The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-07-11
CRYSTALS AND GEMS.
Beauties That May Be Observed
Through e Magnifying Glass.

Sketching crystals is fine and deli
cate work, says Mines and Minerals,
requiring much study, a sharp-point-
ed, hard pencil, and a steady hand.
First of all, having selected your
nest Of crystals, it is well to study
all the books have to say about them,
their angles, cleavage planes, ~luster,
ETC., then take a large ore magnify
ing glass and examine them closely
under it. An unexpected world Of
beauty will thus often be revealed.
If the crystals are in a little geode or
cavity, such as is common in the geo
lite class in volcanic rocks, you may
see the fairylike cavern lined with
sparkling gems, from which radiate
tufts Of fine silken hairs with a big
gem crystal set IN the midst; some
times the cavern contain purple gems
OF amethyst or huorspar. You will
observe crystals that have been
stunted in their growth or misshapen
by the pressing against them Of other
stronger growing crystals. You may
see fine striae or parallel lines or indi-
cations of twinning of crystals; you
-
will notice also the lines of cleavage
characteristic of certain crystals and
invisible to the naked eye, also crys-
tails that have been broken and fault
ed and recemented by mineral mat
ter.
Having thus thoroughly studied
the crystals, place them on a piece Of
white paper in strong light and
shadow. Draw the outlines clear and
strong, and the angles and faces Of
the crystal sharply. Some crystals
resemble n another so closely, like
certain forms of calcite and quartz
that only by very careful drawing
can one be distinguished from the
other, especially without the use Of
color. In highly colored ores and
crystals, some beautiful realistic eff.
fects have been attained by photo.
photography in c%olors, but many ores
and crystals have no distinctive col
ors; then you must rely on form
Again, some forms of crystals are
identical in form with Others of an
entirely different order, and you may
have to distinguish them by color
Shading, especially in Transparent
crystals, should be used s|paringly
except when the shadow is very pro
nounced, or when the bases of thu
crystals descend into the deep depth.
and ~recesses Of the geode cavern. I,
bring out distinctly the forms O.
white and translucent crystals it ma,
be well to shade a dark BACKGROUND
back Of them.
Sometimes a ROY of quartz crystal
in the center Of a vein is locked in tn
embrace Of an opposite set, like
row Of clenched teeth. OCCASIONAL
these are beautifully tinted with ame
thystine purple, whilst back o
them is a layer of milky white opa
line quartz, agate, or chaleedony, in,
back Of that a dense layer Of red, vel
low, or variegated jasper. In draw
ing crystals the main point to b
aimed at is their characteristic shap
or grouping, so hal anyone seem
? the sketch may recognize them as be
longing to a particular family. Whe.
crystals are very small, as in twi
crystals Of tin, or in crystals Of tellu
ride ores, it is legitimate to magnif
the crystal so as to bring out its dii
tinctive features. Some ores forl
series of ~concentric rings, like gree
malchite and blue azurite Of copper
they had better be represented b
their natural vivid colors.