The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-24

10 making silk. 1t ended IN
failure. Ii is worthy of notice. however
and indeed it should always be borne IN
mind that if silk culture has not been a
success II was no fault OF the climate
On the contrary whenever our native
grown silk was put to a test 1t always
nroved to be of excellent quality. DIR.
Elliot states that in 1859 the export OF
raw silk Ia England for that year from
Georgia alone exceeded 10000 pounds
and il was of such excellent quality ma
1T sold IN Lond0n at from tno three h@-
lu.gs more per pound than that from any
other part 81 the sc0Fhd.
Again, Prot. Kerr had some North
Carolina cocoons exhibited at the
Worlds Fair in Philadelphia which,
after having been reeled We're pronoun-
ced by experts of most excellent quality,
another proof of the high valuation Of
the North Carolina ocoons. Prot. a
Rowland. author and scientist OF Orbe.
Switzerland. having seer some OF my
cocoons sent me a few weeks q a lot
of silk worm eggs of IA Very precious
breed to save the raised from
them-silk worm eggs all the way from
Europe to have the cocoons raised in
North Carolina.
The above instances should be suff-
| cient to satisfy all the doubting Thorn
asses as to the adaptability ofour climate
for the raising OF silk worm. But after
all the paramount question is does 1t
pay?
Let us see:
The prices for cocOons and raw silk
have OF late years very much t1uctuated.
W lille the cOcoonS We're selling IN 1876
at So. 90 per pound they are selling to-
day at only Sl.OO per pound. These are
the extreme figures, we may safely put
the average price at s 90 per pound.
Two hundred mulberry trees will
grow very we'll on two acres of land.
pounds of leaves, which gives us 30
600 pounds OF leaves on two acres. As
it takes Il pounds of leaves to make ]
pound Of fresh cOcoons 10000 pounds
will give us LOS pounds Of fresh CO.
Don
Since we have no market for fresh
cocoons we must sti1e them and dry
them. Our /, 765 pounds will then only
weigh 5SS pounds. (The proportion of
fresh to dried cocoOns being as 3 to l..
We have stated the average price OF
dried cocoons to be $500 per pound
this will give us 2x5SS=S1 l16. 90.
Expenses:
| grown person first 10 days, $1,000
= boys or girls 600
> grown persons second lOdays. 2O.OW
D boys or girls 1900
$ grown persons third 10 days, 1000
a. $780,
~ DoNS on girls 4S. 90
1929. 90
If we add a few dollars for feed.
few days work for pruning and cultivat-
ing the trees, and a few sundries it will
cover all the expenses which would not
exceed $3.50. This deducted f ON above
81, IS would leave rs Sl.OI6.
Sl.Ol6 on two acres of land and in one
time. How does this compare
with one bale of cotton to the acre. the
bale at $1,000. the crop of which it
axes six mouths to make and gather
THE BUILDING REQUIRED.
Two cheap buildings of rough boards.
With fixtures, built with a view IL
borough ventilation, each IOOxo4 IS all
IS required.
! desire to state here that in my cal :
Tor the above silk crop. | have 5
'een very careful not to rely on ny !
Judgment alone but have gathered from
he many and excellent authorities at my
Omniand.
In connection with silk culture Won
ear often the remark made that we had
o market Tor our cocoons. This i
reat mistake.
Marseilles Is the great market for raw
lk and cocoons. These are shin,eI
, Narseilles in bales from the far nri- :
at, as Turkey, Asia, Egypt, Japan and
'hina. Why could we not shin them
ON North Carolina? Moreoyer. If # !,
ays to ship a bale of cotton # 400 q.
ounds, worth $40, to Liverpool. how b
luch better, can We afford to shin a ST
ale of SILK OF 100 pounds, worth 500. OF
Marsellles, only about 300 miles far Ii;
The cocoons enter France dirty {
ee. M
Inc mulberry tree ought to have four dc
ears growth before it can be stripped de-
It's leaves with impunity. Four til
ears IS a long time to wait in This fast
re OF ours, and no doubt this fact has tt
many from engaging in sill ;,
Nj
But what We think of the tbous-
IDS and thousands of mulberry trees
altered over North Carolina whoff
'eclous foliage is allowed to 90 to
i>te every year. w
In France and other countries to on
IN silk culture you have to plant FL
e trees, invest your capital and wait
'r and SIX years before you can com. an
ence to.reap any benefit. Here IN BIT
Is greatly favored North Caroline an,
u have the trees already. You have, Or
RI SnAnI ~