REPORT OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST. lxxiii 



Oldenburg, Germany, one of the principal manufacturing cities of this 

 material, is about twenty-five cents per pound, and the beauty of the 

 varieties occurring in Texas would add materially to that price. 



Pudding Stone. — Of equal beauty with the agates are some varie- 

 ties of metamorphosed pudding stones brought from the lower moun- 

 tains by Prof. Streeruwitz. They take fully as fine a polish, and the 

 variety of color and shape of the inclusions are very pleasing. 



Serpentine. — Some of the serpentines of West Texas will be valu- 

 able as ornamental stones. So far no "precious serpentine" has been 

 found, but some of the red and green varieties will come into use as 

 the region is developed. Central Texas also affords varieties which 

 may be utilized. 



Silicified Wood. — While the greater part of the silicified wood of 

 the State is not of much value as an ornamental stone, there are certain 

 horizons in the Fayette Beds in which the wood has been opalized and 

 presents a pleasant variety of color and banding. These will probably 

 be used quite largely for various purposes in ornamental work so soon 

 as their beauty is properly shown. 



Pearls. — Texas is one of the principal pearl producing States of the 

 United States. Mr. Kunz, in "Grems and Precious Stones," mentions 

 one from Llano valued at ninety-five dollars, which was sold in New 

 York. The pearls are found in the Unios, or fresh water mussels, which 

 abound in the Colorado, Llano, and Concho rivers, and many other 

 streams in Texas. They have been collected in large numbers, and in 

 collecting them great numbers of the shell fish have been destroyed. In 

 order to avoid this wholesale destruction, and leave the animal to propa- 

 gate more valuable progeny, Mr. Kunz recommends that instruments 

 similar to those used in Saxony and Bavaria be introduced here. One of 

 these is a flat iron tool, the other a pair of sharp pointed pliers, both 

 fashioned for the purpose of opening the shells for examination without 

 injury to the animal, which, if no pearl is found, is replaced in the shoal. 



Alabaster. — Alabaster of fine grain and translucency occurs both 

 among the rocks of the Cretaceous formation and in the gypsum region 

 of the Permian. Its uses in vases and statuary are well known, and 

 material suitable for any of these purposes can be secured in any desired 

 quantity. 



REFRACTORY MATERIALS. 



Refractory materials, or those which will stand very high degrees of 

 heat without injury, are of the highest importance in manufacturing. 



