Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-06-23

the same chemical composition as the
natural stone, are now we'll known.
Another Frenchman, a biologist, has
now worked a second miracle; he has
discovered an artificial means of pro-
ducing real pearls.
The demand for pearls is always far
in excess of the supply. The leading
jewelers. of the Rue de la Paix say that
they could always dispose of more
than double the number they are able to
procure and pearls are more in vogue
this year than ever before. The inven-
ton of the French savant, Raphael Du-
bois, promises greatly to augment the
supply of pearls.
For years past M. Dubois has de-
voted himself to studying the nature
and habits Of the pearl oyster and the
conditions under which the pearl of
commerce is formed. Having salts.
fed himself that the pearl is the pro-
duct of disease of the animal, he next
sought to determine whether that dis
ease might not be contagious. After
numerous experiments his patience
was rewarded He succeeded in COM
municating the disease so thoroughly
that almost every oyster in the bed
under observation and every mussel,
even, became affected, and pearls
small ones, it is true, but of good color
and shape-were found in every shell.
At the international fishery and
agricultural congress of 1900 M. Du-
bois demonstrated the success Of his
experiments to a commission Of sa.
wants. In the first stages of his ex-
periments he had opened as many az
10000 or $4,000 oysters before finding
a single pearl; now any three taken at
haphazard showed pearls. At the ter
mination OF the congress the colonial
Office of France gave him commits
sion which enabled him to prosecute
his inquiries under the most favor
able conditions and he at once repaired
to Tunis, where he began a series of
experiments In ceclimating the Ceylon
pearl oyster in the waters Of the Medi-
terranean. All NJ Dubois experiments
have been made upon the oyster
known as the "pintadine," from the
celebrated Ceylon beds. The animal
underwent some slight notifications
on being transplanted from the Indian
ocean to the Mediterranean, but they
proved unimportant and the work Of
breeding and communicating proceeded
without interruption.
Hitherto no pearl oysters have ever
been found in French oyster beds. En-
couraged by his success on the shores
Of Tunis, NJ Dubois brought some spec
linens Of his pearl oysters to his
laboratory in Lyons and once more the
operation Of transportation was sue
cessful. Living specimens containing
small but fine pearls were exhibited
short time since at the Academy Of
Science, and as it has been found that
oysters increase rapidly in size in
French waters, there is every hope that
NJ Dubois pearls will in time attain
the dimensions required for the article
Of commerce
1t is not likely that prices will be
affected by this artificial production
at least not for some time to come.
Until the quantity placed upon the
market can be almost doubled the
value Of the jewel will not be appre-
Gladly diminished; its hold upon the
hearts of all women is so firm and its
position in the very front rank Of
coveted ornaments so lasting that it
will probably never be other than cost
~. The value of NJ. Dubois discov-
cries is now recognized by the French
Academy of Science and great inter-
est is taken in his Investigations.