St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-03-01

early rs 1900. -
AMBER IN THIS COUNTRY
as amber found in this country?''
asked the rel orter.
''les, it occurs at Gay Head, Mar.
tha's Vine, ard and Camden. n. j. In
the latter place, some years ago, several
barrels We're taken rom the green sand
but burn d by mistake, or ra her
through the ignorance of the finders
AT the present day il finds its greatest
value as an adjunct 10 the smokers S out
fit. but IN oiden times it was considered n
jewel and worn as such. In an Irish
tumuluS cup of amber has been found
that would hold hall a pint. The Car
OF Russia possesses tea set cut from
amber blocks that are probably worth
much more than treble their weight in
gold.
''For commercial purposes the raw
material Is separated into different
classes. The finest generally goes to
Constantinopie, there being made into
mouthpieces. The next class, COM
posed of smaller PIE es. is made into
beads. They find lively sale abroad,
but 90 off rather slow here. A set of
amber jewelry-pin, ear rings-can be
boug very reasonable here, but at
present there is no call for it. The low
price is on account of there being no
duty on it: curiously enough, it comes
under the head of gum and is admitted
free. For the last year nearly S50,000
worth of it was imported, showing that
there is some demand for it: but, as
dealers here buy il by the weight;
where about two hundred and fifty
pieces make pound it is $l.5o, but
where four pieces 90 to the pound it
runs upto fifty dollars or hundred dol
lars, as the ease may be. 1t has many
colors. Green is most valued, though
others prefer black, that matches well
with colored meerschaum The real
amber yellow, however, brings the best
price; the cloudy is pretty, but not SO
valuable.
IMITATION AMBER.
''Curiously enough" continued the
speaker, ''there is more money in the
imitation of amber than there is in the
real article. Various compounds are
used. glass paste being the principal
Another mixture is of turpentine and
caoutchoue. while linseed oil, gum
mastic and litharge is also used. To
the latter powdered copal is added,
which gives the appearance of veins.
If you add to this precious compound
ants of decalcomanIa you will have the
out of which about all the cheap
amber goods are made. The same thing
was on exhibition at the Centennial and
many were deceived by the excellence
of the work. However, there is very
simple method of determining the good
from the bad. which is to burn piece.
If it burns with some noise and does not
drop or run, it is all right; but if it
melts away and drops, you may be sure
it is some of the connections ment' 'oned
Celluloid also makes a good imitation
of the real thing. Speaking of frauds
me of a curious one that seems
to be a regular business. | happened
to be up TO it, however. and was not
caught. | stopped at a railroad station
some time ago, when a young English
man of a pronounced type stepped up
and told me a long and affecting yarn
about having Job offered him in Balti-
more, ending up by asking me for the
loan of Sl.50, offering as security a
colored meerschaum pipe.
with fine amber mouthplece. He said
could see it was worth thirty dollars,
but | saw the amber was bogus at
glance. However, taking the pipe. 1
said: All right; I'll try it, He raised
al sorts of objections, but walked into
he bar, filled up the pipe and when l
turned about he was gone. The first
application of heat turned it as white as
paper, and the coloring was some kind
If oil. gave the pipe to the bar-keeper
Is keepsake. Probably some one
ouys such a one every day in the year.
''Yes. real amber ranges from black
o white. In Constantinople a pipe
stem of real milk-white is valued at fifty
lollars or more. An equally valued red
lue is produced by treating the yellow
Kind to the action of sulphuric acid.
Green amber comes principally from
America, but the black variety is kind
If puzzle and, chemically. entirely
lifferent from the others; in fact, it is
lot true amber in the strict sense of the
word, but variety of jet or highly oNy-
liZed bitumen, and, chemically, it lies
,etween camel coal and torbanite.
Amber is worked in this country and in
ertair temperatures is flexible. Work
nen now hold it over lamps. and actu-
lily draw it out by hand into required
ensths and shapes. and in this way a
,ipe-stem nearly two feet in length has
'een drawn from a piece of amber 6x4
inches in size. In working it for jew
Try it is first cut into the general shane
equired with knives and is then turned
With a lathe and polished by various
Amber dust is used as a
arm sh, and vast quantities are sent to
'hina. where to burn it is considered
he highest mark of respect that can be
'aid distinguished guest. "-Philadet-
hia Times.
DIR. Mutchmore, editor Of the Pres.
yterian, tells of a good colored man
Tho was engaged in blasting a rock
hat obstructed the progress of some
very near his residence in
After fierce explosion that
hook the house the Doctor went out to
against such earth-shaking
harges, and said to the colored man:
What are YOU about? At this rate
on will blow us all into the air."
Well, boss" said he, Il rammed down
m that powder a piece of the Pres5u. |