Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-07-13
Shephedstwn July . 1916
Where Pearls Come From.


Many OF the finest pearls in the world
come from the little cluster of islands in
the PHILIPPINES known as rhe Sulu group.
The crew OF Sulu pearling schooner
contains from seven TO ten men, who may
be Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, Moros,
or East Indiamen. The Japanese is usu-
ally the diver, while the others sail the
boat, haul the nets, sort the shells, and
do the cooking and washing.
The diver is looked up to by all the
others. He usually wears modern div
ing suit. When he has found promis-
ing-looking LOT Of shells, he gives Sig
nal, on which the others lower a net,
which he fills with the shells.
The shells are about foot in diameter,
rough, and of sombre drab color. II
does not take many hundred 10 fill net,
or many netfuls to make cargo. When
the pearler makes port the pearls are
listed and graded according to size, shape
and lustre, and are sent by way ofSinga-
pore or Manila to London, the best pearl
market in the world.
Shells are often barren of pearls, and
voyage after voyage may be made with
little or no result; but the expenses Of
the voyage are small, and one successful
voyage pays the expenses OF nine or Ten
unsuccessful ones, and leaves hand
some profit besides. The fishermen
think they are faring we'll if each man
has an allowance OF five cents day for
fish and rice.
In Japan, pearl hunting becomes sys-
tematic pearl farming. The Japanese
have discovered or planted great many
beds OF pearl oysters, especially on the
eastern coast OF the island OF Honshu.
The Bay OF Ago is particularly popular
with the pearl farmers because it con-
tains many land-locked coves, where the
water is never disturbed by storms. The
climatic conditions also are perfect, and
the oysters multiply prodigiously.
In the early spring the pearl farmer de-
posts small flat stones in the shallow
coves for the oyster spawn to attach it.
self 10.
In November the spats, stones and all,
are removed to places where the water
has depth OF at least twelve feet, for
the shallow water freezes quickly. The
baby oyster remains in moderately deep
water, undisturbed, until it reaches the
age of three years, when il is transferred
to another section OF the oyster bed.
AT this time the pearl farmer prizes the
shell gently apart and puts in the "nucle-
us" which is tiny pellet OF stone. He
then replaces the oyster in the water,
still fastened 10 the stone. On the pellet,
or nucleus, form the pearl deposits, layer
after layer.
After being transferred 10 the second
section, the young oyster is left TO itself
for four years. Then at seven years it is
ready TO yield the pearl OF great price.
Unfortunately great many oysters, in
spite OF all the care that is taken with
them, prove barren.
But even the barren oysters are not
wholly without vaue; the mother-of-
pearl, or inner lining of the shell, can be
sold, although, of course, il is worth only
a fraction of what pearl would bring.
Mother-of-pearl is used principally in
making buttons and in inlaying work.
The Chinese and japanese use great
deal of it on teakwood trays, taborets, Ia
bles, boxes, and so forth.