Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-19
PEARLS IN PONDS.
Valuable Ones Found in the Fresh
Water Mussels.
They Often Rival in Beauty Those
From the Orient.

Tho nearIs found in the fresh water
musses of Massachusetts ana otnut ~ ~
England states often rival in beauty inc
oriental pearls This is statement wilcn
80 people out 100 will challenge when they
read it, but it is absolutely true; a pSa,1
taken from a fresh water mussel found IN
a pond in southern New Hampshire was
recently sold in London for 500 slnsle
days pearl hunting in a stream near
South birmingham has yielded sl5o
worth of pearls.
AS a producer of pearls the oriental
oyster was once supposed to hoid a mon.
Opoly Within a few years. however, IL
was discovered that the fresh water mus
sci had equal. and often finer. abilities IN
the same direction. Some Of the very M
est of pearls have been taken from mus
sells found in ponds and rivers N inc
West and middle West Of the United
States. where pearl hunting is now re-
cognized industry. valuable pearls are,
indeed found as far west as the Platte
river and as far south as Texas.
These facts are generally known. but
very few people know anything about tn
possibilities of the ponds, rivers, streams
and brooks of New England as sources
of pearl supply.
Probably the best authority in New
England on this subject is Sherman +.
Denton of Wellesley Farms, who. with
his brothers. has devoted a good deal of
his leisure time to exploring the inland
waters of Massa chuSettS and other east
trn states for pearls.
Mr.. Denton is a scientist, who has
achieved a wide reputation in the held OF
natural history, particularly in the dircc-
ton of drawing and modelling. lie was
at one time a member Of the FISH commits
sion at Washington. and he has done 4
good deal of work for the Smithsonian
Institution and other museums. 1t was
Mr. Denton's brother who found $50
worth of pearls in day Mr.. Denton
himself has found as many as lVs pearls
in a day the value of them varying
greatly but he has sometimes opened 1900
shells without finding single 10 arr.
My brother" said MI. Denton, in dis
Inn he fr.ar in S...1-
Hampshire a pearl weighing % grains. for
which he received $3.50 in London. 1t was
a perfect sphere. but little dun. other
wise it would have been worth several
thousand dollars. The lustre of many of
the pearls we have found, however has
been splendid. and often the fresh water
pearl has a beautiful coloring The color
of the pearl usually depends upon the
color Of the shell in which it is formed
When Mr.. Denton was asked about the
localities whore he had found valuable
pearls. he replied Il have been very
fortunate in hunting for pearls in None
such pond in Weston. Here is found the
species Of mussel known as Unio Com
planata. from which many pretty pearls
are obtained. The value of those ! have
secured from this pond varied from moth
ing to so.
The Sudbury river. near the junction
Of the sudbury and the ASsabat. is an
other good pearl ground. Bakers Wind
mill pond, near Wcllt SlcV, used to be u
good place. but | nm afraid the musses
were killed when the ponu was drained.
There mr.. Il number ~ good places il
Massachusetts Nj D,utoa continued.
"Onc Of them Is "A pond in Pelham, an
other is Curtis pond in Greenwich, and
still another is Warmers pond, also in
Gre, lWich. In curtis and Warmers ponds
! found lots II pearls. but most Of them
were not very VALUABLE. vary Ing from 81
- SO. f"r the most part
For some rcns in. uuknown - science
the py.rl-hrlfinE mI~ScIs are found in
bids AZ certain p"irts tn ponds or rivers
or brooks. II you don happen u strike
IN" right point You can open shells BY
the thousand without finding anything to
reward Your search.
The p,url-htlrng mussels are Of
many varieties. There j. the species
ku"wn aS htsmu4pu Aretata. which has
hinge t,rth only. Another species. tn
Iip CpmplInita, has hinges ana lateral
teeth. ana a third species. the AnnOdon.
IS without teeth. Pearls from the Uniu
Complanata are brighter in color than
those from the AlasmOdon. but usually
not 50 large.
The m,isseI is found about three-quar-
Ia" Tart Of the shell which is covered.
bur the good pearl Is found At the other
end, the END that rs above the mud; or
on" may say that the good pearl Is fond
In the brightest part of the shell.
An expert can sometimes tell whether
a shell contains a pearl before opening it,
for the growth of the pearl often deform
the shell, making "A sort OF hump on its
pearl will be recognized at once. for IL
will be seen sticking up in the flesh like a
sort Qf tumor or boil.
''The common belief that pearls are
found loose in the shell Is erroneous. The
valuable pearl is always in the thin rib
bon of flesh which adhcres to the palia
line of. the shell. This is the part of thi
animal in which the sccretive glands are
located.
"One theory to account for the exist
cncc Of the pearl is that it results from
rupture of the gland. although the ad
mittance of IA grain of sand to the ssel
may have had something to do with it
Still | have ground down pearls and hav'
always found a microscopic vacuum a
the centre. | have never found any trac
of sand, or any other substance.
In the posterior part Of the mussel
there may be found not single valuabl
pearl, but several of them. My brothe
found three in one shell. In the head en-
of the shell there are also found har
substances, which resemble pearls in tex
ture. but differ from pearls in that the
are without color, often without form
and altogether valueless
The popular belief that pearls are onl
found in old shells is not correct. 50 ia
as the fresh water musseis Of Massacht
sets and other New England states ar
concerned. That there should be a we
developed pearl it seems only necessar
that the muscles should be full grow
and vigorous
Frequently In opening a shell you wi
find a fine pearl which has become a pal
Of the shell. As only half Of it is free
is of course worthless. But when there
such an adhesion. il is usually a sign thu
you will find good pearls in the localt!
There is, too, sometimes found hing
pearl. which lies alongside of the hing
of the shell. but which is concealed in tn
flesh. This type of pearl has commerci;
value.
Some of the farmers who live near TIL
ponds | have explored know that Their
are pearls to he found, but APPARENT
they do not know how to hunt for then
or else they have tried and become dis
couraged after opening thousand shell
without finding n single pearl. | shouldn
ADVISE any one to go pearl hunting win
wasn't prepared to be disappointed
hopes"
Mr.. Denton has very handsome colieS
ton of fresh water shells gathered froi
all over the country. The outer GOVERN
of each shell has been removed and IN
underlying texture highly polished TIL
color effects are exceedingly beautiful.