Evening star., 1894-03-24

soap, boot heels, dolls and every other re-
ceptacle imaginable. At pinch they may
be swallowed. Where seizures of gems have
been made, Information has been comnluni-
Gated usually from abroad in the shape OF
a warning sent TO the government in ad-
vance TO the effect that so-and-so was In
tending 10 smuggle certain Jewels. II is
said that such warnings are sometimes for
Warded by employees in foreign houses that
zeal IN precious stones. The suggestion, IL
a mistake. costs nothing to the person maxi
lnE IL II by chance il proves correct, the
informant gets 80 per cent Of the proceeds
seized.
Instead Of Coffee.
There is a tariff on acorns and dandelion
roots. Both Of these are imported in con-
siderable quantities from abroad. They are
ground and used as substitutes for coffee.
Cologne must lay duty; but the time nay
yet arrive when this country VIII produce
such scented spirits in sufficient Quantities
to satisfy the commercial demand. There
are great districts in the United States
which are admirably adapted for producing
the requisite flowers. The latter are Of the
simplest varieties, common roses and other
everyday blossoms possessing more intense
odors than the cultivated kinds Elevated
land Is best. An attempt TO raise orange
blossoms in Florida proved a failure cliehy
because the land was too low. A tariff has
been placed on imported orchids. but great
orchid farms under glass are being started
in New Jersey ana other states, which be-
fore long viii make these wonderful blooms
cheap.
Ii is the same way with mushrooms
These agarics are now imported in great
quantities from France. where they are
raised artificialiy in caves. But before very
lCng all that are needed TO supply the de-
nland will be produced in this country.
They are being prOpagated TO a considera-
lie extent already in New Jersey and On
Long Island. as well as elsewhere The
American IA or is oh IA a f1sra
OF the fact that here is a crop of the fu-
ture, which will always command good
prices, having the additional advantage
that 1t can be grown in winter.
Amber and BristIcs.
Amber is or the free list. This is fossil
gum OF an extinct cone-bea-ing tree. 1t
is dug UP in parts Of the great plains Of
north Germany. where the tree once -four
ished The gum is found along the shores
Of the Baltic 1t is got from mines. picked
from cliffs, and a good deal Of it is gath
cred in the shape Of nodules cast up by the
waves In the middle ages it was more
valuable than gold and was used by
princes and church diygitaries for forks.
At present II is worth from s. TO so a
pound, according TO quality. Bristles VIII
not be required TO pay any duty. The best
Of them come from Russia. where hogs Of
a peculiar b-ecd are regularly plucked to
furnish material for the more costly kinds
1
! 1t Is a form Of horublende rock. having
a fhrous texture. 50 that II can be woven.
1t is utilized for a great variety OF pur-
poses, among others for iine-Droof gloves
| and fremen s clothing.
Leeches are on the free list. They srs
] very Important animals. No surgical in
! strumanC can perform the operation OF
bleeding SO deiic&tey as they. There are
! plenty OF leechas in this country. but they
are mostly much bigger and too ferocious
u be useful for medical purposes. Small
boys who wade in ponds occasionally suffer
severely from their attacks. There viii be
/ no tariff On madder. This IS quite an in
! teresting substance. It has been found thet
I it win color the bones Of human beings
and other animals that partale Of II with
their food. 4 French chemist not long
/ ago made some experiments by feeding
ma1der at intervals 10 growing pigeons
and rabbits. The bones OF the creatures
( thus fed. when sawed through. showed in
sections alternate rings Of pink and white.
The Lacquer Industry.
Lac is out down as free Of duty. This
| is a resinous incrUstation formed by
kind Of insect on the bark OF certain trees
in India and Siam. The female deposits it
to protect her young. which eventually
make their way through the crust and be-
gin life FOR themselves feeding on the sap
/ Of the uee. They never move from the
| branch on which they are Matched, and
eventually il dies. SO that the bugs would
all perish and there would he no more OF
/ them but for the fact that birds and other
/ insects carry them away 10 fresh places.
( where they start new colonies. Lac is
mostly gathered in the iuncles Of India,
/ whence il is exported by thousands Of
Z tons. Il is used for making the so-calied
! lacquer ware. In parts OF the western
I United States various plants have been
found TO be infested with lac insects. and
II is imagined that the latter might be
utilized If propagated artifcially, as is
done in India.
| Among other things on the free list are
dried blood, eggs OF fish and birds. hoofs
! in the raw and keip; also broken glass and
natural teeth. Artificial teeth must pay TO
come in. There is no dutv on punk. Ii IS
imported for use in making matches that
viii stay lighted in a gale of wind and for
otner similar purposes. II is an odd pro-
vision OF the law that, when a vessel has
/ been sunk in any harbor or river OF the
/ nited States for two years and has heea
| abandoned by the owner. the person who
raises IL may bring in free Of duty all the
| merchandise of any description that ia
found on board. RENE BACHE.
mn