Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-11-20
IVORY NUTS.
A MATERIAL FROM WHICH
MANY BUTTONS ARE MADE.
How the Nuts Are Grown In South
Americas Equatorial Regions
Principal Uses OF Vege-
table Ivory.

pany will be seen long rows Of sacks
made of jutc, which bear the appearance
externally of being filed with potatoes.
These are stacked at the head of the pier
in the open air. There is no danger OF
them being carried away, for they are as
heavy as lead and not extremely valu-
able, as they are. Potatoes would not
remain in that exposed position untouched
a single night. The ivory nut, however,
is valuable only when it comes from the
hands of the manufacturer in the button
or the ornamental state.
The ivory nut is grown in the equa-
torial regions of South America. The
principal point Of shipment is Colon, on
the Isthmus of Panama Like the
banana, the ivory nut is perennial in its
native cline, and may be found in all
stages from the bud to the ripeucd nut
at all seasons of the year. The nuts
grow in great punches of about fifty,
incased in shell. as arc chestuuts in the
burr, though the she'll outwqrdly re-
,embles in roughness the surface of a
pineapple. The entire cluster of nuts in
this shell is as big as a mans head. This
shell comes off easily after the nuts are
ripe. At this stage they fall from the
trec-which are fourteen or fifteen feet
in height-and arc packed on the backs
OF natives to the points OF shipment
The nuts are grouped together within
the covering somewhat like chestnuts in
the burr which nuts they resemble in
shape. They arc about the color Of an
unwashcd last years potato, aud as hard
as an elephants lusk.
The grain of the ivory nut is white
and even of texture, 50 that it is easily
carved, sawed and worked into any de-
sirable shape The ivory nut tree is not
farmcd or raised artifcally, as is the
banana tree, but grows in its natural
state and after its own manner in the
forests, the same as the hickory or the
chestnut or walnut.
About 1000 tons Of the ivory nut arc
brought to this country annually. Ow-
ing to the cheapness Of the raw material
there is not more than $3.50, 900 per
aunum involved in the traffic. Perhaps
1900 persons in New York arc employed
in the handling and manufacturing Of
the nut and its products.
"The principal use Of vegetable ivory
now," said d broker who deals in the
article incidently, sis the manufacture
Of buttons. A good many people
probably think the buttons on their
spring clothes are made of rubber or
boue-and so they used to be. Now,
however, vegetable ivory is the principal
thing used. The nut in its green state
is filled with a milky substance, which
hardens upon ripening into a fine, even
grained and 4 tough substance. In
this state it is sawed into slabs of the
necessary thickness and turned into but
tons by machinery.
"Unlike rubber and bone, ivory is not
affected by heat or cold, and is not
liable to break in the eye. The manu-.
facturers are located in number of
Eastern cities, though the raw material
that comes to this country is usually
anded at this port The cost Of manu-.
featuring is the principal item of expense.
About eighty per cent. Of the cost of tine
manufactured article is in the labor.
''In the earlier stages of its use vege-
table ivory was principally known in the
shape of ornaments OF various kinds. II
you rememner, some years ago it was
extensively handled by train men and
street fakirs, who peddled basketsful OF
little trinkets made from the ivory nut.
At present, practically the whole product
of the ivory nut goes into buttons.
Zone Of the peculiar features OF the
material in relation to buttons is its sus-
ceptibiity to colOring matter. 1t ca1
be colored anything that is desired by
the manufacturers. You will notice that
/ the artistic tailor makes use of this to
great advantage in his adaptation of but
tons to garments. In the Scotch tweed
suits of light and mottled textures, OF
garments of any color whatever where a
solid button is used one in perfect har-
mony with the material may be selected.
The varieties in shape and color are al
most countless. "
The nuts, when scraped With knife.
emit a rich odor, similar to what is
known as the Brazil or cream nut. Ly-
ing there, stacked up on the pier, they
are interesting il only as illustrative Of
the great variety of extraordinary thing;
brought to New York from various parts
of the world and the ingenuity Of those
who have cleverly adapted them to the
uses OF mankind .-M,- Yort Telegram
There have been ii, 900 applicants foI
admission as students to the new Leland
Stanford, Jr., University in California.
A liberal share of favor is accorded
twisted wire bracelets with knotted cen