Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-10-04
SILK CULTURE.

~ SItNAN'AGJsOh ~ 6A'A'e3 - WV Z. -
extension. ;lOnly few acres of land are
needed, to realize thousands of dollars,
in few days, from the LIST of March to
the 1st of April in southern climates,
from April TO May. in the middle States, |
from May to june III the northern lati-
tudes; the amount of work it requires is
easily performed by children, ladies and
girls for the three first periods, stronger
hands being called to help for ten to
twelve days only, and then tho whole
crop being sold for cash altogether, it
really seems money sent from above.
These peculiarities caused in the begin
ming of this century, the Cevennes and
Vivarais, two small southern provinces
of France, to give silk culture such an
ted to the plantation of the best silk pro-
ducing mort, and soon the production of
cocoons raised over fifty million pounds.
Her was the danger. The accumulation
| of immense numbers of worms in the
same room rapidly developed disease
proper to the bombyx mort. In 1S49 the
epizootic became q plague: and heredita-
nv, cuIOulC anu eA"N
since to this day European silk growing
districts pay the Levant an enormous
tribute for the eggs they reed to make
sure the previous crop. Mr.. Pasteur has
given the means to avoid this desease,
and to make good cocOons for reproduce
ton, but the old way, the old error
which has created the evil; error which
A.. hat rn1I ininraS
the worm; error which cause millions
of ignorant and obstinate farmers to eS-
pend their money and labor hurtfu!ly to
the very object Of their solicitnde.
|, In order to protect our new silk grow
} crs against the unavoidable failure and
encouragement, that such teachings will
surely bring if followed, let us set as a
rule this short sentime. Let your worms
suffer a change from 800 to 400 faren-
height, let them fast six days for want OF
heat, let them he exposed out doors to a
cold rain and do not fear, it will not cost
r YOU one cocoon. But by all means have
: ventilation. Axiom-avoid expenses and
: double your crop.
|. MULBERRY TREES.
J. The first thing to do for one willing tc
!. 90 in silk raising, is, to plant mulberry
|. trees, not the first at hand, but the best
!. those which produce the greatest quaint
- ty of silk for a given weight OF leaves
" There is two good reasons for it. Ih'
e trees which contain only one pound
}, cocoons for forty to fifty pounds ofleavcs
~ is no doubt about as inferior to the on
y given the same amount with fo"rtee
hounds. this is one reason. The secon
r is. that foIr Thousand cocoons fed on til
Il bad kind make one of SILK worth three
q, five dollars, while eighteen hundred CT
coons fed on tie good one give one poun
of silk worth ten dollars, or less or MOI
10 according to the state of business, but
'f the proportion above mentioned. <
Il careful then to make good selectlo
Of and remember that the muIticaulis few
e, has killed silk cllture in tho Unite
IA States.
es Plant morus alba, morus rosea, NOR
or iapoinca o: the moretti elata, tnese a
of the best varieties known, for giving Il
d. worms health, and the silk quality al
quantity.
a., EGGS OF SILkWOkMS.
Besides the difference between t
breeds which makes one worthless or j
. tie renumerative, while the other IS no
;. bly, precious by the quantity anu GUAM
of its silk, there is another strong reaso
~ to be careful in getting them from go
~, source, for if an ignorant, careless
q shameless correspondent send you a q
~ eased breed, it is to be feared that ii
MANY other triers, you will be dlsco'
led aged and say ''this is not adaptable
Mt, our climate, nor paying business"
:: No heat can hatch the eggs OF the am
llv al breeds until rafter freezing. 50
ian engs kept in the shade out doors, are
me, the best possible condition. so II u
n a travel or are kept into room where mr.
are liohted after they have been frozen, I'll
, of will hatch before the leaves grow. 1
10 if kent from beginning to the end at
nv outside temperature, they will natura
hatch lust when tho leaves OF the mo
alba. the earliest of the mort, are fit
l at it's tender teeth; because the muloe
will ..,u ,,rovs with a. temperature of sc
ing :6o farenheit, and the eggs must
submitted to ut least 65 to SOC, for hat
ard, ;nr The moro natural way is the
Yea, ns
! best.
T.. LIFE OF THE SILKWORM.
The silkworm's life time is counted
}. D by days or by weeks, but by meals.
tom is divided into four molts or change
skin. After eighteen meals the VIC
oun begin to operate the transformation
sleep, they begin to make after the tv
ty-third or twenty-fourth meai' L
w | .aasa faalinm for twelve hours in the