The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-20
G H "A r T. E S TON
SATURDAY MORNING, February 20, 1869.
Small Wares.

We arc glad to see that the State papers
are impressing upon their readers the i'm
portance of a diversity of pursuits; not
with the idea that every man should be
''Jack of all trades and master of none:"
but in order that the majority of our wants
may be supplied at home, and that we may
not neglect the smaller ways Of making
money, which are often quite as profitable
In proportion to the capital employed as
the culture of cotton itself The State pa
pers are working earnestly to this end, and
none more earnestly than the Edgefield Ad-
vortiser, which published some weeks ago
an excellent article on the manufacture of
small wares
Thc writer in the Advertiser speaks of
| the good use to which rainy days and win
ter evenings are turned in tho New England
States. In Massachusetts, on the margin
! of little brooks, are miniature mills where
! he farmers spend their spare time in max
| ing,' by the aid of machinery, articles which
they can sell at the stores. In one village,
years ago, children were required to braid
certain number of yards Of straw each
day. This braid was exchanged at the
stores for such things as the families need
| cd The quantity increased annually, and
nat factory was established to use up the
straw where it was braided; and this fac
tory nov gives employment to one thousand
persons, most Of them being women and
children. Here is an evidence of what the
children may do; but there is as much and
more to be done BY children Of larger
growth. The Advertiser says:
Had our people the tact to avail themselves
OF their natural advantages, it would be found
that we could compete successfully in making
various articles which would produce larger
| profit than working in the fields. Enterprises
could be built UP from small beginnings. In
stead Of sending away the hides of animals
slaughtered, why not tan them here, and then
convert them into harness, shoes, and other
articles which are in constant demand? In
stead OF sending North for brooms, buckets
and woodenware, why not make them in Edge
! fed District? 1t is estimated that several
millions Of dollars worth Of baskets and willow
ware are annually imported into the United
States In 1867, poor woman stated that she
supported her family By selling to the visitors
at Glenn's Springs; baskets of willow, made
by herself and children. Peacock's feathers
neatly made into fy-brushes would command
q high price if sent to New York. Sumac,
which grows wild in our woods ard on our
roads, is IN great demand now, and would pay
we'll to gather ana ship. The wild flowers or
the woods furnish an abundance of food for
the bees, and the honey produced by them
will always SELL If carried to the proper mar
ket.'
In like manner hundreds of articles
might be enumerated which would give
paying work. And it is very properly sug-
gested that merchants should hunt up the
commodities which their section can pro-
duce to advantage, and send them to the
markets where they will command the best
price. This will encourage production, by
giving the producer the certainty of a mar
ket. Let q merchant, for instance, acquaint
himself with the value ofsumac in the nearest
market, and the cost Of transportation, and
then offer to buy all that is brought to him,
and engage hands to gather it, paying such
prices as will leave him fair margin of
profit to compensate him for his time and
trouble. This would at once develope the
sumac trade. In the same way scores Of
fother new pursuits might be made ren,u-
/ nerative. i#
! The silk worm, which is said to be DIVING
out in the old world, affords us another OBJ
por,unity. In California, the business is
honrishing, al the eggs that can be pro-
duced being sold at $4 per ounce. II would
be but little trouble to plant few Moyus
AuIticduIis switches on each plantetion, and
to give the needed care to few worms.
Instead OF being task it would be q recre-
alton, and the business when shownste be
profitable might be infinitely enlarged.
The Advertiser says.
''The culture ~ silk has been considered bv
the Chinese for four Thousand years as second
In Importance to that or roe. There. me
species Of worms produce four crops during
the year. Tie value OF silk goods annually
| produced in Europe exceeds $275, 900, 900, Or
which Austria produces $50 600, 900 and Italy
900. In France, 100000 persons are
employed by 1t, or one in eighty OF the popu-
iation; and in England 16 100000 pounds are
annually imported. thus giving em, loyment in
Inc manufacture TO 10000 poYsons When,
reared ~ Q close. moist atmosphere the cater.
pillar is subject TO various diseases; bat il, q
climate as pure. dry and olastic as that of
4 Aiken. thss are far more hardy, end reunire
less attention. Whilst I'm Europe from &c, Ia 8D
per cont. are lost from the effects OF cl,enate.
food and disease. here scarcely s per cont. d,e,i
snd there are hut few ants or insects 10 de-
stroy the eggs: The morus rnultlcauiia fioufs