The Osceola times., 1879-11-08
SILK CULTURE.
Exr eriance of the Sisters Of the 1t. Angus
tine Convent.


New Orleans Picayune.
Thursday evening reporter visited
the st. Augustine convent, on Bayou
road, near st. Claude street TO ascertain
some facts relating TO the Sisters ex-
periments in the culture of silk worms
He was ushered into a plainly furnished
sitting room, adorned with sacred OBJ
iects, to await the presence of those sis
tiers who were best acquaited with the
subject under consideration. From
them il was learned that they had first
commenced the cultivation Of the worm
in 1924. At that time the convent was
in very poor circumstances, and their
physician, Dr. Dubour, suggested to their
taking to the above employment as a
method Of meeting their expenses. The
doctor was not merely a man of words,
but also of deeds. Being intimate with
a French gentleman who carried on this
industry over in Covington, he obtained
some eggs from him and gave them to
the Sisters. At the same time they
planted some mulberry trees in the
yard. When seeds are sown the trees
that result are superior to transplanted
shoots. but such method consumes
much time before they become grown to
proper dimensions. As the Sisters
wished TO reap the harvest rs early as
possible, they inserted shoots in the
ground, which Immediately took root
and in very short time leaves could
be gathered without injury to the young
trees. About January the eggs began
changing into worms. The sisters gath
cred the youngest and tenderest leaves
and placed them over the eggs. As soon
as they were hatched, the worms began
to eat with great voracity, clinging TO a
leaf until nothing but bare fibres re-
mained. Then they would be supplied
with fresh leaves. The room where they
were stored, was always kept at an
even degree of temperature. They ate
night and day for one month. Then
they commenced their cocoons. In
three days they were finished, and the
worms were completely buried in the
production of their own labor. In or
der to make the cocoons of any value
the worm had to be destroyed. This
done by leaving them in moderately
warm oven for about fifteen minutes.
Some were left undisturbed in order to
furnish the eggs for the next years
crop. These latter cocoons were left un-
touched for exactly week. BY this
time the worms had worked their way
out again, and had changed themselves
into n variety of butterflies. The CO.
coons, after the worm has come out, is
of but little value, but in France they
are used in the manufacture of an infer
ior silk, with which parasols are COW
cred. These butterflies" were kept in
darkened room. the walls of which
were lined with dark flannel, and on
this flannel they laid their eggs. These
were of light blush brown color, and
slightly concave at the ends. The Sis
ters were eminently successful in their
efforts. There are now about a dozen
large mulberry trees in the con> ent
grounds. Twice their crops of silk
worms were failures, but both times
through accident. Once some coffee
was placed to parch upon the same
stove that served to heat the room
where the worms were kept, and the
occasion fire was kindled by day, and
the room left cold and open at night,
and the change of temperature caused
the destruction of the sensitive crea-
lures.
About four years ago the Sisters car
ried off two gold medals at the indus
trial exhibition. Again, one of the Sis
tiers visiting France, displayed some CO.
coons there. They were found to COM
pare very favorably with those in France.
The life and soul of this coterie OF
silk workers was the venerable Superior
Sister Theresa. She is now too aged to
superintend the labors, and nearly all
the material and the worms were sent
to the Thibodaux convent where a sister
proficient in the culture of the worms
resides.
Sister Theresa still keeps a quantity
of eggs and raises the worms as a pas
time. The sisters made only silk thread
from their cocoons. Some roses made
with this and dyed were really beauti-
ful. The silk cords which bear the
crosses, were also woven with thread
made by them and dyed. The cloth
could not be made on account of the
lack of the necessary machinery.
The good superior is enthusiastic over
the thought that there is a possibility
of silk culture becoming one of the es-
tablished handiworks here, and prom
ises TO give all those who wish it the
benefit of her knowledge and eXper-
cnce in that line.