The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-09-22

twenty DAYS after the commencement OF the
spinning, when they are placed GU different
sheets of paper. remain coupled tor about
six hours, amer which the males arc removed,
snd the paper on which the females remain
is shaken. in order 10 provoke the secretion
Of the fluids They are finally removed TO a
GarSeaed room. on cards placed horizontally,
side by side, In the form Of square, sur
rounded ey frame OF lscQuered wood; here
they are lei for the space Of twelve or six
teen hours. On each card arc deposited from
l00 10 $50 butterflies, according TO their
strcusth.
There are no extensive reelers in japan
EeSeh ealtivSior has the produce Of his la
borS rceled hy the women Of his household.
and where there arc no hands available, the
oocoous arc sold,
The system Of reeling Is still very primi-
tive; the eccoons being plunged into a cal
dron Of boiling water for four minutes, arc
then distributed to the reelers who are
seated before hSsin of water which Is kept
a, the boiling point by means Of small
furnace placed underneath. and hy means of
s smSll Sranch Of sor.co unite the ends. AZ
terwsrds, detaching the FIST thread Of the
web, they reel it very fne, and cause it TO
reVolve round a small reel, which is placed in
front Of the woTk-women, and so they clean
the COCOON at the same time they fasten the
threads Of the now cleaned cocoons TO a
hook which is placed at the right Of the
basin. The operation OF cleaning being thus
accomplished. the reelers again place in the
water the ends Of the threads left by the
preceding 0eeling; with the LEFT hand they
then set in motion a small reel OF the cir
cumfcreace Of from 10 TO 50 centimetres
The threads run in passing through a small
ring. which is made Of human hair. and TO
which they adhere firmly, by means of the
~. Ito and fro wovement,) which aecompa-
s.f.s rhrsaaI h. In, 20
new the thread. three or four eocoous are
taken from the hook on the right of the
basin, and drawn with the hand against those
reeliug, when the thread unites itself TO the
others, through the velocity with which the
spinning is going on. When the wheel is
well covered with silk il is put aside. and
next dAy. after having slightly dampened the
silk with water, il is reeled on larger wheel,
of circumference Of metre and % cent?
metres 10 metre aud 50 eeuiimetres. Ae-
cordinS 10 calculations that have been made,
Ii is estimated that reeler produces an av-
erSge Of 500 grammes Of silk per day, with 4
yield Of / kilOgramme of silk for every Is or
l6 kilogrsmmes Of cocoons. The reelers
work nine hours. and earn, according TO
their skill. 50 or 60 eentimes per day.
The reeIiug, as well as the culture of the
silk-worul, is thus carried on in japan, bnt
on limited scale. the largest that was no.
J ticed consisting of but l6 cards. The Jap
snese Izy particular attention TO the situation
I Of their silk-nurseries. All those that were
visited in the principal centres Of cultivation,
I in the province Of Giochiou, at Signal, at
I Nakasi, Iraiska, Chinsmura, aud at Maibashi,
everything surrounding the well-to-do cult
vStOr. and the frugal colonist, was remarkable
I for the most scrupulous neatness; whilst the
ventilation Of the establishments, and the
/ sSlubrity of their situations were excellent
/ Everyw here the silk-worms were found 10 be
strong and healthy. and without the slight
est indication of the dreaded ps6riRe.
The crop of the eOcoous gave proof OF
/ great abundance. At Chiuamurs, in the silk
nursery Of VI. Iahe, who is one Of the most
extensive and well-kmown cultivatOrs of
[ Giochiou, 1t was remarked that amongst the
/ sixteen cards that he had hstched, the NOR
/ iality did not reach per 1000.
I The expedition, after having remained
some time in the central silk localities of
I Gi0ehiou, continued its route in the direction
/ Of Ikarro. TSgssaki, and omiiehi; thence IL
/ trzversed the mountainous district of Musa-
CHOU, aud returned TO Yokohama on the
2Sih of June, by the way of 0mjio and Ha-
/ tchogi
The Investigations which the members of
the expedition were enabled to pursue, con-
| eerning the cultivation Of the silk-wOrm at
[ the different localities they visited, and the
minute observations that they made, at the
D same iltlC. EC-aINAiA AlC eGullaIN
Of these insects, have been productive of the
I happiest results They have been able to
Z testify, not only that there is no existence of
/ the pebTiHS in the worms, but that this dis
l ease is altogether unknown TO the japanese.
This testimony is of the nature to give pos
/ Tive denial to the idea spread in Europe
] concerning the Infection of the japanese
I seed, aud viii serve at once TO calm the ap-
prehension of our cultivstors on the subject,
I and to inspire them for the future with i'm
plicit confidence as to the quality of the
/ original cards of this country.
Before closing this report, il were well TO
add few words as TO the reasons which
/ cause the high prices of the cards; such be-
/ ing neither in accordance with the abundance
Of the crops. nor with the large quantity of
Z coeoons which are set aside for the purpose
[ of breeding. The high prices of the cartons
may be, perhaps, attributed to the losses
/ which attend the reproduction of the seed,
I in the form of a parasitieal insect called
"Oudji," Japanese for Mystery.) This lit
I tie insect, which exists in the embryo stage
/ in the silk-worm before the spinning season,
I has long been known in Japan; it comes TO
[ life in the ehrysalis, and eats its way out of
the cocoon, after having destroyed the ehrys-
! alis itself The destruction caused by this
parasite varies, according to the season, and
/ 10 atmospheric causes, from 20 10 50 per
/ cent. This proportion applies solely to the
I eOeOons which sre required for breeding, as
in those which are devoted TO reeling pur-
poses, the chrysalis is snffocated before the
"Oudii" pierces the cocoon.
/ This report, treating exclusively OF the
/ question of the siIk-eulture, does not form a
/ record of the observations on other matters
! which may have attracted the attention of
the members of the expedition, during their
I progress through the various districts. They
have endeavored to confDe their remarks
strictly to the subject under consideration
Japan Gdzsfte, Judy %.