The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-06-24

day comes from the modern mining
introduced by the foreign
ers
Nexico's Mining Laws
| have received many inquiries ~
10 the mining laws Of Mexico. They
are simple and practical Every camp
has its board which looks after the
interests Of the miners. and foreign
ers have the same rights as natives IN
o~enounclng a claim.
| The ordinary mining claim A. called
| a pertenancIa- 1t contains about los
square meters or about two and me
haif acres, and II can be held nv tax
ing out the proper papers and paying
at the rate of SIX dollars. Mexican
currency, for each twenty-five claims
per year The title of the claims
are recorded in the department OF
Fomento and patents for them 9rc -
sued by the general government I'ne
mining laws are more liberal tns>a
ours. and claims can be h lid whether
worked or not. 50 Ions as the taxes
lar paid.
Mexico Is now producing a S,odiv
amount Of pearls and also of precious
stones used in the arts. The pcap1S
"a 80 sA~sAe NV
oysters being found on both sides II
the peninsula by native divers and
also being cultivated on farms. The
fishing is under concessions frora the
Mexican government. and one con
pany, which has the largest pearl
farm in he world. is now employing
in the harvesting season more thsn
one thousand hands. The oysters are
planted, the eggs being placed in altl-
hclal channels. where the yoAng caa
} be protected from their natural nc
| mics. AS they grow they are take;
into deeper water and kept in large
: boxes or cages and there lef, 10 dc
: Velop. The harvest is ready At Tie
5 end Of two years, at which ':ne IL
!. is said that the shells ar, At th@t
4 best and contain the best pearl. IL J.
4 also said that the pearls disa ppear
4 after that age.
Three kinds of pearls. yeuoy-. White
and black. are now being found. The
yellow ones are OF the ,east value
the white ones come next, BENG WORT
about $3.50 a carat. and the most val
liable are the black pearls, which ar,
worth $500 a carat and upward.
q One of the biggest pearls eve
re found here was three-tcurths Of a,
q inch in diameter. It was tafcn I.
Paris and sold to the Emperor )
So Austria for $4,000. A black pear
HUH tLlS ~ tdIucd DIT %
y went first TO Madrid. and was give
by Spain to Napoleon III. An"the
N famous Mexican pearl was OF rose col
a or. 1t was found about 200 year
ne ago n was sold in Europe for $50
600.
Mexico's Opal Mines.
OF Mexico has mines OF fine stones, if
9. Guiding emeralds, topazes, carnets an
IN a~methysts. The most profitable 81
en- those which produce turqu,.ises an
ne epa!s. The turpoises ocme ma.nl
u from Zacatecas, and the opais al
en- found near Queretaro. where I one
re stopped on my way TO Mexico City.
d saw there hundreds OF peasants +.
IN work in the mines. The opal weir
lie in strata. scattered through q ma
rix suuhard that dynamite is used
M dislodge it. The country is 30 rio
es that traces of the minerals can /
y. seen in the stones used FOR buildir
!" purposes.
Some Of the opals are stolen AT
ma sold by the workmen. Peddiers ha
le, ithcm for sale at the static IL, an
"a eynI on the streets Of Mex % (r
py The peddlers wrap the stonss in b AZ
as veivAt or black paper, and When Thu
les sh.ey it,eTc 1t is d the raw 81 q
sun. which bring out the full brl
tei Ihancy OF the gem at first glance. O
ISL has to be very careful in buying opa.
for many OF the stones are cracks
"a: and the cracks concealed by soaki1
them for a night or SO in Olive o
'ht The finest stones go to Mexico CT
ona cor> af tho besf are sent To r
he 200 and tho Tinted States. Tn,
Try hr;no an Kinds Of pr;ces from a fp
les cnnts ia hundreds of dollars. accof
ne ing to their size. color and the br
nd. liancv ef their ~opalescence
at Pan G CARPENTER.
ON ~
~-~~-AnN aAaR nc