New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12
PUT TO CURIOUS USES.
Continued from fourth page.

of the whale is another valuable product which,
owing 10 the decrease in the supply, has IN
creased enormously in value in the last few
years. The present Arctic whaling fleet depends
almost entirely upon its catch of whalebone
Tor what little profit there is In the business.
The ivory obtained from walrus tusks sperm
whale teeth, ETC., has considerable value, and
is carved into many beautiful objects.
Considerable tortoiseshell is obtained from
the hawksbl turtle of Florida. while large guam
titles of conch and other shells are gathered
and sold, principally at the summer resorts.
Very little of the sea lion is wasted After
being cleaned the intestnes are distended with
air and allowed TO dry in that shape. Then
they cut into ribbons and sewed strongly
with sinews taken from the hack of the animal
into that most characteristic garment of Alaska
the 'kalnlaika, which, while being fully as
waterproof as india rubber. has far greater
strength and is never affected by grease and
OIL IT is also transparent m its fitting over
dark clothes. The Threats are served in similar
manner and when cured are made into boot
tops. which in turn soled with the t,'lFh
skin that composes the palms of this anima''s
fore flippers The stomach walls, which look
like overgrown gourds or enormous calabashes
with attenuated necks are used as oil pouches
while the tough, elastic mustache bristles are
objects OF great commercial activity by the
Chinese, who prize them highly as pickers for
their opium pipes and several ceremonies pecu-
liar to their joss houses.
The serrated spines of the rayfsh are used by
the Indians of the amazon to arm their arrows.
Sharks teeth are used in arming weapons. while
the teeth of this and other species are used as
trinkets by many peoples. The jaws of the
sleeper shark are used for headdresses by GER
sharks also prepared as canes. In Japan
the bones of sharks and skates are used in max
ing imitation tortoiseshell. In Europe and this
country shark and ray skins employed to
smooth and polish substances. while the skin of
the thornback is employed by cabinet makers in
lieu of sandpaper, than which it is very much
more durable. Woodworkers also the rough
skin of the blue dogfish like emery paper for
smoothing their work and preparing it for pol
ishing In India the jawbone Of the boaee fish
is employed by the natives about Dacca. The
teeth being small recurved and closely set act
as fine comb for carding cotton. in removing
the loose and coarse fibres and all eXtraneous
matters from the cotton wool.
Among the islands of the Corean Archipelago
the children the dried spiral eggs of a spe-
cies of skate or some other 'cartilaginous fish as
rattles, having first introduced few small peb-
bles to assist in making noise.
Aside from their food by and beast
and fertilizer in agriculture, seaweeds have
them are obtained soda, chOrides, suphates
scates iodine. bromne and gelose. They have
ever occupied important place in the rude
pharmacOpGia of the untutOred savage, well
of the higher one of his more civilized breth-
rem. Certain varieties used in stuffing chairs
and beds. They especially suitable for the
latter purpose, their aromatic smell is said TO
drive insects away.
The collection of pearly mussel shells in the
Mississippi Valley has grown to large proper
lions, while the value of the pearls found in
these amounted TO over 100000 alone in the
year 1902 The shells are used in the manufact-
ure Of pearl buttons, etc. ,dother-of- pearl, the
shell Of the sea pearl oyster, is put to number
of ornamental and useful purposes. while the
pearls found in them are the most valuable
Pearls are also found in conchshells.