The native American., 1839-09-28
CULTURE OF SILK WORMS.
the ship

As our District is omcrcial nor mHl.-
ufac,uring, though possessing vantagrs
Tor the former, and perhaps more for the latter
wise our citizens TO turn their attention to the
culture Of the mulberry and the raising of silk
worms both are easy and agreeable occupations,
requiring very little outlay of capital, and not
much labor. This advice we would extend to
all the rest of the Union where small farmers find
their agricut insunic the full support
of their family, or where the force is too made
quae for the general management of al the
land.
No objection can arise from supposed inapi-
ness Of climate to the raising of the tree neces-
sary for The food of the worm, or the worm it.
self, as both of them thrive in all dry regions.
China, through all parts Of which this industry
is carried on, extends from the gid to The 4lst de-
gree of north latitude, which is nearly within the
same parallel as the settled parts of our own coun-
try. Florida being in % and the southern part Of
Maine in 43 degrees north.
The culture Of silk in the East owes its origin
to the ingenuity, perseverance, and policy of all
Empress, who invented tho art of making gar
mcns out Of the filamcnts more than four tllous-
ard four hundred year ago. Such has been its
importance in employing redundant population,
and producing public as well as private revenue,
that the occupation is encouraged by every means
that power and protection can offer.
The example Of industry is set by the bright
est and highest in the nation, and in the last
spring month Of that country /" the young Emp
ress puri6es HERSELF and offers a sacrifice to the
goddess of silk-worms.'' She forbids the noble
ladies and ministers wives all ornamental dress,
and dispenses with the labors Of her waiting wo-
men, that they may give all their attention to the
|silk-worml.
/ The introduction Of this vermicule into Eu-
rope is attributed to Juslinian who in about the
year $50 induced two Persian monks to carry the
eggs Of the insect to Constantinople: they were
clandestinely conveyed there iii violation Of the
Chinese law in bamboo cases or reeds. The
race became this way propagated in Europe.
In the early days of Rome's extravaganza the
weight Of silk produced an equal weight of gold,
and in the time Of Tiberus the evil example of
costly dressing had become SO great that law
self by wearing silken garment The profit
gate Heliogabulus was the first Emperor to vio-
late this law, and appeared in public with dress
composed wholly of this article. Since then the
value both Of gold and silk have diminished over
the whole world, and the latter has, at least in this
country, become no distinguishing mark of their
rank, wealth, or merit.
The insect thrives we'll every where, except in
damp climates, and hence it cannot be raised i'll
England. She has, however, made all the amends
which art could offer to diminish the objections
of nature, and if She could not raise the worm,
she has managed to profit by the manufacture Of
the material it produced.
Prior to the revocation of the edict of Nantes
in 1885, little or nothing was done i'll England in
this line, but at that period when religious inol
terence drove FIVE hundred thousand mechanics
from France to the shores Of her opposite neigh
bors, the manufacture of silk began, and she has
been going on increasing this branch of her in
dustry until her exports of manufactured silk
now exceed five millions Of dollars per annum.
The exports of this commodity from France, Italy,
Canton, and other parts Of Europe and Asia have
had corresponding increase, and the United
States arc the great mart for this produc,iveness
The imports with us in 1922 were 80, l47,sl2;
in 1895 they had nearly doubled, being, S16,5e7,-
9s3, and in 1885 they had increased to $25, $685.
900. Now this is serious drain upon the re-
sources of our people, who, TO encourage false
pride Of dress, inculcatcd by foreign policy to
sustain foreign capital and foreign manufactures,
are led to Yield up the more substantial products
Of labor, or else to remain constantly indebted to
other countries, This evil, great as il is, would
be somewhat paliated if il could be said at the
same tiane that we INDUCED our pride, our indus
try procured US food for our wants, and some-
thing 10 spare to reduce a foreign debt This,
however il not the case, for we have recently
become a people. Of prohigacy, and like the Ro-
mans in the time Of 'Fiberias or the English in