The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1831-01-22
K.o'rledge is pO'cer,
Information Is capitdI.


~, The value of raw silk used in Franc
annually, is l2l millions OF francs; {
which, to the value of Is or l6 million
only is of French production; s. tina, nor
:, than 100, 600, 900 Of francs are PAID annu
ally by France herself for foreign silk
In Italy the silk trade is held as nobl
and privileged empIoyment-their noble
families are engaged in it and would con
slider themselves degraded by being con
cerned in any other mercantile business
They have an immense capital in tilatures
and this branch OF industry is there car
ried to the greatest extent. Hencc Italy
though she has been frequently impovcr.
ished by wars, soon RECEIVERS her former
wealth and rank By her attachment to thi.
branch ofindustry. The best silk is made
, in Piedmont in Genoa BY winding the
threads Of four sihen balls or cocoops the
coarscst in Calabra and Sicily--hy wiCd-
ing from go to 60 cocoons to thread. -
The fineness of the silk dei -nds upon the
number of cocoons wound to the thre ad
The cocoons are raised by the farming
people, and carried to market, where they
meet standard price and ready sale
They are purchased by the owners Of the
filatures. Some tilatures or reeling cs-
Establishments turn out yearly several hun
dred bales of raw silk The Importance
of the flatnrc depends upon tho number
Of reels in operation. The silk Of Pied
mont is raised on high hills where the air
is lively and the water soft and clear
There was imported into London, during
nine months in the year 1899 from the
ports of Italy, ITO less than 337 ,2O2 lbs. of
organzines and 81, 1885 los. Of rev silk, at
present, no doubt, less is imported into
from Italy, because the importa-
ton from Bengal has greatly increased.
noticed in the London Courier Of Q LIST
June last at the quarterly sale ofthe East
India Company's raw silks $500 bales of
Bengal silk offered, besides considerable
quantities Of China Bengal and Persian
we're offered by private traders.
The British East India Company first
planted mulberry trees IN Bengal and en-
the culture Of silk worms about
he year $50, and the business is now so
extended that the export Of silks for some
,ears past has been not far from million
,f lbs. annually. In 1891 the quantity
exported was 1857 900 pounds. A farm
n the silk growing districts in Connecti-
,ut in the County Of Windhan is worth
md will actually sell for one quarter or
,ne third more for having good mulber-
~ orchard upon it, than one that has not
houg, otherwise Of as good quality. Fer
Instance farm Of 100 acres under good
,tatc of Improvement that would sell for
x2OOO, if it had the addition OF good mul
,erry orchard would sell for 5000, and ,
hat in the present state Of the silk manu-
acture there, which l shall show is far .
rom being the most profitable. Early
mention is made Of silk as one OF the arti-
,les of trade which were imported from I
SYRIA by the Phernicians, whose mer-
chants and trafiickersthough seated in a
barren country are spoken ofin the words .
pf inspiration as among the honorable Of
he earth. Isaiah 1878. fs4,-
The Seres the first cultivators are men t
noned as ga gentle race who Stunned I
mankind.n Il is probable says the au-
thor of the Silk Manual that the Romans
first became acquainted with the real ma :
lure of silks from the writings of Diony- ,
sius Perioyetcs the Geographer, who had !
been sent by Augustus to compile an ac-
count of the oriental regions, and who in
formed his countrymen that precious gar 9
ments we're manufactured by the Sores {
from thre ads finer than those uf the spider.
Among all the articles OF elesance belong
ina to the luxurious Cleopatra, none seem
ed more to excite their admiration and as
. ,rishment than the silken sails of her
., asure barge, in which she visited them
at Alexandra. For long time after !,
continued to be 40 scarce md dear that IN
the Roman dominions it was confined to
women of fortune. II was moreover
30 effeminate HI article as to be /;
unfit for the dress of men; and IN the reign
of Tiberius law was passed THAT no
man should dshonour himself by wearing
silken garments" Two hundred years
subseouen, 10 this date the use Of It con-
.titused one of the many opprobrious char
pes which were made against the charac-
Ter of the emperor Elagabulus.
T,rx.--Jn .Attleborough, on Sunday
ueSrning last between one and two o'clock, Il