The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-07-05

product. but much of 1t has been in- jured by exposure to the weather. Tusks have been found which were more than twelve feet long and weighed upward of two hundred pounds.
 | The value of ivory rests mainly In It's toughness, It's elasticity and it's quality of taking a high polish, It Is filled with millions of minute holes. which give 1t an elasticity which no solid object could ever have. In effect ivory is the same substance as the dentine of the teeth, and 1t Is unlike bone In having no channels for the passage of blood. The teeth or tusks of the narwhal, sperm whale, walrus and hippopota- mus are also used as ivory. but the | quality Is usually poor.
 | Great skill Is required in buying tusks, for the external appearance Is often most deceptive The inside may
 be full of abcesses and cracks, and sometimes the core Is filled with pieces | of stones and chunks of Iron by the
 tricky natives and no less tricky deal | CTS.
 When at last the tusk reaches the
 manufacturer of billiard balls 1t is again examined very carefully for flaws, and even if the smallest crack Is perceptible the ivory is used for some ] other purpose. If the tusk Is found to be perfect and about the right si2e--a little larger In diameter than the ball Is
 to belt Is sent out to the workroom.
 Here a. number of aproned workmen-
 and marvelously skilled they are, too--
 measure the tusk into the proper dis-
 tances to be cut into blocks. It Is then. sawed into lengths two and one-half to three inches, according to the size of the balls to be made, and the turner's take the blocks in hand All the lathes are of exquisitely delicate workman ship, for ivory Is a precious material and mistake is always expensive In order to save the corners of the blocks, the turner cuts ring at each end and
 slowly deepens 1t until rough ring drops off. This is subsequently, fin-
 ished into a martingale ring like those I used on expensive harness. Two rings come from each billiard ball block. The remaining ivory Is now almost l round, and after few more shavings l are taken off 1t is laid aside to dry for
 about six months, for green" ivory is rather soft and there Is always like lihood of some shrinkage.
 l When it has been seasoned it goes to l the workman again, and with still more delicate chisels he pares it down smooth and exactly round, task re- I quiring much skill and care. Then the
 ball is roughly polished by means of an ingenious little machine, after which 1t is treated to rubbing with chalk and channels skin, and finally with plain,
 soft leather. It Is now bright, shiny.
 and to one who doesn't know about
 such things. perfectly smooth. But a | workman spends much time on it, rub bing with the palms of his hands, the
 best of all polishing devices.
 Ivory is extremely sensitive to atmos- pheric and climatic changes, and some 1 apparently perfect balls will begin to
 crack and chip almost at once, while others will remain in good condition for years. A superficial crack. however, does not materially impair the value of a billiard ball.
 The best grade of balls Is from pure !ivory, all the enamel on its outside of the tusk having been removed before I turning. In the second grade some en- ame1 has been left, which impairs the appearance of the ball, but does not se-
 riously affect It's usefulness. The third
 class includes the balls which show small surface cracks.
 Ivory is extremely susceptible to col or, probably on account of the porous quality, and red and vari-colored balls
 are made by using aniline. Usually the part enamel balls or the cracked balls are used colored. because their defects are thus concealed. In order to pre- serve a billiard ball it should be oiled a little from time to time.
 Every particle of sawdust and sha-
 wings from an ivory shop is scrupulous- lily saved By wonderful process these are treated with chemicals, sub- mitted to enormous hydraulic pressure, and moulded into various small articles so perfect in every particular that only an expert can tell them from solid ivo- Try.
 Worn-out billiard balls are cut into various small articles.
 The carving of ivory is one of the old- est arts in the world. Excellent bas- ireliefs and images are found in ancient Iruins, and when they are affected by time and weather they are partially re- stored by boiling in gelatine. The most expert carvers are the Japanese and Chinese, who spend years on a single piece, making it exquisitely beautiful ! Many attempts have been made to produce artificial ivory but thus far they have not been very successful, the elephant still retaining a monopoly of the business.
 Ivory is growing more costly and ! 6.,z ia only question of time when the sources of supply will fail.
 Some circus managers cut back the ftusks of their elephants every eight or Eten years, and the pieces of ivory thus Iobtained are salaible at good prices. ! ASTnNISHEn BY 4 fTSHERnrAN