Evening star., 1903-09-05
FISHING FOR PEARLS
HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRY IN
THE UNITED STATES.
Outbreaks Of Excitement in Various
Parts of the Coun-
try.

From the New York Tribune.
For some years pearls have been steadily
increasing In value, and for the best va
rieties outrank the diamond In value This
increased value Is accounted for by the
fact that the supply Is far from equai 10
the demand. while the demand has been
largely caused by the dictate of fashion
Formerly marine pearls furnished four-
fifths of the available supply. but these
fisheries have gradually fallen of until now
they produce only about three-ffths Of the
yearly yield. the rest being made up OF
fresh water pearls, a considerable part OF
which are found here.
In this country fresh water pearls are
generally found in bivalve shells OF the
family unionidae, also known as the
naiades These mussels are most abundant
in swift and clear water, where the bottom
Is sandy or gravelly and the country rock
calcareous. The pearls found are few, and
those of market value represent the de-
struction of thousands of mussels for every
one obtained. The soft internal parts OF
these mollusks are covered by a thin. deli
cate membrane, called the mantle from
the surface and particularly from the outer
edges of which material Is excreted to
form the inner layers Of the shell. When
ever, by accidental injury, disease or In
trusion OF foreign substances local irrita-
ton Is set up In these tissues the effect Is
to produce an increased secretion OF the
nacreous matter at this point. resulting in
the formation of pearls or peariy concre-
tons.
Kind of Pearls.
Pearls are of several distinct kinds, DIFF
fering IN shape and perhaps in origin.
Free" pearls. those that are found loose
and separate between the folds or layers
of the mantle and gills. or between the lat
ter and the body Of the mullusk. comprise
most Of the true spherical pearls as also
many that are ovate, pear shaped and ir-
regular. Then there are the pearls found
between the mantle and the valves OF the
SHE'LL these. II free at all, are apt to be
hemispherical, or in any case nattened on
the side toward the shell, while often they
are attached more or less to the valve by
a deposit Of the pearly secretion. In the
region of the hinge these become extremely
irregular in shape and often greatly elon-
gated forming a third kind, known as
hinge pearls. baroques, etc.
The freshwater pearls differ from the
marine pearls in their greater variety OF
tints and In the partial transparency OF
their nacre. In color the freshwater pearls
present an extended series OF shades, from
dead opaque white. having little value.
through various tints Of pink. yellow and
salmon. or faint purple. passing to a
bright red 50 closely resembling a drop Of
molten copper as almost to deceive the eye.
Some are very light green and brown. 9TH
steel blue. russet and purplish brown. In
addition to their color and luster, they are
beautifully iridescent. and at times the
white and pink pearls are more lustrous
than even the best oriental pearls.
Odd Shapes.
Many oddly shaped pearls are found.
ELONGATED fishlike forms found near the
hinge of the shell and called hinge baroQue
pearls. are abundant Others. with slight
addition Of gold and enamel. may be made
to represent human and animal heads, bat
and bird wings and similar objects A
pearl was found In this country that strik-
insly resembled the bust Of Michael An
gelo. In q few instances small nshes and
crabs which antered the ahell havs been
Imprisoned and covered eventually With