Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-10-06
origin Of PraYl-.

anal c.>. y ornaments. Living as We
d. p an oyster country. and associa-
Toms. tA,iu.- that pearls come with
. forms # tlr ~traA berry Of tn
~... .~ I,cv. Ir. T4.mage called this
delicious 1.ra..r, doubtless inpe.>
rar .c..,f That the STANDARD knows
.' ~l.dd know ak about matters Of
conjecture.
It j. probably safe TO say that true
l.a:.s come from the pearl oyster.
t.Jnj in the tropical regions. While
W.. have :Aet people who declare that
tlcy Lave found parliamentary pearls
IN th' ordinary oyster, it is probably
owing 10 the fact tAat many Of the
shoii-.ish lnhabiting both fresh and
salt water are provided with a fluid
secretion with which they line their
shells. This secretion is laid in thin
and semi transparent films, which in
time become OF sufficient thickness
To- cut into useful and ornamental ar
cles of moderate value. This product
is called aacrc by biologists and moth
cr-of-poarl by dealers.
The pearl oyster differs very mate
rally; it IS OF IN oval form. lougitu-
dinally ribbed, somewhat like a clam.
1t a:tains a large size and there are
several varieties. The most famous
pearls come from Cey Ion, and Tapro-
bane Us it is called by the Greeks, but
they by 70 means comprise all the
places where these so-called fisheries
are maintained. They are not TO be
secured, however, without great la
Dor, and the specially large and valu-
able are rare. It is said that in ten
thousand pearl oysters brought up
by the negroes who dive for them US
a means of livelihood, only few are
found to contain pearl of much value
and this is what keeps the exception
ally fine specimens well on in rank to
abe diamond. This fact has led nat
uralists to conclude that the true
pearl is an excrescence or like unto
what is termed in botany fungus
growth Effort has been made, hav-
ing for its object the production of
the gem by causing its growth by
introduction of a pebble or some small
substance on which te deposit the
nocre. 1t has been shown that when
this is done the animal first tries to
expel tie intruding mass, and failing
in this, it covers the pebble with
nocre, fluid substance which exudes
from its body, gradually becomes
white and hard, and in course of time
pearl is formed. 1t has also been
found that if the shell of an oyster
be punctured, the occupant immedi-
ately sets about depositing masses of
macre around the opening. In time.
the aperture is not only fast sealed
up, but additional deposits of necre-
Gus principal continue to be laid.
one upon the other, like the success
sive layers of stratified rocks. The
finest pearls being only a carbonate
of lime, the question has suggested
itself as to whether by chemical ma
nipulation, the gems could not be
produced at the behest of science.
So far, however, no satisfactory re.
suits are recorded.
On account of their lustrous beauty
pearls have been highly priced from
the earliest ages, as ornaments worn
in various ways. Although not one
of the precious stones, the pearl is
usually rated next to the diamond as
a thing of beauty aud value. One oil
the most remarkable specimens on
record is said to have originally ex-
listed in Arabia. 1t was pearl-shaped,
between two and three inches in
length, and valued, according to the
schedule of prices, at no less than
$500, 900 in gold. The requisites OF
a specimen are size, tint, brilliancy
and form. The next in value is the
world-renowncd "Peregrina" once
drought to be the largest and most
magnificent pearl in the world. 1t is
about the size of pigeons egg and
was brought from Panama in the
year 1860 by Spanish adventurer.
This pearl has been variously priced
at from $500 to 100000. Many
of the worlds best pearls are at pres
ent to be found among the crown
Jewels of France.
The story that Pliny tells about
the pearl which Cleopatra dissolved
in vinegar and swallowed, in order
to Guido Antony her lover, in extrav-
agance, has gained a historic and
worldwide reputation, but the sci
ence of chemistry has shown that the
account is utterly wanting in truth
fulness. 1t is well known that there
is 70 acid that the human stomach
can bear without fatal results, capa-
bic of reducing the substance of a
pearl. The example OF Cleopatra
finds near parallel in the effort of
Sir Thomas Gresham to make himself
fool. He ground to powder a pearl
valued at $4,000 and drank it in a
glass of wine, to the health OF his
queen. But the romance which
attaches to these beautiful things
would fill volumes.
IT has been noted that there are