Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-08-09
LETTER FROM DR.. BALL.
EDITOR FELIclANA SENTINEL:

y
empty dclusions for the purpose Of specu
lating upon their credulity. Feeling as
l do an interest III common with my fell
low citizens who are seeking relief by
their efforts to introduce new industries
to supply the urgent demand of u large
and destitute population, know of none
that more generously fills the requirement
attention to the cultivation of tho silk
business in all it's varieties. The women
and children must bc provided for, and
claim our most serious care and stten-
ton. Reared, as tx most of them have
been, in ease and comfort, aud suddenly
thrown upon their own resourcea, they are
totally unprepared for the struggle.
What is to become of them Surely they
are not able to do service in the cane and
cotton fields, nor would We wish to see
them submitted to such an ordeal. I'm
| der the existing state of things I conf
IDENTIFY recommend to them tho vigorous
f:-----'".; r,f eill= o,,ltnra--uuith tho Fl rIn
pefity and an entrance upon happier
| days.
The business will soon be established
| upon a firm basis and those who may feel
! an interest in it's propagation and devel-
opment will not be disappointed, for it
already has friends to direct its infant
| steps to high position in the list of our
southern resources.
Mr. L. s. Crozier will be with me 50
soon as it will be proper for him to risk
| this climate and bids me assure The Dub
| lie that he will como to us prepared to
furnish the best varieties of silk eggs in
! the world and that while a rich Comma
| ny OF capitalists is forming for Keeling
PURPOSES he will employ the money made
ny tho sale OF the trees to the erection of
| a small factory and to the purchase of
the first cocoons grown in Louisiana.
1t has been suggested that the culture
OF silk will not pay. do not think that
the few departments of France, where
SILK is grown, have a lager population
than Louisiana and they export annually
l72,34O, 900 francs Of their raw silks to
foreign countries. Their prosperity is
not an illusion. Do you think that if we
add that worth of silk to our other pro
ducts without firing our fertile soil, and
by keeping busy a few weeks moro tho
hands employed for other purposes that
Louisiana will be poo-er7 What one
must seek in country so we'll gifted as
ours is to get from the soil the largest
quantity and variety of raw material
and to Increase its value by industrial
means, introducing capital and labor at
tho same time and rewarding them both
very we'll. This is without doubt the
principle of the wealth and prosperity of
France. Louisiana can, with q few acres
moro i'll mulberry culture. double hor
revenue without increasing her expenses
There are reasons enough for her to COM
me nee. Success browning her efforts
will bring wealth and prosperity upon all
the points of her territory. All indus
tries tend to level each other. Those
who labor to produ ce the raw material
can make,it more profit able with less OK
pense to themselves than those who in
vest capital for its manufacture.
IL France and Italy where are produc-
ed the finest silks of tho world, t hey are,
owing to contagion, forced to rear the |
breeds OF Japan, have to pay dearer for |
labor: provide costlier meaus for breed.
ing and suffer from moro frcuuen !
changes of weather and make their goods
at the same price with ours. Starting
with an experienced teacher. with the
best breeds of eggs in the world aud with
the best varieties of mulberry trees
grown in France and Italy We can, owing
to American ingenuity and skill from the
very start, grow superior raw material
ADD IN few years have more skilled silk
growers and operatives than they have
themselves. firmly believe that if tue Ia
lies Will take hold of this enterprise its
success will no longer be a problem. De-
signed as 1T is for female hands, it is best
suited to their ability and promises the
argest returns. In overy period in the
history OF silk it has received the foster.
ng encouragement of female influences.
queens and noble ladies have been its
patrons and our erterprisieng daughters
'ou'd not but feel honored in the success
til pioneering of an enterprise so i'm
rowing in it's character. There are 9TH
rs whose labor is almost unprodnctive
o ort wan g., OF proper objects upon which to !
estow that labor. 1t is a well known s
ecC' that poor houses and orphan asy- c
ans are burdens upon the public charity I
'hlch our cities, towns and producers
ave TO support. With a little state aid l
hese institutions could be removed to l
no country and established upon silk \
arms. and while it would be agreeable
ccupation for children and aged persons s
would at the same time redeem Louis | (
Ina from her paupers. !
I. u. BALL. M. D. \
DTET |