Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-05-23
Miscellaneous.
From the Charleston Mercury.
ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE
SILK CIT(TITRF

ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE
SILK CULTURE.
Nessrs. Editors.-Will the making OF
Silk prove sufficiently profitable TO insure
its general introduction, as branch Of ag-
ricultural labor? This is indeed the basis
on which The success or failure of the Silk
Culture must and will depend. 1t will of
course avail nothing to show, that we
possess climate and soil every way pro-
propitious for making Silk, and that there
will be ready market for it when made
ifit cannot also be shown that it will prove
profitable branch of industry.
We may start then with the general,
hui well known ct,tl,at all countries that
have cultivated Silk 10 any extent. have
found il an extensively profitable business:
~ ould China and Italy-countries blessed
by nature with soil and climate highly
favorable TO all the productions of all The
most valuable sap pies of agriculture, so
long have made Silk the most extensive
staple. had i, nnl been found profitable?
In Italy and France, the profits on labor
and capital invested, are estimated from
80 TO 100 per cent. 1t will be more easy
and more 10 the point, TO ascertain what
are The profits Of Silk growins.in e.U.
States, from the common Mulberry, and il
il can be shown that Silk can be made
pro6,ablv from the common Mulberry, the
Introduction of the Nlnrus MulIicaulis or
China Mulberry, has produced new era
in the culture OF silk. In the Silk Manu-
al, prepared by Richard Rush, Secretary
OF the Treasury of the United States, in
obedience to n Resolution Of Congress i'll
1928. there is statement Of the profits
from an acre planted with the White Null
berry. The estimate is made by John
Fitch, of Mansfield, Connecticut, town
where there has probably been more Silk
raised than any other in the Union. MIR.
Fitch states that an acre of full grown
trees of the common Mulberry, Il rods
apart, will produce 40 lbs Of Silk. He
estimates the labor rs follows: For the
first threo weeks, one woman, or children
whose services would be equal 10 sush a
person. For the next 12 or IA days, five
hands, or what would be equal TO five #
done by children, for picking off the balls
and reeling the Silk. About the same a.
mount oflabor for thes ssame time for spin
ins the Silk labor to The amount Of S34;
the 40 lbs. Of Silk, at the lowest cash
price, would now bring 1920. Labor
and board he estimates at $50, spinning
S34-lhat would leave S206 clear profits
on an acre. If the Silk should not be
spun but orly reeled, the labor would cost
$50. and the silk in that stale brings S5
per Ib. At a Silk Meeting held al New
Brighton, Pennsylvania. on the 18th Feb
ruaTy. there was submitted by DR.. Cham
bcrlain, statement from r. l.. Baker, in
relation to the Silk business, al Economy,
Beaver county, Pennsylvania. Nr. Ba-
ker it appears was the business represent
ative of the society al Economy. There
we're exhibited at the meeting several spe-
cimens of Silk manufactured from the
trees al Economy such as Sewing Silk,
Handkerchiers. Ladies Dresses, plain and
figured Satin Vestings, Silk Velvet, &c.
The samples were afterwards placed III
the hands of Gideon B. Smith, of Baltl-
more. He states that they are "pro-
noupced by good judges first rate goods of
their kind, and far superior in web and
texture to goods usually imported" The
.estimate does no, state the number OF a.
| cres OH whichthe trees were planted, and
from which The quantity was made; there
were about Is, 900 trees, principally oflhe
! White Mulberry; that number Of The Chi
ma Mulberry would have required three
acres. The raw Silk made per year from
the $1,000 trees was $50 lbs, this is stated
10 produce 3O3l yards Of dress Silk, at ST.
per yard, equal to 3031 dollars The
whole expense of feeding the worms, reel
| ing, spinning, weaving, dyeing, interest on
investment, etc. $I479 so; this leaves a
clear profit of 1852 so. This was the
amount cleared iu 1S33,-ceTtainly a
splendid profit. As The Morus Mnllicaulis
is likely 10 come into general use for Silk
Culture. it will be more tothe purpose to
ascertain, if possible, the profit tina, may
be expected from making Silk from il. Its
reputation is now so firmly established by
long continued and rigid experiment, thai
there is no ground for doubling its supe'
riority; it has been ascerlained from ex.
neriments. that an acre planted IN the cut.