326 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



TREATMENT OF PEARLS WHEN FOUND. 



Concerning the treatment of pearls when found, definite answers were received in 

 52 papers, which, in some respects, show considerable diversity of usage. The pearls 

 are first thoroughly washed to remove all adhering animal matter, and two papers 

 speak of using alcohol to complete the cleansing. After this the essential point in 

 keeping or carrying them is to prevent injury to the surface from friction, and the 

 majority of those who describe what is done tell of wrapping in cotton, or soft 

 paper, cloth, flannel, or silk. Several speak of drying them, or keeping them dry. 

 But others would keep them in a liquid, six specifying a bottle of water and one sweet 

 oil or coal oil. Several speak of putting them into a bottle, but with no account of 

 its contents, or whether even dry, though an Indiana paper mentions cotton in a bottle, 

 and hence, in the cases just referred to, it is impossible to judge as to what is the 

 probable meaning. Two papers mention keeping pearls in starch, and one "in Iiish 

 potato/' The effect of sunlight is curiously alluded to by two papers, one stating 

 that pearls should be kept from it, and the other that they should be kept in it. 



Six Tennessee papers make interesting references to "peeling" dull arid unprom- 

 ising pearls, merely saying that this is sometimes done "with a sharp knife," and a 

 nice pearl obtained thereby. Alcohol, whiting, chamois leather, etc., are mentioned as 

 employed to produce a good surface of luster. Two other papers allude to polishing 

 or cleaning pearls, one specifying that it is done "with Irish potato." Two papers 

 say nothing under this head, save that there is no way to improve nature. 



DESTRUCTION OF THE MOLLUSKS. 



As to what, if any, use or disposal is made of the shells after being examined lor 

 pearls and the animals destroyed, the papers give a painful record of the utter waste 

 of an mormons amount of material valuable for many purposes in the arts. The 

 question is answered in 74 papers, with a melancholy uniformity. In only 12 of them 

 is there any suggestion of utilization of the shells, and in only 1 of the use of the 

 animals other thau as fish-bait, manure, or food for hogs. Twenty six answers say 

 simply that there is no use made of them, or that they are "wasted" or "thrown 

 away"; 9 say that they are thrown in the water, and add that the fish eat them and 

 also the muskrats and tortoises; 7 speak of their being used lor fish bait; for feeding 

 hogs, and 2 for manure. Several merely say that they are left on the banks or shoals 

 for rats, minks, and crows to dispose of. 



An Iowa, pearler states that the shells are utilized for bul ton-making, and that 

 some people use the animal for soup. The actual use of the shells for buttons is also 

 referred to by two pearlers, and their possible value for that purpose is noted in four 

 other papers, though they are- not so used as yet. One says that a lew are polished 

 tor ornamental purposes, and another makes a similar statement, adding that they are 

 also used to pave u;1 nlen walks and burned for lime. This hitter use, lor lime, is 

 referred to also by three, Tennessee papers as actual or possible, and one says that 

 they mi g lit be "ground to cement," and one Wisconsin writer notes that some are 

 ground up for poultry. 



AS A FOOD PRODUCT. 



There would seem to be a strong presumption that the mound builders must have 

 used the Uuios quite largely for food, as we know that the later Indian tribes did. as 

 will be referred to further on. They naturally were thus led to the finding of pearls. 



