Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1880-11-27

tho South has for some time
been experimenting ia Il small!
way with the silk worm. The
opinion is strongly asserted
that if in Louisiana, torinstance,
some we'll directed otfort could
be applied to silk culture, and
q degree of care approaching
that which cotton receives, bc
given to the new candidate, the
resources Of the State would be
more than tenfold increased, for
there is no doubt that tho silk
worm can be made to pro Ter
there as well as anywhere in the
world.
It is suggested that cotton
planters set out mulberry trees
wherever they possess available
high ground. III about five
years they would be ready for u
crop Of silk.
\ prominent silk dycrat New
Orleans states, that having had
occasion in his business to dye
some Of the first pounds of silk
raised in Louisiana, he can
safely affirm that that silk pos
sessedzaIl the required qualities
ofremarkablo strength, brillian-
cy and fneness, and that this
first gave him the idea that silk
could be cultivated there with
immense profit. This gentle
man has studied silk Oh the i'm
perial silk farm Of France, and
he is convinced that it can be
made Il great industry in the
Pelican State.
The following figures have
been given to show what. is pos
tible to be attained with q mod
crate capital. For $4,000,
land sufficient for the require
ments Of tie business can DC
purchased, and enough will be
left for planting mulberry trees
and introducing the worm.
This capital would pay no rev.
enue for three or four years,
but the land by it's improve
mcnts in that time would bo
worth three Or four times it's
rurchage price, including the
valuo Of buildings, implements
and a few mules. In the fourth
year silk enough could be rails
ed to pay expenses, AMI the
year following a crop worth at
least $4,000 could be gathered.
And now the real profit Of tho
enterprise would appear.
There would be q steady i'm
prove1nentin the trees, year af-
ter year and the produce would
increase in richness. One ounce
Of seed contains 10000 TO A.
900 eggs Of silkworms, which
consumes 5000 pounds OF leaves
during five or six weeks Of their
short lives; but if they have q
Great appetite they work ftl' it,
for it is calculated that ono
ounce Of seed Will give a yield
OF 10000 c0cOOn5 OF silks.
After fifteen years operation
OF slch q farm, its annual rev
enuc nay be biaoe;i at &j7J,"o0.
TO raise silk, not half the OK
DcnsG necessary to the cotton
crop is required. Il takes eight
l pounds OF rough silk, which is
= worth sixty cents everywhere
,, to make g pound OF clean HliE
+ worth & 50, or else &2,4O0
=, bale Of 500 pounds.
'' IE:cse estimates may be r;:tll
{ cr ro&ea'c and the advocates
!. Of the project oversanguine, bu1
:: certain it Is that considerable
:, interest is being manifested il
=. silk culture throughout th'
'" =. ;Soulh. y gentleman largcl.
i identified with the silk interes
i ilN; recorded his views as fol
I. lows:
.o ";5upDose the South shoul'
!, awake tu lis real interest ant
{! cutpl largely into silk culture
is 50 IS to produce enough Of TIN
!, precious textile to Justify th
= establishment OF silk manufac
II tur~s. See how many million
Ii Of dollars would be poured int
OR Golfers and would go t,
feed and sustain the othe