Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-19
ARTIFICIAL PEARLS

III was ABOUT the seventeenth century trlt
u was tried with more or les success to
INITIATE real pearls, and the most successful
means TO winch recourse was hal with the
AID OF the "Oriental essence" or n peaTly-
white solution from the scales of the bles X,
caIleo gusnlne; In giving 70 this product
me name OF Oriental essence" IL was vita
the intention OF keeping the substance
secret. In Aniou, although this industry
that is 10 say, the bleak fishery to OBTAIN
the oriental essence'l is little kno Wn, IL Is
TO less certain that the fishermen of Ecouf-
fans and Points &c largely aid the manu-
Iacture or imitation pearls, and that they
sIlIl use this name, or that OF bleak white.
The scale OF the bleak is fabricated by q
mucous which was for q long time considered
aiouminous, but 10 is not so. This essence is
very ABUNDANT, and is difficult TO mix with
wafer. III coagulates by heat 10 thick
while deposit, and becomes black I'm time IL
proper remedy be not applied to prevent this
deterlorattoD, especially during the time of
intense heat, during which period fishing is
at rs height In the Loire and the Mayenne.
ii the scales OF the bleak are examined
under the microscope, the smallest are found
10 be nearly round; and If the surface OF one
OF the larger Cnes is lightly pressed. this
Oriental essence, under the form OF q small
rearly drop, issues from one OF the canals
and STICKS 10 the fingers. In this mucilage
an Infinite number of small. rudimenial
rearly scales can he seen. The largest scales
are square, nearly rectangular. four times
as long as they are vide; each scale has three
colorleSs cylindrical veins. 1t is 20 NJ. ia
quln that this inven ton is due. ali the mere
bad effects of the pearls made of quicksilver
placed in n glass bulb. In AuiOu. in order
10 obtain this "Oriental essence" they only
fish for the bleak; however. the scales of the
dace furnish it also. The bleak (LelLriscus
G}bt1BuS) is the only river fish which is not
used for food; it is a white fish, we'll known
In the running sire ms and on the fat,
sandy coasts of France, where the water is
rot deep; Ii is also found in the Seine. Marine,
NOselfe, EScaut. &c, never descending into
The Black sea, being principally found at
y N a n a
spawn on the sand in the months OF May
and June. For its propagation in certain
parts OF France, artificial spawning places
are made by the ard OF heaps of sand where
they multiply. In AnjOu, recourse is not
had TO any artificial means; they breed
under the shelter OF the fiat, sandy coast,
fishes.
The fishermen use a mesh net, and catch
the bleak 10y thousands as they travel in
shoals in the current, taking care not to let
them get entangled in The rnesheS or wound
themselves, or lose part of their large
scales; but, above all. not to stain themselves
with blood. The following is the process of
extracting the Oriental essence" Men and
children, provided with blunt knives, take
the fish one after the other and sCrape them
over shallow tub, containing a little fresh
water. Care is taken not To scale the black
or the dOrsal part, as these scales are yellow,
while the white scales are very valuable
The whole is received on a hOrse-hair sieve.
The first water, mixed with a little blood. Is
thrown away. The scales are then washed
and pressed the essence settles at the bot
tom OF the tub, and IL is then that we have
very brilliant. blue white. oily mass Warm
water must not be usei for the washing, rs
IT would promote fermentation. 1t takes
40 600 bleakS TO furnish two pounds of es
sence. The fishermen put this guanine I'm
tin boxes, which they III up with ammonia;
the box is then closed and sent IN Paris
Others prefer TO put il in large-TnOuthej bot
ties. II a drop of the essence is taken up by
straw and let fall upon water, the genuine
floats, giving forth the most brilliant cOlors
The inteStineS OF the bleak are thrown away.
They are, however, covered with this mucus.
There IL here great negligence, and, in
spite of oil the advice given on the sub
ject, the fishermen lose large part Of the
produce. This gnaniue is insOluble in wa
ter, in ammonia, and in acetic acid, but
combines with sulphuric and other acids.
We know that the pancreas also fuTnj shes
this substance. There Is no doubt that they
are wrong 10 neglect that which covers he
Il testines. Although the yield would be
small for each fish, it is none the less true
that large quantities could be so obtained -
" Nenleres, (AngerS,) Journal Of Applied
.ScjCElPB