The Placer herald., 1874-07-11

the western slope Of the Sierra Nevada noun
tains are each adapted by nature to the success
ful cultivation of certain plants, and the prose-
cution of particular classes Of business. What
plants thrive best on certain soils, at certain al
'it"des' are now quite generally known, and
what character of business can BE- followed with
the greatest assurance Of success, at certain ati
tudes, is fast being demonstrated. Among diff.
ierent avocations that experiment has demon
| strated can be followed with success here in oul
foothills, at an altitude of from 1000 to 5000
feet, the silk business is destined to become
prominent. There are, as yet, quite few even
engaged in experimenting in the business. Two
or three parties in Placer county, and about the
same number in each of the adjoining counties,
similarly situated, Ell Dorado and Nevada And
in this business like many other new industries
that have been undertaken by our people, we
must make allowance for lack Of experience One
fact gives US great encouragement. which is.
that IN every instance those who have started in
the business and failed are now free to acknowl-
edge that they lacked experience or were i'm
patient of the result, and in some cases, both
these causes combined to discourage them.
MIR. B. Bernhard, near Auburn, with whose ef-
forts we more familiar, has at last succeeded
in making the business perfect success,
through determined spirit, though at first en-
tirely lacking in experience. He has but l 100
mulberry trees. planted for the sole purpose OF
experimenting, and of course, can not, as yet,
90 into the business very extensively, though he
estimates the trees will at least double in their
nroducfion of faada
three years old, and have more than doubled
their production of leaves in the last year. His
worms, of which he has, this year, about null
ion, are as fine. large and healthy as were ever
seen anywhere. They are just now weaving
their cocoons, which, for size and quality OF
silk, are said to equal any produced in the
world. His trees are planted on the top of a
high, dry ridge, and have never received drop
of water, more than has been showered upon
them by Nature. He could have watercd them
but has refrained from doing SO, because, as he
was only experimenting he would regard the
experiment more successful if the trees would
thrive without the expense of irrigation. They
are, we are pleased to say, thrifty as needs
he. 1t is thus practically demonstrated that the
feed will grow here in abundance on any of our
hills, with the slight expense of planting; that
the worm grows to as great perfection here as it
does anywhere, and that its production is as
abundant, and as good in quality, as that pro-
duced in the far-off countries. Will it pay? is
the next question. After once established we
should think it would. 1t requires some ex-
pense to set out the trees and some time to wait
for their growth, which should be well calcu-
lated before commencing, but when this is ac-
complished most is done. The labor with the
worms lasts about seven weeks. during which
time they hatch, grow to maturity, spin their
silk, lay their eggs for the next season, and die.
The silk then is marketable and is worth in the
cocoon, from $40 to $l2 per pound. The low
est estimate is pound from 1000 worms
At this rate Mr.. Bernhard will derive 100 pounds
from his million worms worth from 8. 900 to
81 200, and all the labor during that seven
weeks n caring for them, has been done by
Mrs Bernhard and her three or four children
besides attending to their regular household
duties.
That there is demand for all we can raise is
the most certain part of the business. The i'm
portatons of raw silk alone for the last month.
June, amounted TO $780, 1856, and for the fiscal
year ending June seth, 1874, the importations
of raw silk amounted to 81, 374 556; and the
imports Of silk manufactures for the year
amounted te the enormous sum OF $22, ,669, $50
When California can produce silk enough even
to supply our home demand, at the present rate.
she will be richer according to her population,
than she was in the days Of 40.