SIXTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I909 57 



found near Binghamton and in other inland localities. The Indians 

 also recognized and valued the fresh-water pearls, for these have 

 been taken sometimes in large numbers from Indian graves, usu- 

 ally perforated for stringing on a necklace and " more than three 

 score and ten " pearls of unusual size, now unfortunately discol- 

 ored and partially decomposed, were taken from one of the burial 

 sites in the Genesee valley. The list of these occurrences among 

 the excavated remains of the aborigines is rather surprising. 



The earliest historic records of the discovery of pearls here are 

 of altogether recent date. The finding of the Queen pearl at Notch 

 Brook, N. J. in 1857 is usually regarded as the first noteworthy 

 discovery of the kind in recent times. In 1868 pearls were found 

 in the fresh-water clam shells of the Mohawk valley near the city 

 of Rome and one of them is known to have brought the price of 

 $100 in the market. 



The lakes and streams of central, northern and northeastern 

 New York, specially those draining into the St Lawrence river, 

 have yielded the largest, finest and most numerous pearls. 63 

 grains is the weight of the largest known New York pearl. It 

 was found in the Grasse river in 1897 and sold for $800. Most 

 of the pearls from northern New York are of a peculiar trans- 

 lucent white, often highly lustrous. Others are of a light pink or 

 rose color. As a rule the pearls of the streams are more abundant 

 and of finer quality than are those of the lakes, the latter being 

 usually milky in color, lacking in luster and hence of inferior 

 quality. While it is not at all likely that these pearls are now to be 

 had in sufficient quantity as to justify any extended operations that 

 would involve much expense, yet it is most desirable to have defi- 

 nite data in regard to their occurrence and the conditions govern- 

 ing them. Pearl culture has been attempted with various degrees 

 of success in many countries, though seldom on the fresh-water 

 mollusks. The results attained do not give promise of culture 

 pearls of high quality, but nevertheless they have had a commer- 

 cial value, and may, even here, be made to form an important 

 accessory to the cultivation of the shells themselves. 



Another economic phase of this subject is the market value 

 of certain varieties of these clam shells for the manufacture of 

 pearl buttons. There are at present more than a score of button 

 factories in the State which annually consume thousands of tons 

 of shells in their operations. At present their supply of fresh- 

 water shells is almost entirely obtained from the Mississippi 



