The daily gazette., 1875-08-24
From the Baltimore Gazette.
SILK GROWING.

ftoh tnt btltlniote NaActto'
SILK GROWING.
Silk growing in the United States has
been somewhat sporadic in its character,
yet fine specimens OF silk have been pro-
duccd by many who haze expo rtmented
with silk worms. 1t will have been seen
that all necessary preliminary measures
have been takeu by committee of the
Silk Association of America in conjunc-
ton with our silk manufacturers fer the
proper display of their products ut the
Centennial Exhibition and to impress
upon the public mind the evidence OF
the development of this growing indus
try. In time there is now no reason TO
doubt that it will become q prominent
one, though heretofore silk weavers have
imported the raw silk from Japan or 9TH
er places where the cost OF labor has been
at the minimum. Nearly hundred and
thirty years ago the Governor of Con
necticut wore the first coat and stock
ings made of silk raised in the colony,
and threc years later his daughter wore
the first silk dress of home manufacture.
In 1775 Mrs. Pinckney took to England
enough silk raised by herself, to make
three silk dresses. One of those waspre
sented to the Princess Dowager OF Wales,
another was given to the famous Lord
Chesterfield, and the third, in the pos
session Of Mrs. Horny, the daughter OF
Mrs. Pinckney, was spoken Of as being
remarkable for its beauty, frmness and
strenth by DIR. Ramsey. in his history OF
South Carolina This Mrs. Pinckney, it
may be remarked, was the mother OF
Chatles Cotesworth Pinckney. In 1756
Mr.. STYLES, the President of Yale College,
began experiments in silk culture, and
was one Of the most earnest advocates OF
this industry for the colonies. His man
uscript journal, relating his experience,
is still preserved in the library OF Yale.
In 1873, at the commencement ceremo-
nies, he wore gown made OF Connecti-
cut silk. MIR. Molyneanx, OF Boston, was
another promoter of the industry, and
in ITO was given q lease, free of rent. for
seven years Of the public silk factory to
aid in employing the poor in spinning,
dyeing and weaving silk. In the same
car Susanna Wright, of Lancaster coun-
ty, Pennsylvania, received premium for
q piece of "mantua" sixty yards in
length, made from silk Of her own rails
ing. A court dress for the Queen Of Eng
land was made from it, and samples are
still preserved in manuscript copy Of
Watson's Annals Of Pennsylvania and
Philadelphia," which is in the collection
Of the Philadelphia Library Company.
TIE LEGEND OF ST. SwiTHIN has
attracted much attention this year In
consequence of the remarkably rainy
weather since the 18th Of July. The
common adage Of our English ances-
tors regarding st. Swithtn Is to the
effect that as II rains or Is fair on st.
Swithin's day, the 10Th Of July, there
will be a continuous track of wet or
dry weather for the forty days ensuing.
On to-day, 24th inst, the forty days,
which this year began with rain, will
end. No one will deny that q continu-
Gus tract of rainy weather has charac.
teriEed the forty days, now nearly at
an end. The records show that In
many previous years similar lengthy
rainy seasons have followed a wet st.
Switbin's day.
St. Swithin was bishop of Winches-
ter, and died about s62, over thous-
and years ago, which Is long enough
to test any legend. Swithin was born
near Winchester, and was monk of
the old abbey of Winchester, and
though he died bishop was never
regularly canonized. He is therefore
what has been termed a homemade
saint" It would seem that love of
being out In the wet was one of his
peculiarities, for he directed that when
he should die his body should be buri-
ed under the eaves-droppings of the
church, in which uncomfortable state
1t remained for nearly hundred years,
when the clergy in body began the
removal amidst great pomp to the
Cathedral of Winchester. The cere-
mony, however, was interrupted at
the beginning By heavy burst of rain,
which continued forty days. The
monks, who were frightened by the
rain, desisted and built chapel over
the remains on the spot where they lay
buried. Out of this incident grew the
legend which has held place in the
popular mind along with other tradi-
tions and superstitions for so many
centuries. s.-Rrlt. SIN.