The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-06-23
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but 10 to - minutes while IN - fec, of water
he might ha s''1 moving about on the bottom
for several hours
Tho pearl shells from these waters are not
rs large as those of Coylon but run from G.0O0
TO 1000 to the ton. The true pearl oyster, the
MclonCriua Of the Indian and south Pacific
oceans, varies In diameter from two to eight
inches, according TO age, six inches being the
average ono diver working with helmet and
air pump can secure as many as $4,000 oysters
in season. The greater part of the shell from
the La Paz fisheries is shipped to San Fran.
cisco, while most Of the pearls go to Mexico City
and Paris In 1908 the production Of these fish.
cries was valued at 100000 the pearls repre-.
sentIng S3o0J.lO0 and the motheruf.pcarl shell
the balance
According TO Dr. George T. Kunz one Of the
worlds greatest authorities on pearls a pearl
OF the first water should possess perfect skim
me orient or delicate texture. be free from
specks or flaws. and be of translucent white
color, with subdued iridcscont sheen It
should also be perfectly spherical or. If not, of
symmetrical pear shape. White or pink pearls
are the finest owing to their delicate sheen
Sometimes the outer layer can be removed. the
subJacent surface revealing n finer skin than
the outer one and in this way n pearl may he
improved
The Lower California pearls are Of n great
variety OF shapes and color round, pear shaped
button pearl or fiat on one side barooue or
pearl of irregular shape and in color ranging
IRON white and pink to blue. green, brown and
piacR some very famous pearls of history have
been taken from these waters
With hardly an exception there are American
pearls among the crown jewels Of every ruler n,
Europe In 1889, at the worlds fair, in Paris
there was exhibited a set OF seven black neorIs
from these Mexican fisheries, valued nj 900 am
at mat time. and today worth much more One
OF the largest pearls ever found here was sold
III farls to the emperor of Austra for sIO mn
ana the spanish government presented Nano
leon ILL., with black Mexican pearl yaluod NJ
s25 900. '"'"'u ut
In venezuela the principal oyster beds are
located around the island of Margarita which
word In Spanish means pearl. and at Cub,pra
III Ilrano, Gulf of Paria and Coro, Porlamar
Maracapana and Macanao SO that this pnrt of
vene%uela became known to the early Span.
iards as the Pearl coast
or the Pearl islands OF Panama bav. Row
island is the largest OF the group. The only
village of any size among these islands ia San
Miguel, as old as the fisheries themselves the'
tower OF Its little masonry church being thicklv
inlaid with beautiful nacreous shells from tho
fishing grounds on all Sides
From the United States and Canada co,,a
the fresh-watcr pearls, which are produced nrn.
clpaily by the Unto, a species OF mussel com,
mon 10 NJ! the mountain streams through,u,
tho country although pearl may be found in
any moilusk having nacreous interior lining
Pearls have been brought to the New York
market from almost every state In the Union and
Canada, principally from Ohio, Indiana. Illinois.
Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, Mime.
sota Tennessee and Mississippi.