Tombstone epitaph., 1890-06-21
VEGETABLE IVORY.
The Source and Use of a Queer-LooIsins
 Tropical Nut.

Tropical Nut.
 On the Atlantic docks in Brooklyn a few days ago, a reporter of the New York Evening Post picked up queer l looking nut. in size it might be com pared with a walnut, though it was somewhat larger: but in shape it was very different, being not round, but flat on several sides. It differed also from the walnut in the surface of its shell, which resembIed the chestnut's in color, but not so smooth; and 1t differed still more in the substance of it's shell, which offered only a moderate resistance to the point of a penknife. The moment, however, that the shell was penetrated, resistance was encountered which was by no means moderate. The nut inside was a solid white substance, almost as hard as marble.
 Ascertaining that this was specimen of the ivory nuts, which are articles of commerce, the reporter visited the chief local dealer in them and asked some questions about thCir nature and uses. The dealer said: "While ivory nut is the name used in this country, the Spanish name is 'tagua, and in England and Germany the nut is known as the 'corossos nut'-which it is not, tho cOrossOs nut being something entirely different. Tho nut without it's shell is here also called vegetable ivory It is one of the uncultivated products of South America, and is import ed chiefly from Ecuador and the United States of Colombia. It grows upon @ species of palm tree about four teen feet high. which is found in inn mense groves along the banks of the larger streams, preferring low, marshy soil, but not disdaining the higher ground. What is called the female tree yields perfumed blossom, and, like the cocoanut tree, bears buds and blos- sons at the same time that the ripened nuts are dropping to the ground. The male tree also blossoms, but it's flowers never turn to fruit. The nuts grow in thick clusters close to tho trunk of the tree. They arc gathered by the natives, who carry them in canoes or on their backs in baskets from tho groves to the towns and villages along the rivers, whore they sell them for @ mere trifle. The traffic in the United States of Co., lombia is chio1yOn the Magdalona river, and in Ecuador along various streams. The nuts arc collected ct tho villages by small, 1at-bOttOmcd steamers. burn ing wood for fuel. and drawing only four and q half feet of water when loaded. These carry tho nuts principally to Aspinwau, whence they arc shipped in schoonors and by tho steamers Ot the Atlas line to tho various importing places. Tho schoonCrs are rarely loaded with ivory nuts alone, but receive about half thoir cargo in cocoanuts, which are invariably put on top of tho ivory nuts; the latter would break the cocoanuts if their positions were reversed, while the cocoanuts could as easily break pile of cannon balls.
 Hamburg, Germany, is the largest market for ivory nuts. New York comes next, and is the only port in this coun- try to which they arc shipped. San Francisco tried the trade but had to give it up. London is third, though not many years ago it was second. l think that perhaps fashion has had something to do with it in setting it's face against articles made from the ivory nut.
 'sThose articles are principally but tons, and for Q common or medium grade button therc is no better material. At the factories boys called 'shuclers' are employed to knock off the shells of the nuts. The ivory is then taken by sawyers and 'slabbed,' that is, cut with fine saws into disks. After being assort- ed as 60 sizes the slabs are put in bins to dry thoroughly. At first they are bluish white; when dried they lose some of their bulk and turn dead-whitc. Next, girls put them into turning-machines, by which they are converted into various button shapes. Dyers then take them and turn them out of their vats in four or five sets of colors. To others a mot tied appearance is imparted with brushes. They are also made to initiate very close ly tortoise-shClls, black cloths, especial ly black silk, and Scotch goods. 1 dare say you have often had ivory nut buttons on your clothing, and thought they were bone or cloth-covered. They wear and hold Q polish cxcellcntly. Such things as baby ratGles, umbrella heads, cane heads, and hooks and eyes, are also made from ivory-nuts.
 ''The older the ivory gets, the harder it becomes, and, if undycd, the winter. Its usefulness has become greatly re- stricted by the small size of tho nut, Experiments have long been unsuccess- fully tried to make the ivory into blocks of any size by reducing the nuts to pow der and then moulding the mass to- gether by powerful machine pressure. If any one could succeed in inventing means to do this, it is safe to say fore une would awaij him. Vegetable ivory would then suporsede celluloid, which is affected by moisture and smells of canphOr, and is also much more expcn- sive. The supply of ivory nuts is vast. At the head of the Amazon river, not to mention other parts of south America, there are thousands of acres thickIy covered with nuts, which, left for years untouched, are rotting away.
 ''In the market here eight grades are recognized, according to the places from which the nuts come. The Ecuador nuts rank highest, and of these there are two grades, the first coming from Tuna co, and the second from Guayaquil''
 CornwalIs Uranium Nine.
 The discovery of q lode of uranium at the Union mines, Cornwall, was an-