The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-07

by the threatened exhaustion OF the
hsheriez it is high time for human in
genuity to step in and supply the demand.
The process adopted is simply to bore
,hoiesin the shells of the pearl oyster with
a gimlet, introducing through these per-
forations little balls of glass, and stopping
them Theoretically with corks. After four
weeks time the balls of glass are found 10
be covered with thin layer Of pearl. In
six months the layer has become OF
sufficient thickness to be permanent. and
the bigness of the pearl thus manufactured
Is in proportion to the period allowed TO
elapse. Of course, this has its limitations,
inasmuch as the mollusk will not deposit
nacre indefinitely, its only object being TO
protect itself from irritation by the IN
truder. The expert quoted believes that
pearls can be made of various colors 10
order by selection.
This signifies election of the mollusk
employed for the purpose. Each one
naturally deposits its own sort OF nacre.
Even pearl oysters differ in that respect,
producing black pearls, gray pearls. or
pearls of pure white. sometimes according
TO the part of the animal where the nucleus
makes its Judgment. Conchs of we'll
known variety form pink pearls, as do also
certain fresh-water muSselS. SuppoSlng
that there is anything in Nj. Boachon-
Brandeiy's theory, one can get any color
OF pearl he wishes by making q choice OF
shell fish. Recent experiments made by
the United States fish commission show
that marine mollusks of all kinds can be
kept admirably in aquaria. although pre-
yious notions have been held to the con-
trary, and thus there would seem to be no
good reason why every one should not
maintain his own pearl fishery on small
scale, collecting valuable crop at suitable
in ervais.
A great deal has been done with natural
pearls by artifice already. Partisan jewel
ers some time ago found out way to re-
move the outer layers OF these gems of
ocean when they were not pretty, SO as 10
reveal the beauty that was within and rem
der them marketable at big prices. Those
which w found imbedded in the mother
of-pearl OF the shell they discovered pro-
cess OF extracting, treating them afterward
with acid and rendering them of value.
In similar fashion they transform pear
shaped ones into perfect spheres. Like
wise they have found means 10 make
pearls of any color black in q bath of
nitrate OF silver, or TO turn them into rose
color. lilac, gray or what not. However,
experts know how to detect all of these
receptions.
Pearls are very perishable. They can
not be considered tirst-rate investment,
AllSE q ttllc tlltF OtCd1-
sometimes tine specimen will lose its
luster and beauty within few months, so
that the possessor of ouch treasures does
well to keep them put away in sealed
place. They are very delicately made,
consisting of thin films overiaid one upon
another, with more or less animal matter
between the layers, and it is no wonder
that they deteriorate. After being buried
in the ground for while they are found
worthless ThOsn xvBfct. I,,rv 80
Indian grayes-some of them of great size,
and doubtless of wonderful beauty when
they were new-are utterly yalueiess, even
were they not pierced. Nevertheless,
there IS pure and evanescent beauty
about them which seems better to become
the maiden than any other sort of jewel.
Nothing varies so much in value as
pearls. With them fashion affects the
market constantly. Sometimes white
ones are sought, while ether tints at int,sf-
walls are in demand. For some years past
black pearls have been the rage. A fine
specimen worth $500 will fet' h $1,000 per-
haps if another can be got TO mat Oh it per-
fectly.
The most skillful pearl divers in the
world are those of the Tuamotu Archipel-
ago. They think nothing of staying under
water for three minutes on occasions. and
they carry no weight to carry them down
TO the depths, as do the fishermen of Cev-
Ion. Unlike the latter, they do not stop
their ears and nostrils with cotton soaked
with oil, but descend with no other pre-
paration than a few mutations of their
lungs. However. they do wear
a sort of head dress with spec
tacles of glass. by the aid of which
they are able to look down many
fathoms into clear water and mark the
oysters which they propose to gather.
Forty years ago 1t was possible to buy
with gallon OF rum or few handfuls Of
Hour IN those South Sea islands most
beautiful moliuscan jewels, but since then
the fisheries have been SO overwork ed
that they are seriously threatened with
exhaustion. Fortunately it is believed
that pearl oysters can be successfully
propagated. In that warm region they
spawn during all the year, and with
proper measures taken for breeding them
there is no reason why they should not
be made more profitable than ever. The
most valuable mother-of-pearl, which is
product incidental to the pearl tishing
industry, is obtained from Macassar, and
Is used for making sumptuous furniture.
1t is worth 81 600 a ton.