The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-12-27
A OOnsignment Of sfk-Rorms.


consignment Of silk worm eggs, believed
to be one Of the largest that has ever passed
through this city, says the New York Times
OF December 81, arrived by the way Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad on Friday night from
] Yokohama, Japan, via San Francisco, aud
viii be transferred 10 the steamer Amerique
for shipment on Wednesday. The cargo
filled six freight cars and its value is about
@ooO,OO0. The eggs are all products Of Ja.
panese nurseries situated in the vicinity of
Yokohama and have been collected and con-
signed to silk -growers in France and Italy by
agents of theirs stationed at that point. The
use of the route, via San Francisco aud New
York, in preference TO that by way Of the In.
dian Ocean, the Suez Canal and the Mediter-
ranean Sea is comparatively so experimental
that the agent opened several of the cases
yesterday after the unloading and handling
had commenced aud inspected their contents
with some curiosity. The Larvae were in ex-
cellent condition in every instance and silk
men who inspected them announced the ex.
pertinent q success and the route practicable,
Notwithstanding the necessity for unloading
and handling at San Francisco and New
York.
The mode of packing these delicate objects
is SO simple as to be worth describing. The
eases employed are about three feet long by
little more than one foot in width and rather
less than one foot in height, leaving cubica
capacity of about dozen feet. One Of these
cases is capable Of containing 100000 eggs
Parallelograms Of card board are cut so as &c
fit the cases, and coated with gum to render
the eggs adherent. They are minute bodie:
| just visible to the unaided eye and bearing
vague resemblance to specks of dust. Wher
thus coated with adherent eggs the strips o
card board are carefully packed, with layer
OF tissue paper between them to prevent in
| jury to their precious contents by obviatinl
the pressure and jar which may prove fatal Il
the life OF the embryo insect. From twent.
to twenty-five strips are placed in each case
each strip Containing from 10000 to 5000
eggs. With this simple packing and with du
precautions against moisture aid high TEN
perature, these delicate structures are trans
ported three fourths of the distance roun
the earth IN perfect safety, provided Away
that moderately cold fresh air is given FIRE
access TO the quarters in which they are stored
Heat it is stated, produces an immediate Ell
feet upon the development of the larvae, thu
rendering it impossible to deliver them j
good condition for growing unless all the SC
enti6c requisites are observed The difficult
of securing these conditions, as respects ten
perature particularly, by the Indian Ocea
I
the route by way of San Francisco and Ne
York with good results thus far. Neeessit
for low temperature also prevents shipmer
during the summer months. Silk men 50
the partial failure Of the crop in France an
Italy during theseas just ended has given a
impulse to shipment from Japan and othC
producing tracts III Eastern Asia, which wi
cause an immense and unprecedented mov'
ment of eggs via San Francisco and Ne
York to Hayre this winter. Great care hi
always been necessary by the Indian 0cea
ronte, and even when that was exercised col
siguments were always spoiled by the big
temperament in doubling the southern poin
OF Hindustan. The increased number
transfers slightly Injuries the eggs, but the al
gregato damage is considerably less by wa
of New York than by way of the Suez cana
Another immense shipment is expected fro
San Francisco this week.