ocr: the turn of the century A the vested ofPolynesia pearl oysters fisheries har- just for thei iridescent inner shell, mother-of- pearl for the world's buttons. Back then apearl was an exotic windfall. Today nearly every pearl on the worid market is cultured, grown by man. At another of Wan's farms, Imarveled at the pearl farm- ers ingenuity. They use plas- tic garlands suspended in the lagoon to provide an anchor- aget for the drifting pinhead- size laryac, In a few months cach garland is choked with little oysters (bottom far left), which soon grow to the size of silver dollars. At six months t ...
