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

add moderate sums to their Incomes 10y
light and easy employment for a few
months of the year. This holds espe-
cially true of the people ofthe Southern
States. most of which are pr~e-eminently
adapted TO silk culture. \ general
adoption of this industry, in the man
ner suggested. would add largely to the
national wealth-no less than twenty
three million dollars going annually out
of the country for the purchase of this
article.
Professor Riley sums up his advocacy
of silk culture in these words: Silk
culture never was and never will be an
exceedingly profitable business, but it
adds wealth to the nations engaged In
it. for the simple reason that it can be
pursued by the hunblest and the poor
est, and requires So little outlay. There
are hundreds of thousands of families
to-day who would be most willing to add
IA few dollars to their income by giving
light and easy employment for a few
months each year to the more aged, I o
the young, and especially to the women
of the family, who may have 10 other
means of profitably employing their
time This view Of the case is GER
tainly moderate enough, and if under
taken in this manner there can be little
or nothing lost, if there is little or moth
ing gained. But We doubt whether, 10
many families, there will be found the
special tastes and adaptations which are
needed to make even silk-family
style toothsome dish. Neverthe-
less, for those who do succeed there will
be the greater reward; because if all
should succeed, the silk supply would SO
increase that one could buy a baniana
for IA bit, and silk stockings would be as
common as bare feet around a country
schoOlhOuse i'm summer time.
One great difficulty now existing. is
the absence of a home market for the
cocoons; which has compiled the ship
ment to France, a course attended with
cost and uncertainty. He therefore
urges that congress give the Depart
ment the means to purchase, erect, and
appoint with skilled hands. on the De-
partment grounds, a small tilature or
Keeling establishment. \ market would
thus be formed for the cocoons raised I'm
different parts of the country, and "a
guarantee afforded to those embarking
in silk raising that their time would moi
be thrown away. As o as the bust
ness could be left to private enterprise
the government aid might be with
drawn. The art Of reeline in modern
and with steam appliances,
says Prof. Riley, has been brought to
such perfection that the hand-reeler
cannot hope to plo luce a first-rate
The only way in which silk
can be managed profitably. at
present, is where a colony OF s~ilk-raiSers
combine to put up an operate Il com
non f~ilature.
Under existing circumstances, more
money is made by the raising and sale
# eggs than by other means, and it is
that III 1877, 1867, 900 francs
1ere paid in France for eggs raised in
he United States. This branch Of the
could, however, admit only of
limited expansion.
OF the different species of the null
cry and other trees, Prof. Riley finds
My two well adapted to feeding the
-orms-the white mulberry and the
orange-the latter answering
as well as the former, and olivia
ng the necessity of the expense of
mulberry trees where the Usage
as been extensively used for hedges.
nder this head, Prot. K. remarks.
Those who use this plant for silk
must bear in mind that the more
llky and succulcnt terminal leaves
louid be thrown aside and not used, as +
ley are apt to induce haccidity and +,
sease, III avoiding these mo c tender
and using only the older and !
mer mes, especially when the worms !
e large. consists the whole secret of 8
Iccesstully rearing the silkworm on this :
amt. With care in this respect, there :
no appreciable difference in The silk I
op from the Usage orange as com .
red with that of the mulberry The {
if iudiciously performed. +
,uld of course benefit the hedges, and !
double advantage be thus secured. !,
Perl a IS, however: it will be more in !
to quote from the Hand Book. t
lblished by the Commissioners of Az t
the following account of silk !
in North Carolina =
The general prevalence of westerly Q
nds which give IA dry and warm sum Y
n climate to North Carolina makes it a
home for the silk worm. The d
tree grows with great vigor G
healthfulness throughout the mid
and eastern sections Of the State. a
Silk has been raised in Cumberland SC
unity on a small scale for a number of D
irs and an experiment made i'm Fay W
eville but Il few years since proves
It the percentage of loss by disease of g;
worm Is very small. tt