Litchfield enquirer., 1834-06-19
OF SILK.

u
zion Of Eiizwr Goodrich, Jr, and OtheFS'
sCOuId respect fully report:
THAT fhe experience Of nearly sixty years
,,.s shawn that the State of Connecticut Is
..sc.rlv well situated for the production of
s;Ik The White Mulberry. has long been
.,,l,;safrd with entire success IN every part ct
~. Ct.fe. and is found to thrive remarkably
:. our lighter soils, Of little value for other
,,,,r,,os.s' The Chinese Mulberry also has
i.,.Iv been introduced with the most etsc0ura-
ring prospects Of being acclinaafed; aud from
either or both of these sources an abundant
nrovislon can be made for the Rourishment ct
me silk worm at the cheapest rate. Our cll-
mate in SIMMER has been found, by its warmth
and dryness, well adapted to the successful
production Of the silk worm so that our IN
habitants have never been compelled to resort
10 the complicated and expensive apparatus
found necessary in France and other Europe
an countries, IN attaining the same object
and hence we may altogether dispense with
Thermometers, hydrometers. graduated heats.
fnmigations. and many other things alike
troublesome.
Our silk, too, having been rigidly tested by
the manufacturers Of Lyons, as well as By the
experienced 81 OUR own country, is found to
De nat only superios In quality to that Of
Fnanse and Italy, but is afforded In greater
quantities at the same expense Of time and la
Dor. "In France" says distinguished man
ufacturer from that country. who lately visi-
ted ours, !" it requires twelve pounds Of CO.
coons 10 produce one pound of raw silk, while
! in this country. eight pounds will be amply
sufficient to produce the same qualify
Thus.in respect to soil, climate, and quantity
of the production, weeniOy peculiar advanta-
ges for entering on the broadcast scale, into one
OF the most lucrative branches Of industry
which nation can enjoy. It is therefore
very interesting question Why. after the ex-
perience of sixty years has furnished evidence
that no people can surpass us 10 the rearing
Of the silk worm. have we made so little pro-
gress in the production Of silk The answer
your committee apprehend, VIII De found 10
single fact, viz: Our sen'at Of the proper ma
chinery for conperting the labor Of the silk norm
into use Of man. Our mode of Keeling the
.silk. fromihe cocoon has hitherto been tedi-
GUS, uncertain and wsstefUk We have con.
fined the manufacture Of the raw material
almost exclusively TO. the production Of sew
ing silk, while IN Europe, this article is made
only of refuse silk, and imperfect cocoons |;
thus wasting on an inferior product flor want
OF skilL and machinery those finer parts Of
the staple which are reserved IN other coun-
tries for tho most beautiful and costly fabrics.
on this point, the manufacturer already men,
tjoned. ohserves: 4 The State Of Connecticut
BY beginning at the wrong end, and making
sewing SILK befoge she had learned to prepare
the material, lis been seventy [siAtyl years
following the same course without advancing
a.step. She may proceed in the same man
ner Tor ages, misenplOying the gifts Of Prov.
I idehce and will raest With 40 better success
4 While your Donmittee IRE constrained t
believe that this pointed censure Is just. they
are syaiiiied TO say u, that they indulge the hop
thai they shall not he compelled to. seek ~.
COlnmIttee have carefully examined some We
IN Ingenious machinery. for Keeling silk, an.
Cor Spinning aud weaving by water, or othe
power, invented By Mcssrs. Gay d Bottom
natives Of this State; which IL introduced In
to general use. seems likely to remove the
impedimenfs which have Obstructed this
bsanch Of industry. so obviously marked out
by Providence for large numbers Of ourpop-
ulati0n, and so rich source ofwealth to 9TH
ssr countries. Nothing is wanting but to place
In different parts Of the State the proper facil-
ities for Keeling. spinning and manufacturing
silk, to create an immediate demand for co.
cocns, and thus induce large part Of the fam.
lilies among us to enter at once on the raising
Of the silk worm, which being carried on
chiefly by children and females will be almost
40 entire addition to the productive labor of
the State,
Y0iM committee win not venture TO repeat
the estimate, made by the coolest men, after
the most rigid calculations. as TO the amount
ofprOft whichsuch direction Of our industry
might afford. Suffice it to say, that our coun.
try now sends abroad annually, from sepe,, 10
tseefge asillions Of dollars for silk goods, which
might be produced at home; and that the
southern part Of France, lays other countries
underrontributiOn by this single branch Of
Industry to the astonishing amount of twenty.
two millions Of dollars year.
With these facts before them, yonr Com
mittee are Of opinion that some encourage
msnt ought 70 DO given for the establishment
of Improved machinery ia different parts Of
the state, for Keeling, spinning and n,anufac. |
furingthe product Of the silk worm. With. |
out this, they believe the bounty recently
ysanted TOR the culs1rs of the Mulberry viii
be Of no effect IN giving a permanent exis-
tenee to this important branch Of industry.--
Nothlng but steady demand for an article.
A. q iaIr price. can secure its regular prOduc-
!son; and that demand in the present case can
% created only by the existence Of a hone
n:GrAes, formed by the establishment of ma
c.nlnery among 10. which shall convert the |
slik nom the cocoon to those valuable pur-
poses fof which mature designed it. This has |
been done ID most countries Of Europe, at /
vasf expense, and under the patronage and |