Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-07
VOL. S.--N0 134.
ters TINT, MS Sir Patnick O'Plenipo would say,
require n mighty deal of very nice considera-
Tnrs.

This being tho fashionable scnson for furs, il
may not be amiss to say something In relation to
their history and value. In apcient times land
even now among barbarians.) furs were merely
used for warmth. but In tho refined nations Of
modern days, they are worn for the combined pur-
poses of comfort and elegance. The use Of furs
was almost cnvnl with the creation Of man, for we
read in the book of Genesis, that before Adam and
Eve were driven from tho garden of Eden, they
wero furnished with "coats Of skins" And sub
sequently, in Genesis, Exodus and Judith. fur gar
ments aud hangings of tents are alluded to. So
fy Honor and Virgil, and in the second and third
centuries OF tho Christian era, fur dresses were
highly esteemed by tho Romans. In the middle
ages, too, the skins Of ermnes, tho most costly Of
oil furs were worn almost exclusively by Kings
and Judges in Enrope-whilo in Asia they were
always regarded us articles Of grcnt value. Marco
Polo, who was in Tartary. A. D.. 1882 tells as
TINT the tents of the Khan were lined with sabes
and crmne, which were brought from tho land
Of darkness" meaning no doubt, tho northern re-
gions Near in value. 10 tho crminc, is tho rich,
dark and glossy Russian sable. So great has been
tho demand for this FUR of late years, that tho fro
North of this continent, and the dreary wastes
ofSiboria bnve been trnversed far and wide by
trappers and hunters. spurrcd on by the rich re-
ward that repaid their arduous and perilous labor.
Next to tho sable in popularity and costliness
ranks the martin or American sable--a fur rich
and high priced yet 30 fashionable Us to bc almost
universally sought for. Indeed, in no department
OF dress do tho Indies display greater cxtrnyn-
ganco, and for nothing will they more freely ex-
pend u round sum of money than lor magnificent
set of furs. But tho real snbles rare, for, ac-
cording to our latest Russian statistics, only twen
ty y-thousand skins of the beautiful little animal
were produced during an entire yenr in the Cars
Empire. Tle prices paid for them nro almost fab
ulous--a fine set being worth two thousand dollars.
We hnyc, however, seen American snbles TINT APP
pcared TO us quite as handsome. These, likewise,
-. Az, I,,Is Hau
being yalued Mt 500. Mink is very favorito
and handsome lur--but with tho exception Of sa-
ble and martin, fitch" is perhaps, the handsomest
in appearance. The very finest sets cost $50 or n
500, and it may bo remarked that tho darker
tho shade on tho back and the thicker tho hair
the moro costly is tho fitch Tho ermine is n small
weasel, perfectly white in the winter, with the
ocpton of very pale and delicate yellow tngci in
places. Tho fur IN short. soft, and thick, and ar-
tcles made ol tho skins, are always adorned with
the nont bnck and tapcrng tails Of the little AMI
mails The ermino is initiated with rabbit skins
but " mock ermino " is II wrctched and vulgar
looking article. aud can DO distinguished from the
genuine in ,msnt. oven by an unpractised oye.
1t is strange yet true that The ernline.wcnsels of
| Siberia turn brown in the summer. There is ano-
tler beautiful fur much worn in Europe, called
tho chinchln from South Amerion. 1t is soft,
rich and graceful and the bluer tho color the bet.
tor tho fur. This il Of tly few skins that can
not DO initiated Tho grey squirrel of this coun-
try furnishes an exceedingly neat mnterial for
dress. and there fcw winter sots of furs that
are more becoming than tho squirrel back" The
entire skins grey and white have marked and
particular appearance. There is no article in
which so much deception is practised in furs,
and it is almost impossible for any to be infaliblo
Judges except dealers of many years experience.
We advise purchasers to buy only when they are
sure of tho integrity Of tho merchant Cheap furs
arc the commoncst Of all things, when tho first
gloss is worn Of, which speedily happens. lInv-
ing purchased these spoils of tho forest m mpor-
tnnt question nrises--how best to preserve them
from moth? Champion and tobacco have been
recommended but in win. and the only true reme-
dy is to take furs out Of their summer boxes evo-
ry two or three weeks and beat them thoroughly
with smnl stick. The dust which has settled in
tho hair during tho wintoi wear is the very thing
in which moths delight, and this castigation not
only cleans the fur, but destroys all tho lurking
laryn of watch no fur can be thoroughly destitute
after four or five mouths hard service. Then lay
thcm down in champion, cedar or any other strong
perfume Furs arc fast becoming an Important
article Of our commerce.. Tho value Of thuse ex-
ported from the United States in 1857. was ono
million one hundred and sixteen thousand and for
ty.one dolars.-PhH Inquirer.