The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1888-08-16
FACTS ABOUT PEARLS.
Where the Finest Are Found and How Their
Growth May lie Stimulated

Growth May he stimulated
"As far back as we have history
for any gems" said an old-time pearl
fancier, ''we have record of pearls,
and, not even excepting the diamond,
is there ajewel so often spoken of in
history, sacred and profane, as the
pearl. There is scarcely a country on
the face of the globe where pearls have
not at some period been found, though
at the present day tho principal
fisheries are confined TO the coasts OF
Ceylon, Japan, Java, Sumatra, Bahrein.
in the Persian Gulf, and the islands in
the vicinity OF Panama.
"The best pearls are obtained in the
Persian Gulf. They excel in color,
size, purity and that translucency
which gives thisgem its greatest value.
The pearl fisheries in the Persian Gulf
are said to yield upward of 81 800, 600
annually. Those Of Panama reach
about the same figure. Pearls have
also been found in the waters of the
United States, and in 1858 considerable
excitement was occasioned by the dis
covery of large pearls near Salem, in
New Jersey. A New Jersey pearl.
over an inch in diameter. found near
Paterson, was sent to Paris, where it
was purchased by the Empress Eu-
genie for s., 800, and when the crown
jewels were sold last year by order OF
the Ferry Government it was resold
for 50, 200, and is now the property OF a
a wealthy woman of New York.
The pearl is simply carbonate OF
lime, with the addition Of films OF ami
NAL membrane between the many
layers of mineral matter that, when
dry, gives the pearl its hardness.
Several species OF bivalve mollusks
secrete pearls, especially the true pearl
oyster, and among fresh water species
those sometimes found near Balti-
more.
"Can pearls be produced at the will
of man, or can they be multiplied
by manipulation? It is asserted by
oyster fishermen, and can be accepted
as true, that the pearl oyster has the
power OF covering with additional
layers such portions ofits shell as need
strengthening, as well as objects intro
duced by accident or design. The Chi
nese and Japanese, taking advantage
of this, have long practiced the art
OF stimulating the secretion by intro
ducing beads made of spar or powdered
glass and varnish, or sometimes turned
from mother-of-pearl, and thus do they
actually succeed in forcing the animal
to produce pearls at their will, though
Of an inferior quality.
zone OF the curious circumstances
with the New Jersey pearl
lever of 1858 was the discovery OF
lew shells showing that many years
before some one had experimental upon
the pearl bearing oyster by dropping
small mother-of-pearl buttons inside
the shell, hoping that the animal
would, in course of time, cover them
with its secretion. The experiments
piOhSu a ulfluCb iiOWSNer, inc result
being that the buttons became fastened
70 the shells by the action OF the secre-
lion, but did not develop into pearls"
Some time ago number of small
pearls Of the kind known in commerce
IS seed pearls were sent from Bor-
leo, under the name OF '.breeding
pearls. y These pearls are enclosed in
/ glass tube along with some grains of |
ice ito feed upon. The sender gravely |
Isserted that II had long been known
n Borneo that pearls when put up for
ONE time in Il box along with rice
would reproduce their kind. Three or
our months afterward the grains OF |
ice enclosed with the pearls had the
appearance OF being partially eaten.
t is now several years since this ship |
nent OF pearls and their food was re-
eiyed, but the rice does not seem 10
ave diminished to any greater extent
han when they arrived, and the pearls
are no greater in circum-
erence than when first seen.-N. Y.
letter.