered a valuable article of diet for invalids and children and a useful and popular demulcent and emollient in throat and pulmonary affections. It contains about 80 per cent of lichen starch. Kanten, otherwise known as Japanese gelatin, vegetable isinglass, agar agar, is prepared in great quantities in Japan from the Gelidium family of seaweed. It is pearly white, semitransparent, tasteless, and odorless, and is marketed in stick and block form-"slender kanten" and "square kanten." On analysis it shows about 60 per cent carbohydrates and 7 per cent protein.

Kanten is used by the Japanese in the preparation of jellies and soups and for clarifying saki or rice spirit. The kanten which is exported to the United States and Europe is used in the manufacture of food products-to thicken jams, jellies, and ice cream; in distilleries, and in the textile, silk, and other industries. Under the name of agar agar it is used in making culture media in bacteriological work.

1

Bengal isinglass, Ceylon moss, and Chinese moss are similar related products.

Gelidium seaweed grows abundantly on the Pacific coast of the United States and at some points along the Atlantic, and apparently offers a good opportunity for the manufacture of domestic vegetable isinglass.

Carragheen, Irish moss, or pearl moss, is a species of edible seaweed named after the town of Carragheen, near Waterford, Ireland. It is found on the coast of the British Islands, the rocky shores of continental Europe, and the eastern shores of the northern United States and Canada.

The carragheen of domestic use is obtained principally from New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the harvest season there extending from May to September. After gathering, the plants are washed in salt water and spread on the beach to dry and bleach, the process being repeated several times.

As marketed, carragheen is in pieces of from 2 to 3 inches to 1 foot in length, cartilaginous and flexible in texture, branching in shape, and in color from a reddish brown to straw color or white, varying with local differences in the plant and the extent of the bleaching. Formerly the greater part of the supply was employed in the clarifying of beer. It is used in the manufacture of food products similarly to kanten. It is also used by tanners in finishing leather and in the manufacture of oils.

Eelgrass or sea grass is a submerged plant with very long and narrow leaves which grows in abundance in shallow bays along the North Atlantic coast. It is also called barnacle grass and grass wrack. Sea grass is now used extensively in the upholstering business in place of excelsior, tow, jute fiber, and Florida grass. The season for gathering the grass is short, and the nature of the work necessitates the employment of experienced baymen. The grass is put up for market in bales of about 200 pounds.

DOMESTIC PRODUCTION.

It is estimated that about 600 cars, or 12,000,000 pounds, of sea moss of domestic production is consumed annually by the mattress and upholstery makers, while the paper makers use from 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 pounds. It is also estimated that Canadian moss to the amount of about 100 cars, or 2,000,000 pounds, is used annually in the United States. It is collected along the St. Lawrence River.

It is not known how much domestic Irish moss is collected, but it is thought that the quantity is not large, inasmuch as dealers report handling only small amounts.

Since imports are not segregated, it is impossible to determine whether they consist of Irish moss or eelgrass. However, it is known that the principal importation of Irish moss is from Japan and France, while eelgrass comes mainly from Canada, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

The domestic production of eelgrass is carried on quite extensively, but it is not known that there is any commercial collection of domestic Irish moss. There is practically no export. It appears, therefore, that imports and domestic products are both consumed. One of the dealers in eelgrass states that the supply is not sufficient to meet the demand,

DOMESTIC EXPORTS.

Domestic exports of seaweeds are very small, the highest value for the years recorded in this survey being $48,180 in the fiscal year 1913. Exports are now included in "All other articles.”

FOREIGN PRODUCTION.

Production and preparation of seaweed in Japan.-Between Yokohama and Tokyo, along the electric car line and not far distant from the seashore, there were to be seen in February very many long, fence-high screens extending east and west, strongly inclined to the north, and built out of rice straw, closely tied together and supported on bamboo poles carried upon posts of wood set in the ground. These screens, set in parallel series of five to ten or more in number and several hundred feet long, were used for the purpose of drying varieties of delicate seaweed, *

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The seaweed is first spread upon separate 10 by 12 inch straw mats, forming a thin layer 7 by 8 inches. These mats are held by means of wooden skewers forced through the body of the screen, exposing the seaweed to the direct sunshine. After becoming. dry the rectangles of seaweed are piled in bundles an inch thick, cut once in two, forming packages 4 by 7 inches, which are neatly tied and thus exposed for sale as soup stock and for other purposes.

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To obtain this seaweed from the ocean small shrubs and the limbs of trees are set up in the bottom of shallow water, To these limbs the seaweeds become attached, grow to maturity and are then gathered by hand. By this method of culture large amounts of important foodstuff are grown for the support of the people on areas otherwise wholly unproductive.

The Statistical Yearbook of Japan gives the production of "Kanten" for the year ending March, 1916, as 3,703,650 pounds, valued at $1,239,374; and in 1917 as 3,065,225 pounds, valued at $1,182,028.

IMPORTS.

Imports of unmanufactured moss and seaweeds have been much greater than imports of manufactured or dutiable moss and seaweeds. Imports of unmanufactured moss were valued at $127,008 in 1910 and $478,361 in 1920. The average value has been about $200,000 since 1910.

Imports of manufactured or dyed moss and seaweeds were valued at $89,802 in 1910, $54,376 in 1914, and $7,367 in 1918.

Imports of unmanufactured moss came principally from Canada, Japan, Germany, France, and British South Africa. Manufactured moss came principally from Germany, France, Japan, and the Netherlands.

PRICES.

In 1914 eelgrass from the Netherlands and Belgium sold at $9.30 a long ton f. o. b. New York. Domestic eelgrass sold for $17:50 a short ton f. o. b. New York. The wholesale price of domestic sea moss in 1919 was $35 a ton. It is predicted that the 1920 price will be $37.50 a ton in car lots, and $40 a ton in less than car lots. It is predicted that the 1920 price of Canadian moss will be $60 a ton.

TARIFF HISTORY.

The act of 1894 imposed a duty of 10 per centum ad valorem on sea moss or Iceland moss. The duty has remained the same since that time, but the wording of the provision has been changed. In

1 Extract from "Farmers of Forty Centuries," by F. H. King. 1911

1897 sea moss alone was named. In 1909 the act added sea grass, eelgrass, and seaweeds, if manufactured or dyed. The act of 1913 made no change with respect to moss and seaweeds.

The acts of 1890, 1894, 1897, 1909, and 1913 exempted from duty "moss, seaweeds, and vegetable substances, crude or unmanufactured, not otherwise specially provided for."

COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS AND TARIFF CONSIDERATIONS.

The domestic producer of eelgrass faces competition at the present time from Canada. Since Canadian eelgrass sells, or it is predicted that it will sell in 1920, for $20 a ton more than domestic eelgrass, it would not appear that the two articles are exactly comparable, nor that they supply the same demand.

Since there is no known commercial production of Irish moss, this item presents no tariff problem.

Moss, seaweeds, and vegetable substances, n. e. s., crude or unmanufactured (free)Imports by countries (fiscal years).

Moss, seaweeds, and vegetable substances, n. e. s., all other manufactured or dyed (duti able)-Imports by countries (fiscal years).