20 Transactions Tennessee Academy of Science 



formerly rich pearling grounds, because no mussels were left to re- 

 produce. 



The reason so few Tennessee people know much about these beau- 

 tiful gems from their own rivers is because the great majority of the 

 pearls are sent direct to New York for sale, as New York is the great 

 pearl market of the United States. 



The Beauty of Pearls from Our Clear Streams. 



The beauty, and therefore value, of a pearl is greatly increased by 

 being produced by mussels in clear water. For this reason the pearls 

 from the clear streams of our Tennessee Highlands are famous for 

 their beauty and value. 



The waters of each section of the United States contain different 

 elements in solution. These elements give a different appearance to 

 the pearls from those sections. Pearls from our clear, pure, high- 

 land streams are a beautiful white; those from Wisconsin, whose 

 waters have a slight impregnation of copper, are a beautiful green; 

 those from red, sandy streams being rusty-reddish, or sometimes a 

 beautiful bronze. An expert can look at an unknown pearl and tell 

 from what section it came. 



I am showdng you herewith some typical pearls from the Cumber- 

 land and Caney Fork rivers. I am also showing you typical pearls 

 from all the other pearl-producing sections, not only of the United 

 States but from all the great pearl waters on the globe —pearls from 

 the Arabian Sea, the Coast of Ceylon, coast of North Australia, Ven- 

 ezuela and Japan — white pearls, rare black pearls, bronze pearls, 

 pink pearls, green pearls. 



History of Pearl Industry in Tennessee. 



Pearls had l)een found now and then in our rivers since the white 

 men first came here. No one appeared to realize their value or pos- 

 sibilities. Nothing was done to develop the industry until about 

 1876. About this year a fisherman on Caney Fork River, near Lan- 

 caster, found a magnificent pearl which, after going from one less 

 posted man to another a little better posted, and so on through sev- 

 eral hands, is said to have brought in New York about $2,000.00, 

 and was probably worth, from the best descriptions I have been 

 able lo get of it, not less than $10,000.00. This set the people to 



