The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-20
CHI A r L IS T ON
SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 90, 1869
Small Wares.

We are glad to see that the State papers
are impressing upon their readers the i'm
portance of 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 :hat 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 cd, and
none more earnestly than the Edgeheld Ad-
vertiser, which published some weeks ago
an excellent article on the manufacture Of
small wares.
The writer in the Advertiser speaks Of
the good use to which rainy days and win
ter evenings are turned in the New England
States. In Massachusetts, on the margin
of little brooks, are miniature mills where
the farmers spend their spare time in maxi
ing, by the aid of machinery, articles which
they can sell ~ the stores. IL one village,
years ago, children were required to braid
o 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
ha; factory was established to use up the
straw where it was braided; and this fac
tory now 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 tao. to avail themselves
Of their natural advantages, it would be found
that We could compete successfully i'll making
various articles which would produce larger
profit than working in the fields. Enterprises
could bo Luit up from small beginnings. In
stead of sending away the hides OF animals
slaughtered, why not ion them here, and then
convert them INTO harness, shoes, and otLer
articles which are in constant demand? In
stead of sending North for brooms, buckets
and woodenware, why not make them i'll Edge
fed District? 1t is estimated that several
millions of doliLrs' worth of baskets and willow
ware are annually imported into the United
States. In 1857, poor woman stated that she
supported her family b.: selling to the visitors
OF Glenn's Springs, baskets of willow, made
by herself and children. Peacock's feathers
neatly made into 1y-brushes would command
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 and ship. The wild flowers OF
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 a like manner hundreds of articles
might be enumerated which would give
pay ing work. And it is very properly sug-
gested that merchants should hunt up the
commodities which their section Hln pro-
duce TO advantage, and send them to the
markets where they will command the best
price. This will encourage production, ny
giving the producer the certainty of mar
ket. Let Il merchant, for instance, acquaint
himself with the value ofsumac in the nearest
market, and the cost of transportation, and
tbeu offer 10 buy ell 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
other new pursuits might be made remu-
neratiye.
Toa silk worm, which is said to be dying
out IN the oit world, affords US another OPP
por,uui:y In California, the business is
lourishng, all the eggs that can be pro-
duced being sold at 81 per ounce. 1t would
be bu. little trouble TO plant few NorMs
autticauLis switches on each plantation, and
to give The needed care to q few worms.
Instead OF being a task it would be q recre-
aticn, and the business when shown te be
profitable might Re infinitely enlarged.
The Advertiser says:
''Thc culture of silk has beou considered by
the Chinese for four thousand years as Second
IN importance to that OF ce. There, me
species of worms produce four crops during
tho year. Tie value Of silk goods annually
produced in Europe exceeds s2T5,0O0.0oO, OF
which Austria produces $50 OoO,OoO and Italy
s5OOOO,OOO. In France, 100000 persons are
employed bT it, or one i'll eighty of the popu-
lation; and in England 16 100000 pounds are
annually imported, thus giving em ioym ,nt in
the manufacture to 10000 persons. When
reared IN close, moist atmosphere The cater.
pillar is subject to yario:s diseases; but in
climate os pure, dry and elastic as that OF
Aiken. thes ere far mere hardy, and require
less attention. Whilst in Europe from 80 to 60
per oent. are lost from tho effects of climate,
food and disease, here scarcely per cent. due,
and there are but few ants OF insects to de-
stroy the eggs. The morus multlcaulis flour
ishes without any more care or attention than