The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-09-22
silk Cultivation i'm Japan.

The epsdcraic Which has now oNi>ieo les
sozls vesrs SmcuSst the EurcpoSu SilS-
worms, hSs given rise 70 the fear that this
soErce oi wealth 10 Cur country u,Sy be ulti-
mSiely DESTROYED. Although the intrnduc-
,ion into I,&ls of seed exported from japan
has ecSn proS1eisVe ot good results. yet for
soue tine r2St the ram0F has prevailed IN
Italv and France, that the japanese silk
worm NSs also Infected with the sane dis
case Heoce, the apprehension thai the seed,
which japan has furnished in SGch lSrge
quantities, would shortly have to be soGSa;
SlseN here
TheSe reparis. spread either hy accident
or design, and which have been 50 readily
received. have originated iron the fact thai
notwithstanding several merchants have ar
rived ia Jzpza fronl ItAly. France, aud other
countries, for the purpose OF purchasing the
native seed. sin, not one Of those travellers
has, a> yci. been able 10 penetrSte Into the
interior ii the cSsntEy, OF 10 assert, frOui
zef1Sl observation, what degree Of benefit
might ee attributed to this secd.
The necessity Of throwing some light on
this poia;. suggested to " le Corate De IS
Toar. Minister for Italy al JSpSn. the idea oi
Organizing an expedition lite one Of the
provinces Of the Empire, which has been ne
Czaioi a. Of most uOte in the silk cRltpre, in
on3er IL closely study the method adopted
hy tie japanese erltiVsf0T for the rearing oi
the siIk-NorIn. The Count de Is Tour Sc
leStci. as the season most favorable for the
enterprise, Sn3 Offering greater facilities
for tae desired observations. the commence
meat 0i the month Uf June, the time when
the Wo-Tns have reached the tive last stages.
the period Of commencing IN spin Sud The
transformation Into the butterfly. Mindful
Of the desire often manifested by the ,rIiS-
sssrS 10 visit the silk p.SiGciRE districts Of
Japan. and weighing the ohsiS6lys that pre-
vented the realization Of the wish, had they
bcen anxious to undertake alone the expedi-
tiO1 Into the interior, the Count de Ia Tour
resolved 70 accomplish al end which would
benefit the commercial interests Of his eOun-
iry. Sni AZ the same time be AGREEABLE TO bis
coauirymen, BY connecting with the eXpedi
tiOn some Italians. who by their SPECIAL
knowledge and experisuce in the cultivation
Of the silk-worTn. znd the silk trade. would
be in position 10 study the question with
care. ana thus render more ScrviceSble tbS
sim that The expedition had in view.
The total absence Of efficient means o.
eommunicxiion with, and the uncertainty o.
the reception by the people. Of the nrst for
siSn expedition that has penetrated into thS
interior of japan, demanded that the japan
csc Government should be Informed Ss tC
the protected tour, in order that u eouid
adopt such measures as /: thought might
render more convenient the progress through
ana the sojourn Si, the different districts thai
the expedition proposed y visit The assist
Snce and complaisAnce that the expedition
met with along the whole line Of route-ihS
result Of the Communication 10 the authori
ties. oy the Count de Is Tonr-evineed th'
good faith and eSEeruess Of the Government
10 avoid everything that otherwise eoult
possibly have rendered dangerous. or lncou
Veuieui, the progrcss Of the tourists.
The expedition. which LEFT Yokohama OF
The S;h OF June. was formed by the following
gentlemen: The Count dc Ia Tour, NJ.
Bzron GzlvSgu2. Secret2ry Of the Legation
NeSSrS. E. Przto. F. MeaEL4, P. S&vio, and :
japanese interpreter, who were accompanied
BY an escort furnished by the local govern
ment-
The mulberry plant. already cultivated il
Nusschou. does not assume SBv real import
snce until the left bank Of the ToncngaN Wa ]
reached The white mulberry does not exls
in JspSu. where the plant with black frGit
sud either round or jagged leaf, Is aion'
known. This Is found everywhere: by th'
foot paths, along the banks Of the canals, ana
in eiamps in the middle Of cultivated fields
Ii seldom reaches above s height OF thTe'
metres. The japanese cultivate Il generally
in bushes. and lOp of the branches close &
the eSrth: re-inyiSorStug the stump of man
uring il with animal manure, OF the dung o
the silk-wOrm. exposed on trclliseS, and driet
bvthe rzys of the sun The sane means o
manure sre employed for the mulberry plsnti
which are allowed TO grow into trees il
which case. il is spread on the soil that sur
rounds the trunk
The reproduction of the mulberry is no
effected by seed, but By slips In the sprins
season, = plant about eight years old, Is Gu
of close TO the earth: tue stump Is theI
covered with soil, and shortly produces fresl
shoots; these are Topped of from the iruni
the following autumn, and serve 10 prooue'
fresh plants, which are nourished with AMI
NAL MANURE
During the autumn and winter seasons
the japanese preserve their cards in smsl
paper sacks, which sre suspended from th'
ceilings in dry rooms; no smell Is allowed Il
penetrate into these store rooms, which are
besides. never lighted by means OF oil II
order further to preserve their cards from
damp, many clltiyatOrs store them IN 0oXe
made of the P6Hl0aid wood
II Is alone by atmospheric influences tina
the hsiching OF the seed is effected In reg
ulsr seasons. this generally takes place frOu
the 2Oth TO the 25ih Of April The seed of
siugle card usually batch in the space Of thre'
dsyS. but in the better qualities, the process
takes place in even one day. In order Il
regulate a ceTtsin quality in the silk-wOrms
ii Is ouly on the second day that food is giveI
TO those that are hstehed on the first.
During the three first stages, the worm
sre placed in small bamboo baskets, in al
airy room, which Is heated by 8 chsrcOa
fire; during The fourth and fifth, they an
placed on trellises. in q well-yentilated apart
ment- These trellises, which are likewise o
bamboo are ! metre and 50 centim6tres il
length, and / metre in breadth; they ar
covered with small mats of riee-strzw, anl
piled one on the top Of the other, general,
ten at 5 time,) 10 height of 20 eentimeires
At the commencement, food Il admins
tered six times during the p hours; this
with the increased age of the worm, is, how
ever, reduced TO four, and even three times
during the same period Up TO the time o
the third change, the food given to tn
worms, Is composed Of leaves which hayi
been cut up very fine, and during the late
stages, they are fed pleniifully Tith the smal
branches Of the mulberry plant. 4 larg
iron knife Is used in cutting up the leaves
The japanese have no objection TO feed tn
worms with leaves yet moist with dew
though they prefer those that are dry Ii
some localities, il was remarked that tn
cultivafOrs moistened the leaves with waite
when the atmosphere was very dry, and q
times, with water mixed with saki, (spiri
fermented from rice when the worms show
ed any signs Of weakness
The si!k-WOrms are allowed Sufficient space
and after the fourth change, they are place.
on treilises, at an average of Thousand Il
each one The bed is changed every daY
when the worms are made 10 pass on to tb
fresh leaves BY means Of nets SPREAD owe
the baskets. or on the trellis- These net
have meshes. more or less large, according
TO the age of the worm for which they ar
employed Between the straw mats and th
/ worms. the japanese generally spread laye
/ OF rice husks. in order TO further preserv
/ the insects from the damp.
The bushes employed for the purposes o
rocOon spinning are of various forms sut