carefully in order to enrich their country with the trade.
Naturalists,
and those who devote themselves to this culture, agree that it is not
difficult to produce this zoophyte in the different seas of every
climate, and to cultivate and increase it as in the case of fish. In
1754 Lord Ellis observed that the polyp has an ovary full of
infinitesimal ova, which, all joined together in a kind of thread when
thrown in the sea-water, open and become little worms, that is, polyps,
which, when arrived at maturity, can also produce coral in any place.
Focillon, in 1856, wrote a scientific essay on the artificial
formation of coral-banks in the most favourable sites. Coral is used in
every sort of ornament and jewellery, and becomes the pretty blonde as
well as the lively brunette. Formerly the deep red colour was preferred
; at present the pale pink is in demand, and this, when natural, is
most rare ; but the red can be faded to this shade by placing it in an
acid solution, although in this case the colour is more dull than that
of the natural pink.
Barbot affirms that coral immersed in boiling olive oil loses the purple hue, and becomes yellowish grey.
The ancients knew and used the coral, called in Latin iris nobilis : they discoursed largely on its nature, and attributed to it medicinal virtues.
The
Romans used it as an amulet, and put coronae of it on their children's
necks as a preservative from contagion. The Gauls decorated their
warlike instruments with it.
