in a solution of gamboge and dragon's blood, 

 being afterwards treated with paraffin or stearie 

 acid. All cheaper grades of meerschaum pipes, 

 holders, etc., are made of this or similar com- 

 pounds and it is very hard for the average 

 smoker to distinguish them as the ordinary 

 tests will not suffice. The absorption and color- 

 ing qualities are about the same. Such imita- 

 tions cost about half as much as the genuine 

 article or even sometimes less. 



It should be added that the chips and dust re- 

 sulting from the working of the genuine meer- 

 schaum are bonded together with a solution and 

 moulded and this is also sold as meerschaum. 



The number of genuine meerschaum pipes 

 annually manufactured is probably much less 

 than one-half a million, while there are probably 

 three or four times as many imitations. 



BRIAR ROOT 



As we have seen briar root is found to be the 

 most suitable wood for pipe smoking. The 

 word briar is not named from wild briar. The 

 word is a corruption of the French name La 

 Bruyere, meaning the heather shrub of that 

 name which grows along the Mediterranean 

 coast of France, Spain and neighboring coun- 

 tries. It is the root of this shrub which is the 

 substance used. The shrub is especially cul- 



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