The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1903-10-21
CRYSTALS AND GEMS.
Beauties That May Be Observed
Through a Magnifying Glass.

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Sketching crystals is fine and deli
cate work, says Mines and Minerals,
requiring much study, sharp-point-
ed, hard pencil, and 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 little geode or
cavity, such as is common in the eco
lite class in volcanic rocks, you may
see the fairylike cavern lined with
sparkling gems, from which radiate
tufts of fine silken hairs with big
gem crystal set in the midst; some
times the cavern contain purple gems
of amethyst or fuorspar. 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 OF 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 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 one 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 BIZ photo
TYPOGRAPHY in colors, 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. sparingly,
except when the shadow is very pro-
nounced, or when the bases of the
crystals descend into the deep depths
and recesses of the geode cavern. To
bring out distinctly the forms of
white and translucent crystals it may
be well to shade dark background
back of them.
Sometimes row Of quartz crystals
in the center CT & vein is locked in the
embrace of an opposite set, like a
row of clenched teeth. Occasionally
these are beautifully tinted with anne
thystine purple, whilst back of
them is a layer of milky white opa-
line quartz, agate, or chalcedony, and
back of that dense layer of red, yell
low, or variegated jasper. In draw
ing crystals the main point to be
aimed at is their characteristic shape
or grouping, SO that anyone seeing
the sketch may recognize them as be-
longing to particular family. When
crystals are very small, as in twin
crystals of tin, or in crystals of tellu-
ride ores, it is legitimate to magnify
the crystal so as TO bring out its dis
tinctive features. Some ores form
a series of concentric rings, like green
malchite and blue azurite of copper;
they had better be represented by
their natural vivid colors.