Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-30
SILK CULTURE IN AMERICA,
AN INDUSTRY THAT OFFERS GOOD OPEN
ING FOR GIRLS AND BOYS.

AN INDUSTRY THAT OFFERS A GOOD OPEN
ING FOR GIRLS AND BOYS.
One of the most attractive exhibits
at the Permanent Exhibition is that Of
silk culture, and owing to the efforts
OF the management to popularize the
introduction Of the silk worm among
American people generally this exhibit
becomes one Of the most instructive of
the l 800 yet remaining from the Cen
tennial. The decrease of the silk crop
in Europe will stimulate its culture in
this country and few facts in con-
nection with this important industry
may prove Of interest, The silk
crop in Europe in 1878 amounted to
1926, 900 pounds in 1879 it fell off TO
2,510, 200 pounds, scarcely more than
one-third the quantity of the preced-
ing year While there has been
lessened production of raw silk in
Europe there has been an increased
consumption of il in the United States,
and as the production Of silk goods
has increased in this country theirim-
portation has decreased, as the follow
ing statement attests
In 1873 there were 147 firms in this
country employing l1,7l3 operatives,
who produced silk goods of the value
Of Sl0,S94,S74. In 1876 there were
2l3 firms, employing IS, OH operatives,
who produced S26,593, 1853 worth of
silk goods. In 1873 we imported silk
goods to the value OF S24. 379 ,322 and
in 1876 our importation of silk goods
fell off to s21, 1926. Our increase in
home production was sG,G09, $50 and
our decrease in importations during
the period named was SO, 1856, ,936. Dur.
ing the year 1876 the manufacturers
of silk goods in this country used l.
l44,S6 pounds of raw silk, of which
10000 pounds only were raised in
America, including Mexico and Brazil.
During the same year, 1876, the
Chinese Empire produced 23, 232, 600
pound of raw silk, valued at S92, 2,92S,.
900. The worlds supply OF raw silk
for 1876 was 55, 100000 pounds, valued
at S267, ,653 400, OF which the value of
the raw silk produced in America was
only 100000.
The raw silk of China is worth 81
per pound that produced in the
United States is worth Sc per pound
For the raw silk used in this country
by the two hundred firms engaged in
the manufacture OF silk goods more
than So, ,000000 are annually sent out
of the country. This ought to be
stopped, and one Of the many good
things the management of the Perma.
nent Exhibition Company is engaged
in is to stop it by teaching the boys
and girls OF this country that one of
the most profitable and agreeable di.
versions from labor that they can en-
joy is the culture of silk, by supplying
them with eggs and giving them all
the information requisite for the sue
cessful culture OF this valuable pro.
duction.
A few years ago Judge Cobb was
employed by the Massachusetts, Legis.
lature to examine that report upon
the culture of silk in the New England
States, and in his exhaustive report
says that he found almost every family
in Windham county, Connecticut, that
had small children engaged in the cul-
ture of silk, raising ten, twenty, fifty
and one hundred pounds per annum.
Mr.. Lilly, of the Nonotuck Silk Com
pany, says that many families raised
l3S pounds each. The value OF this
raw silk was So per pound. The care
of silk worms is no more trouble than
that Of canary bird or a lap dog. 1t
is in every sense as pleasurable and
being much more profitable, it ought
TO supplant the dog at least.
The Women's Silk Culture Associa-
tion Of the United States having start. !
cd silk school at the Permanent Bx.
hibition, are prepared in this great |
school for teaching useful industries
TO learn persons the art of raising silk |
worms, reeling the silk from the CO. |
coons, and other matters pertaining to |
silk culture Every boy and girl upon !
whose fathers farm or lot is a white,
or smooth.loavod purple mulberry, or
Usage orange tree, ought TO bea grower
of silk, first for the purpose Of putting
money in their pockets and second TO
stop the annual flow of millions of
dollars from this country to Europe
for the purchase of raw silk.
The sale OF silk worms eggs as
shown in u recent publication by the
Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, is
an important industry. During the
years 1874, 1875, 1876 and 1877, &c.
100000 worth OF eggs arrived at San
Francisco for each of the years stated,
from Yokohama, Japan, intended
to be shipped by the Pacific Railroad
to New York, thcnce by steamer to
Havre, France.
1t is predicted that in less than ten
years we will be doing large bust.
ness in supplying France with silk
worms raised by the boys and girls of
this country Philadelphia Times.