14 CONTENTS. 



Part 2. Fresh- water mussel fishery — Continued. Page. 



Elements of wiiste 6i 



Culls 6i 



Meats 6i 



Undersized shells 63 



Part 3. Manufacture of pearl buttons from fresh- water mussel shells , 64 



Establishment of the industry 64 



Some economic effects of the industry 66 



Development of the industry 66 



Development relative to other branches of the button industry 67 



Imports and exports of buttons 68 



Summary of economic effects 69 



Development of modem methods 69 



Processes of manufacture 70 



Preparation of shells 70 



Storage 70 



Classifying 70 



Soaking ■ 71 



Sawing or blank cutting 71 



The machine 71 



Detached cutting plants 72 



Work and wage of cutter 72 



Production of blanks 73 



Finishing processes 74 



Preparing the blanks 74 



Making the buttons 75 



Polishing 77 



Sorting 77 



Bleaching and Ayeing 78 



Carding, packing, and sale 78 



Utilization of waste products 80 



Use of shells for novelties 80 



Processes for polishing shells 81 



Buffing process 81 



Chemical process 81 



Economy and waste 82 



The problem of cutting 82 



Defective blanks -. 83 



Choice of shells for particular lines 84 



Shop management 84 



Proportions of product and waste 86 



Waste in cutting 86 



Waste due to excessive thickness 87 



Waste in discarded shells 88 



Resum6 of manufacture ^^ 



