Gems Notes and Extracts Augusto Castellani, Mrs. John Brogden 1871

62 GEMS.carefully in order to enrich their countrytrade.with theNaturalists, and those who devote themselves to thisculture, agree that it is not difficult to produce thiszoophyte in the different seas of every climate, and tocultivate and increase it as in the case of fish. In 1 754Lord Ellis observed that the polyp has an ovary fullof infinitesimal ova, which, all joined together in akind of thread when thrown in the sea-w T ater, open andbecome little worms, that is, polyps, which, when arrivedat maturity, can also produce coral in any place.Focillon, in 1856, wrote a scientific essay on the artificialformation of coral-banks in the most favourablesites. Coral is used in every sort of ornament andjewellery, and becomes the pretty blonde as well as thelively brunette. Formerly the deep red colour waspreferred at present the pale pink is in demand, and;this, when natural, is most rare ;but the red can befaded to this shade by placing it in an acid solution,although in this case the colour is more dull than thatof the natural pink.Barbot affirms that coral immersed in boiling oliveoil loses the purple hue, and becomes yellowish grey.The ancients knew and used the coral, called inLatin iris nobilis :they discoursed largely 011 its nature,and attributed to it medicinal virtues.The Eomans used it as an amulet, and put coronasof it on their children's necks as a preservative fromcontagion. The Gauls decorated their warlike instrumentswith it.