, 1890-08-30
VEGETABLE IVORY.
(VictO,YG COlonist.)

0h4S AZ W AHNNA NADA ~ 10000
though it was somewhat larger but in shape
it was very different, being not round, but
fat on several sides. 1t differed also from
the walnut in the surface of It's shell, which
resembled the chestnut's in colour, but not so
smooth and it differed still more in the sub
stance of its shell, which offered only a moder-
ate resistance to the point of n penknife.
The moment, however, that the shell was
penetrated, Il resistance was encountered
which was by no means moderate. The nut
inside was q solid white substance, almost as
hard as marble.
Ascertaining that this was a specimen OF
the ivory nuts, which are articles Of com.
merce, the reporter visited the chief local
dealer in them and asked some questions
about their 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,
the corossus nut being something entirely
different. The nut without it's shell is here
also called vegetable ivory. 1t is one of the
uncuItivated products Of South America, and
is imported chiefly from Ecuador and the
United States Of Colombia. It grows upon a
species of palm tree about fourteen feet high,
which is found in immense 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
a. perfumed blossom. and, like the cocoanut
tree, bears buds and blossoms at the same
time that the ripened nuts are dropping to
the ground. The male tree also blossoms,
but it's flowers never turn b fruit. The nuts
grow in thick clusters close toe the trunk Of
the tree. They are gathered by the natives,
who carry them in canoes or on their backs
in baskets from the groves to the towns and
villages along the rivers, where they sell
them for q mere tri1e. The traffic in the
United States Of Colombia is chiefly on the
Magdalena river, and in Ecuador along vari-
GUS streams. The nuts are collected at the
villages by small, fat.bottomed steamers,
burning wood for fuel, and drawing only four
and d half feet of water when loaded. These
carry the nuts principally to Aspinwall,
whence they are shipped in schooners and by
the steamers OF the Atlas line to the various
importing places. The schooners are rarely
loaded with ivory nuts alone, but receive
about half their cargo in cocoanuts, which
are invariably put on top Of the ivory nuts
the latter would break the ~cocoanuts if their
position were reversed, while the cocoanuts
could as easilyNreak a pile of cannon balls.
"Hamburg, Germany, is the largest mar
ket for ivory nuts. New York comes next,
and is the only port in this country to which
they are shipped. San Francisco tried the
trade, but had to give it up. London is third,
though not many years ago it was second.
/ think that perhaps fashion hGr had some
thing to doxwith it in setting its face against
articles made from the ivory nut.
. "Those articles are principally buttons,
and for q common or medium grade button
there is no better material. At the factories
boys called 'shuC6ers' are employed to knock
off the shells of the nuts. The ivory is then
taken by savers and stabbed, that is, cut
with fine saws into disks. After being assert
ed as to sizes the slabs are put in bins to dry
thoroughly. At first they are blush white
when dried they lose some of their bulk and
turn dead.white. Next girls put them into
turning-machines, by which they are convert
ed into various button shapes. Dyers then
take them and turn them out of their watts in
four or FIVE sets of colours. To others q mot.
tied appearance is impaired with brushes.
They are also made to initiate very closely
tortoise-shells, black cloths, especially black
silk, and Scotch goods. | dare say you have
often had ivory nut buttons on Your clothing.
and thought they were bone or cloth-covered.
They wear and hold a polish excellently.
Such things as baby ~rattles, umbrella heads,
cane heads, and hooks and eyes are also made
from iyory-nuts.
1.-THE older the sivory' gets, the harder it
becomes, and, if undyed, the whittier. It's
usefulness has become greatly restricted by