phism of the limestone by the entrance 

 of eruptive rocks. The ruby-bearing 

 earth is known as "byon," and the stones 

 are obtained from it by washing. The 

 rubies are usually in the form of more 

 or less complete crystals. The mines 

 have been worked since the British oc- 

 cupation of Burmah in 1886 by a British 

 company, and there can be little doubt 

 that a desire to acquire these mines was 

 the chief reason for the occupation. The 

 mines have not proved very profitable, 

 however, and only within the last year or 

 two has the company been able to pay 

 any dividends. The hope of success has 

 lain in the introduction of machinery for 

 washing the byon more cheaply than it 

 could be done by the primitive native 

 methods, and it is now believed by the 

 introduction of an electrical power plant 

 that this has been accomplished. This 

 company now produces at least one-half 

 the annual yield of rubies of the world. 



Previous to the English working of 

 the mines the ruby mining was per- 

 formed by local miners under control of 

 the native government, all rubies above 

 a certain size going to the king. When- 

 ever a ruby of unusual size was found a 

 procession of grandees, with soldiers 

 and elephants, was sent out to meet it. 

 One of the titles of the King of Burmah 

 was Lord of the Rubies. 



The Siamese rubies come from near 

 Bangkok, on the Gulf of Siam. They 

 occur in a clay which seems to^ be the 

 product of alteration of a besalt. These 

 rubies are not equal in quality to^ those 

 of Burmah. Rubies are also found in 

 the gem gravels of Ceylon and in Af- 

 ghanistan, thirty-two miles east of Cabul. 

 In our O'wn country ruby Corundum is 

 occasionally found in connection with 

 opaque Corundum in Macon County, 

 North Carolina. Tn the gravels of Caler 

 Fork of Cowee Creek of this county good 

 rubies are found in sufficient quantity to 

 reward systematic mining for them. 



These rubies are mostly small, but 

 some gems of three or four carats' 

 weight and of excellent color have been 

 obtained. 



Among the Montana sapphires an oc- 

 casional red stone is found, but they do 

 not have the choicest red color. 



Another source of ruliics is their arti- 

 ficial production, after the method dis- 



covered by the French chemist Fremv. 

 These are made by heating a mixture of 

 aluminum sesquioxide, carbonate of lime, 

 barium fluoride and potassium chromate 

 in a porous clay crucible to a temperature 

 of 1500 degrees C. and keeping the mixt- 

 ure fluid for eight days. Well-formed, 

 clear crystals up to one-third of a carat 

 in weight are thus produced, which have 

 the hardness and color of native ruby. 

 They are not considered so valuable as 

 gems as the latter, and can be distin- 

 guished by the air bubbles which may be 

 seen with a lens. The expense of mak- 

 ing them is nearly equal to the value 

 of native rubies, so that their production 

 is likely to be limited. 



Rubies were known to the ancients, 

 being mentioned in the Bible in Proverbs 

 and Job. The Greeks and Romans 

 ascribed to the ruby the power of 

 giving light in the dark, and the 

 Hindoos describe the abodes of their 

 gods as thus lighted. The ruby was 

 much worn as an amulet, being sup- 

 posed to protect the wearer against 

 plague, poison and evil spirits. It 

 was also thought that it would turn 

 dark if its owner were in danger and 

 would not regain its color until the peril 

 was over. 



The ruby is usually cut in the form of 

 the brilliant, like the diamond, but some- 

 times the step cut is advantageously em- 

 ployed. The stones from India are 

 usually rounded by the native gem cut- 

 ters and worn in this manner. 



Blue precious Corundum or sapphire 

 is more abundant than the red or ruby. 

 Like the red the blue color seems to be 

 due to a content of chromium, since in 

 the artificial crystals already mentioned 

 as produced by Fremy, both colors occur 

 at times in the same crystal. The blue 

 color, however, unlike the reds, disappears 

 on heating. 



Blue Corundum exhibits various 

 shades from light to dark, the color most 

 highly prized being that known as corn- 

 flower blue. A good sapphire should 

 also have high luster and a velvety sheen. 

 As already noted, sapphire is somewhat 

 harder than rul)y, and it is also some- 

 what heavier. The IMontana sapphires 

 are said to be especially hard. 



Sapphires have at the present time not 

 over half the value of a rubv of the same 



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