The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-09-10
sift in tbs YaDaiian sslanas.-Nu.

SILK CULTURE AT HANALEI.
JRe following account of hs-experiment of
s silk plantation on Kauass, d Jarves Pen
nd was written about fifteen u rs ago. The
allure of silk was after a few years trial, aban-
hned by Mr.. Titcomb who is now engaged in the
aOst successful coffee plantation to be found on
he group.l
But what promises to be of most interest here,
| md to afford valuable branch of industry for
i The native population, is a silk plantation, now
na most hourishing condition. Several years
anee, Mr. c.. Titcomb, a citizen of the United
Sares, procured lease of land from the king,
bout a mile from the mouth Of the river, and
usnding for some distance along its banks, and
,nning back to the mountains, embracing a
rrety of soil, from moist, swampy land, to that
rhich was comparatively dry. The whole of it
severed with rich vegetable mould, about a
BOT deep, near the river, and sand foundation,
nile, inland, it is more boggy, and suitable for
10, though it can be easily drained, and adapted
any other purpose At the foot of the hills
,ach form its western boundary, is a most ad-
zable situation for coffee, which the proprietor
u turned to good account. But his principal
rzntion has been devoted to silk. Thus far, he
= been successful in producing it of excellent
nifty. The quantity will soon be sufficient to
ake it valuable export. His trees are OF
ssraI varieties, the white, black, Canton, and
grus Multicaulis, all of which thrive well, and
Fpar to be equally good for the worms. Re
Ia, but twenty-five acres planted, which afford
nre food, already, than he requires for his
rsnt operations. This is owing to the peculiar
richness of the soil, which produces in the
rat=t luxuriance and rapidity. Indeed, with
u; Witnessing, for ones self, the rapid develop
arnt of vegetation here, it would almost stagger
Sief By repeated measurements, it has been
5und, that the mulberry shoots grow upwards of
a inch per day. and thousands at the rate of
bur feet north. The first in a row, and which
Es BY no means the largest, / had the curiosity
have cut down and Aeighed. This was three
.lnths, lacking 4 after previous cutting.
height then twelve .sl feet its lsaTsi s"d
ne new wood, eleven and three quarters. This
ss was but 4 common specimen, and many
-i,ht have been selected, of superior height and
Eaght They are planted very close in rows, SO
= q i5rm thick-set hedges about six feet apart.
snvly pluekiDg the leaves, was found to inJure
n res; and the plan was adopted, OF cutting
IN down to the ground by rows, and carrying
Il ranches into the eocoonery, where they
s1d be stripped by whipping them through the
anii process which saves much labor, and
1cs the trees favorably. In two or three
nntls the old roots throw out shoots of sufh-
-sai height to undergo the same operation 1t
Ia been found best, in order to preserve the
avs green and tender, to cut down the trees
noe N three or four months. If they are allowed
'snain longer, their growth is checked, and
n caves become hard and dry, and less suitable
o. the worm. This rapid growth may be
NcGsht 10 exhaust the soil. No doubt it will,
s'auially, although as yet no signs of diminish
ls prOductiveness have occurred, though some
90 have been cut down for the tenth time.
la7s Are now in as fourishing state any of
others. Besides, the cocoOneries afford sup
20 manure, from their litter, of which a
Ea'quantity is collected monthly. The adjacent
.'anFs, also, will furnish vast supplies of the
ss'77aTy article, when it is required; and even
so9h these fail, so little land is needed for the
I'ls OF the mulberry, the proprietor would
- out TO turn up fresh sods with the hoe, for
Poussh Is required, and plant new slips, which,
= alae months time, would afford the requisite
stpF, while the exhausted land could remain
ri aud De recovering from it's depletion.
- trees and vegetables grow with like rapid
Orange trees are weighed down to the
~ na by the abundance of their fruit. and the
'-nrub has commenced bearing the second
The climate is damp, and much rain falls
a. s 'ne year. This, it was thought, would
- usuImental to the worms; but one crop has
through particularly wet month, and
A. ri ns as well as any of the others. The leaves
nj SSueked, the day before they are required,
ss,;.I J,Sspo-ted in a drying house. By the sue
ing T morning, they are fit to feed with.
issr' 'arlety OF worm raised is the croes-breed,
Cbre.n tne American variety and the small
I'm .ss white and yellow. They form a fine,
so,eetc9,on. which averages between five and six
3, sand to the pound of reeled silk. A sinpular
E4t,auann unnected with them is this. The cross
ss'' osn the Chinese and the American. produce
A,%t % ia OIL pale straw colcr, and others of a
s,,S ~ anse, both of a beautiful lustre. But the
d he one color Is as likely to produce cocoons
ace o'ner variety as its own, 30 that no depend
prssa-1;e Oe placed upon securing either color. bv
he ling IN eocoons Of the desired hue for seej
AID Of a. eeleo cleo Is particularly fine and valuable.
ssIed has S wen delicate thread That which Is
hstrr tn .ne worms are stifed, has the best
ss tb. r.' .ee which cannot be reeled in season
Suss p.Pose' p.a' are stified by steam. Thatcbed
hu,ds, ERECTED at a small expense. With nat
are found to be all that = ,s.s-. ~a ,'as ~