254 Pearls. 



mussels naturally produce, are in the habit of 

 stimulating their growth by artificial rneans. This 

 method of Pearl production has already been in- 

 cidentally alluded to in an earlier chapter of this 

 work (p. 119), but as it constitutes a very ancient 

 and important industry in China, it may be well in 

 this place, to describe the process more minutely. 

 The industry is confined to a district within a few 

 days' journey of Ningpo, and some years ago 

 Mr. Consul Hague and Dr. Macgowan despatched 

 an intelligent native to the locality, with a view of 

 drawing up a complete report on the methods 

 employed, and of procuring illustrative specimens. 

 In 1853, the late Sir John Bowring communicated 

 to the Society of Arts a valuable paper on this 

 subject, prepared by Dr. Macgowan, and from this 

 communication, we extract the following interesting 

 account of this curious art : — 



''The practice of the art is confined to two 

 conterminous villages, near the district city of 

 Tehtsing, in the northern part of Chihkiang, in a 

 silk-producing region. In the month of May or 

 June, large quantities of the mussel {Mytilus cygnus)^ 

 are brought in baskets from, the Tahu, a lake in 

 Kiangsu, about thirty miles distant, the largest 

 among the full-grown being specially selected. As 

 their health suffers on the journey, they are allowed 



