The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-13

IN;
American ms ructors told him 1T
looked reasonable He returned to
his native land and began his expert
ments. 3
Today this son of Japan has IA
thousand acres OF the bed of the Bay
or Ago planted IN pearls. AZ repre-
sentative OF the American Bureau Of
Fisheries visited thissnovel farm and
went out into the pearl patch and
gathered, at random. ten clam shells.
They were taken ashore and exam
med. Seven of the ten had valuable
pearls In them.
This farm was built UP In this way
The man with-the idea experimental
until he had proved the possib flitN
of artificially Inducing the growth or
a pearl. He does not explain the
details. but it is known that he tn
serts bits OF mother Of pearl as ir-
ritants. These make amore nearly
pure product. There are inserted III
such way that the pearl Will be al
most free from the shell and there
fore nearly sphere. The method Of
nature where the parasite IS pres
ent within the flesh of the oyster
may also be used. The young oysters
that are ready for innocuIation have
but to be introduced into tanks that
are infected by these parasites when
certain percentages OF them will be j
left with the thorn that will produce
ultimately the desired result.
The detail of planting the CLAIMS is
interesting. First it becomes neceszI
ssary to capture the young CLAIMS. This
is done. by placing stones that. weigh
six or eigh pounds in the tides inl
which the young CLAIMS are known to-
drift about before they become att
;tacheG. These clans are looking for
stones to which they may cling. mi
this way they are trapped. When
clam has once fastened itself TO a
rock, it sticks to the end.
1t is not desirable to start thel
growth OF the pearl until the clam is !
three years old. So these rocks arel
placed in suitable surroundings and
where they may easily be recovered
when the time comes. When the !
CLAIMS are three years old TREY are
gathered up and inocu1ated. Then
they are placed back in the water, in
carefully designated beds, where they
are left for four years more At the
end Of that time the pearls should be-
sufficiently developed for marketing
The clans are carefully gathered in
from the beds, the dates of plantingf
of which are carefully recorded, the
pearls are extracted, and the harvest
is ready for the market.
While japanese first saw the posi-
sibihty OF this sort OF pearl culture
an American was at about the same
time developing plan that promises,
to have as great an influence upon thel
business of harvesting this crop OIL
the seas He was an; electrical engi7I
ineer and, while incid ental1y looking
into the pearl business, conceived AMI
apparatus that would greatly facili-l
tate it and conserve the source Of
supply.
The old method was that of securing
all the clam shells possible, opening
them and taking whatever OF vaIue4
came to hand. As but one clam in all
hundred had pearl in it, the ninety
nine We're sacrificed and no good was
received from TIL EN-. Not only this, butt
many immature pearls were foundl
that would have been valuable il they
had but been left a few years to grow
So this American CONCEIVED the !
idea Of making x-ray photographs OF
the trays Of shells before they weret
opened. He perfected a device that
In operation he runs the clam shells
through his ablishment. photo
graphing the trays as they pass along
The pictures are imme diately devel-l
ioped and show Just which clans havel
pearls. Those that have Jewels thatI
are ready for harvest are set aside
and the stones reclaimed Those that
have Immature stones are planted inl
beds where they may be taken up |
again when the little stones have had
time to mature. Those clans thatl
have no pearls at all are placed back
in the beds where they may becomel
inoculated or where they may at least
breed other generations Of clans
that may become pearl bearers This
American has establ ished pearl
farm on Ceylon which heais operating
inathe light OF his inventions: AS farI
as is known, there has been no COM
bination4 OF the two methods uponf
Which these two remarkable farmsI
are based 55
The American Bureau OF Fisheriesl
has Abeen carefully watching the de-
svelopment of these two experiments
in pearl farming The experts on precxf
.ious stones OF the national museum
have been even more directly inter
ested. These latter scientists have
paid particular attention to the pos
!stbf lily OF establ listing in American
s5-3s a Dus esS4 n afttHc1aIly in-l
5duced pearls. They cite the fact that
"a great many very excellent pearls
each year come from the inland Wal III
sers Of the United States. The trfb1l-l
ltaries OF the Mississippi every yearI
yield $500. 900 worth OF high Grade
pearls. The great clam shells that
form the basis OF the American button
|iddustry offer the best sort OF mater
ial for. the artificial propagat ion Of the
| pearl
FRESH RAY SHAD
You can get them at Smdthys Pike
street advertisements.