The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-04-17
Aggregate total

If these figures are accurate must we not conclude
from them that the aggregate quantity Of silk available
commercial movements is exceedingly limited and that
general uneasiness in the silk markets must result from
any failure in the cocooneres of Italy, where fourth
a the silk in the world is produced in those even
France which yield about tenth of the whole podu
ton
The falling off in the production of cocoons in France
which have already indicated would represent dim.
mutton in value of from 100 900 900 of francs $1,000
900 had the price of cocoons remained the at both
periods namely 1853 and 1856. But the movements Of
have been powcrcss in replacing the deficit
OF ~, 900 900 OF kogrammcs NEARLY AZ $50 900 pounds
that the price has advanced from four francs fifty cenmes
(s4 cents to eight francs Isl 40 per kograne l2gO
lbs J that the loss falls equally upon the producer aud
the consumer.
To what to attribute this industrial caam.
ity We answer to disease the origin of which In TN.
known to species of pthisis, to speak the iayages
of which destructive that must renounce as
were the employment of silL-worms obtained in France
Notwithstanding, in many cases. the better species pro.
cured in other countries have totally failed The unknown
cause of this phthsis the commission does not wholly
despair of discovering. NJ. Dumas. in his luminous
report cites some very curious facts, and presents
several remarkable tables, which the want OF space
alone prevents from transferring to pages,
designed TO prove that this disease is not caused by
varinbeness Of the seasons although it may haze been
aggravated from this cause, but that it, origin to be
found in the combination of incidents which, in this
branch OF industry inseparabc from the transition
from " UDncStlc 10 II COnultlOn whenever
the small domestic repositories the only Kind favorable
to the production of the cgg-have been displaced by
large. industrial chambers, have Seem as result
the disease spreading not only in France but in foreign
countries in which, under the influence of high prices
the production has been unduly stimulated in the
manner
Thus, as long ms France produced only Is, 900 900 oil
kilogrammcs, about 40 800 900 ponnds,) the yield
regular and steady and whatever diseases occurred were
devoid of any general character advancing to "a 1900
kogrammes "a 600 900 pounds) towards the year lsiI
the disease commenced its rayages and the French egg
became more and more suspected. In 1858 the employ
ment of the French eggs abandoned and in That year
the production reached the exceptional figure of &C..
900 kilogrammes, NEARLY $4,000, 900 pounds In
1854 the production fell to II 100000 kogammes,
az 500 900 pouns in consequence of the sicky quality
of Spanish eggs which employed; and in 1855 fell
again to 10 900 900 kilogramnes, +2,I5O 900 pounds
the eggs employed having been obtained in Italy, IN
which country the disease appeared this year for the rt
time Finally in 1856 the disaster to have reached
its climax the production did not exceed 1000
kogrammes, about IT, 1850 900 potmdsJ owing TO The
combined influence OF unavorblc seasons and the uni
yersally diseased condition Of the eggs.
II must appear evident, from this examination, that
the disastrous effects experienced during the past few years
are to be traced to the eggs aud that their condition
affected not only 10y the combined influences which al
ways more less control the health of all animated eN'
stences crowded together in place, but also by the
changes which tho leaves undergo when the cultivation
of the mulberry is extended along moist plains 10 re-
these dangers to some extent, tho silkspinnmg
worms and the laying should be carefully sep
aratcd and by thus distinguishing between the two df
visions Of silk industry and by guarding the production
of the egg with every conceivable precaution, more
perfect quality may hereafter be obtained.