444 1^^^ Commercial Products of the Sea. 



ornaments. The branches of coral assume the espalier shape 

 and other forms. Negligie, collette, and oHve-shaped beads 

 are made. 



Coral is valued according to its bulk, colour, sound- 

 ness and freedom from defects. Certain rare kinds, of 

 pale tints, are worth 20 times their weight in pure gold. 



The ornamental applications of coral are very varied, — 

 negligees, beads {bukls and boutons), bracelets, brooches, 

 ear-drops, tiaras, combs, hair-pins, chains, crosses, links ; 

 studs, and scarf-pins for gentlemen, settings for rings, 

 charms, pendants, parasol garnitures, cameos, and foliage; 

 coral and bells for children ; and watch-cases are some- 

 times inlaid with pale rose-colour coral. 



The Romans used to hang beads of red coral on the 

 cradles and round the necks of infants, to " preserve and 

 fasten their • teeth," and save them from the " falling 

 sickness."^ In modern days they are used to prevent the 

 skin of the neck from chafing, and the child's coral and 

 bells is not yet obsolete. 



The general use of coral dates back to the fifteenth 

 century, under Francis I. Naples, Genoa, and Leghorn 

 have been from old times the three great centres to which 

 the raw material has been carried, and where skilful arti- 

 ficers have established themselves in order to work at its 

 transformation into ornaments. In the four principal manu- 

 factories, and at several second-rate establishments for 

 working on coral in Leghorn, there are more than looo 

 women employed preparing about 50,000 lbs. weight of 

 coral into little beads, round, egg-shaped, smooth and cut 

 into facets, etc. The greater part is sent to India ; a 

 large portion is exported to Germany, especially for 

 necklaces of an inferior quality destined to serve as funeral 

 ornaments, and some to Russia, where coral is in great 



