Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-23

OtneE tuluSS dlG CuilOuo
serving any purpose except to excite surprise
| One of the Rothschilds collected five nun
dred snuff boxes; wealthy Partisan on ms
deathbed left behind him million corks as
monument of his industry land foollshness]'
Men have collected umbrellas, hats and otner
articles of apparel; there are stamp, con-
picture and book collectors all over the worl1'
while somebody is always making waech
with jack-knife or table out OF ten thou
sand pieces OF wood
AT Warsenstein, in Germany, there Is per
haps one of the most curiously original cor
lections of books extant This consists Oh a
botanical collection.
Outwardly, the volumes present the com
mon appearance of a block of wood. and that
is the first impression; but minute examIna
ton reveals the fact that each is complete
history of the particular tree which 1t rep
resents.
At the back of the book the bark has been
removed from a space which allows the sclen-
tifc and the common name OF the tree 10 pe
placed as title for the book.
One side is formed from the split wood OF the
tree, showing it's grain and natural fracture;
the other shows the wood when WORKED
smooth and vanished. One end shows the
grain as left by the saw, and the other the
fnely-polished wood.
On opening the book it is found to contain
the fruit, seeds, leaves and other products OF
the tree; the moss which usually grows upon
its trunk and the insects which feed upon tne
different parts of the tree.
These are supplemented by well-prlntedi
description of the habits, usual location and
manner of growth of the tree. In fact'
everything which has bearing upon tnat Ger
tain tree secures a place in tins WONDERFUL
useful and valuable collection.
There are at present some very valuaple
curiosities in the shape Of cherry stones, and
were they collected in one locality, it would
doubtless enhance their value. In the Salem
Fngland) Museum reposes one winch con-
tains one dozen silver spoons. The stone IL
of the ordinary size, but the spoons are 40
small that their shape and finish can oniy De
discerned satisfactorily by means OF the micro
scope But q more curious cherry stone lS
that upon which are inscribed one hundred
and twenty-four heads. =
This, no doubt, forms the most curious col
lection yet known, and the naked eye can
easily distinguish those belonging to popes
and kings by their mitres and crowns. Ht
was bought in Prussia for fifteen thousand
dollars and thence conveyed to England,
where it is considered an object of SO much
value that its possession was disputed, and 1t
became the subject OF q SUIT M. IN cnanceay. ay
deavored to eclipse this specimen by lnclosing
in cherry stone, which was exhibited at
the French Crystal Palace a plan OF Sebas.
tapol, railway station and the Messiah OF
Klopstock.
The most curious collections, however, are
to be found made up of coins; and the most
extensive is undoubtedly to be seen at Not
tingham, England. 1t consists Of huge
pile of perfectly new "jubilee" half crowns
that is, half crowns coined in the year when
Queen Victoria completed half century's
reign), made up as lighthouse-shaped
pyramid.
The whole is comprised under glass case,
and measures in height six feet, while the
base is five feet eight inches around, and the
number of coins is one hundred thousand
eight hundred and six. The weight is one
ton eight hundredweight fourteen pounds
three ounces, and the value is twelve thou
sand six hundred pounds fifteen shillings.
The bankers i receipt for the payment 9f the
proof Of the authenticity and genuineness Of