150 THE MANUFACTURE OF MOCK FEAKLS. 



from America to China is, in all probability, used only in those portions of 

 the empire accessible to Europeans ; for if we are to believe Messrs. Hue 

 and Gabit, it still retains its full ancient value in the interior and northern 

 provinces, showing that the traffic in this article is guarded as vigilantly as 

 that in any other foreign production. The Americans are suggesting the 

 cultivation of ginseng in California, where there is much valueless land, 

 and where there are already more than 50,000 Chinese. 



THE MANUFACTURE OF MOCK PEARLS. 



M. Jaquin having observed that, upon washing a small fish, the blay or 

 bleak (Cyprinus alburnus), the water contained numerous fine particles, 

 having the colour of silver and a pearly lustre, he suffered the water to 

 stand for some time, and, collecting the sediment, covered with it some 

 beads made of plaster of Paris, the favourable appearance of which induced 

 him to manufacture more of the same kind for sale. These were at first 

 eagerly adopted ; but the ladies soon finding that when they were exposed 

 to heat the lustrous coating transferred itself from the beads to their skin, 

 they were as quickly discarded. The next attempt of M. Jaquin was more 

 successful. He procured some glass tubes of a quality easily fusible, and 

 by means of a blowpipe converted these into numerous hollow globules. 

 He then proceeded to line the interior surface of these with the powdered 

 fish scales, which he called essence of pearl, or essence tV Orient. This was 

 rendered adhesive, by being mixed with a solution of isinglass, when it was 

 introduced in a heated state inside the globules, and spread over the whole 

 interior surface, by shaking the beads, which for that purpose were placed 

 in a bowl upon the table. These hollow beads being blown exceedingly 

 thin, in order to produce a better effect, were consequently very tender. 

 To remedy this evil, as soon as the pearly varnish was sufficiently dry 

 they were filled with white wax, and, being then bored through with a 

 needle, were threaded for sale. An expert workman can blow from five to 

 six thousand small globules in a day ; but as some attention is called for in 

 regard to the shape and appearance of these beads, the produce of a man's 

 daily labour will not much exceed one-fourth of that quantity. The closer 

 to counterfeit nature in their manufacture, these beads are sometimes pur- 

 posely made with blemishes, and of somewhat irregular forms. Some are 

 made pear-shaped ; others are elongated, like olives ; and others, again, 

 are flattened on one side, in imitation of natural pearls, which are set in a 

 manner to show only one side. The fish whose scales are put to this use 

 are about four inches in length. They are found in great abundance in 

 some rivers, and, being exceedingly voracious, suffer themselves to be taken 

 without difficulty. The scales furnished by 250 of these fish will not 

 weigh more than an ounce, and this will not yield more than a fourth of 

 that quantity of the pearly powder applicable to the preparation of beads, 

 go that 16,000 fish are required in order to obtain only one pound of the 



