Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-09
sER1cuLTuRE.
Financial Aspects Of SILK Culture in Cali
r.. $685. r,o4c ,rS Y,eaao+ior,

VIEW Oh 6SldDllSuiBS Slih COlSAy. w ACbnCi
this rumor proves true or not, it seems
very certain that sericulture, having gone
through the regular course of imitation,
collapse and subsequent neglect, like VIII
culture, is on its feet again, and now offers
sure If moderate returns to those who IN.
diligently engage in it. This is natural
consequence of the rapid development OF
silk manufactures in the United States.
The Women's Silk Culture Association
have recently published little sheet enti-
tied "Silk from the Census Focus, IN
which we find that American manufactures
paid over 100000 last year to 34,4l0
persons employed by them /; that there was
Sl9, 600, 900 Of capital invested in 1888 fact
cries, running S,467 looms that the
valle of the finished goods was
$34, 4l0, 1863 These statistics ought to be
anything but dry to those who walk in
silk attire, but whose costly gowns do not
wear like the soft, thick fabrics of the
colonial period for it is conceded that the
finest silk goods are now manufactured in
the United States, because the purest and
most durable. This is especially true of
American ribbons, which, until very re-
Gently, came, like our watches, from our
little sister republic, Switzerland. Before
the year 1873 we received from the District
of Basic alone So 500, 900 worth of these
vanities in 1879 the ribbon factories were
reduced in number from thirty six to
eight. We are now doing in respect to
ribbons just what we did with watches,
IMPROVING THE PROCESSES OF mANUFAeT-
URINo,
So that no country can profitably compete
with us. There is, however, one i'm
portant particular in which the parallel
does not hold good-we depend wholly
upon foreign countries for the supply OF
raw material for our silk factories. thus
losing over So, 600, 900 annually. The
ladies of the associations who are doing so
much to foster home silk culture have an
| eye to business as we'll as to the human
itarian side of this subject. Why not
| keep this money at home? Skilled oper-
atives by the thousands are coming to
make homes in the Far West, and
| thousands more are waiting an opportunity.
That we are a silk.consuming people
| is shown by our so, 900, 900 expended last
terials. Our largest importations of manu-
| featured goods are from France, of raw
and floss silks from Japan, the principal
pIOQuCSf VI buC VIII III supply OuE OOl-
sui at Lyons estimated the total yield of
silk fer 1850 at nineteen millions of pounds.
In considering the outlooks of sericult-
ure we naturally question whether the
chances of competition with the cheap
labor of Japan and China are not against
US, even with continuance of the present
prices of 50 per pound for cocoons; 81 to
| IS for reeled silk; 81 80 for perforated
cocoons, and SIS per ounce for eggs. Not if
we employ labor not otherwise productive,
| as the Japanese mostly do. There is no
other work SO light, so agreeable, and 80
well adapted to women, children and aged
persons as sericulture. It has also this ad.
vantage: if the ANNALS are the kind pro.
pagated, the work may be all disposed of
before the hot. weather sets in, and, more
over, during the first two months after
Matching, one person can gather leaves and
take care of very large number. The
pressing labor comes in the last two stages,
or weeks, of the insects life, and our
children need not be kept out of school if
thus employed.
In Southern California the season would
begin the last of April and extend through
May, covering the summer vacation in
many country schools. Making a careful
estimate of the value of the labor of child
rem under II years of age, as represented by
the average profits of silk culture, think
| $50 would be
A Low ESTIMATE
For child's work or forty dollars if two
crops of cocoons were raised. There are
hundreds of families in which such an ad-
dition to the family income would make
4 tho hat
ming down hill financially. In how many
homes would successful seasons work
give the bias which makes Of a growing
child an industrialist or a dependent? /
was Just old enough to catch the inspira-
tion of new idea when silk culture was
attempted in New England. I carried one
batch of worms through their transforma-
! ton, and raised my own eggs for the next
years crop-a large one, from which / Sc
cured three premiums offered by the State
State bounty, which the Legislature
had authorized for cocoons and reeled silk
My grandmother carded and spun the floss
silk which envelops the cocoon and from
! it knit pair of stockings which gave
me honorable mention" | shall never
| forget the delight of making up little
| ptChdHCo VI Silh VI my OWN
reeiing and twisting as presents to friends.
The children Of this generation seem to me
to need just such healthy excitements. l
have neighbor who is wise enough to have
little printing press in the house, where
his boys do creditable and remunerative
work, and somehow l fancy that they look
brighter and better than common boys. It
is only when we look at the varied indus
tries which supply the needs Of civilized
communities that we can answer hopefully
the question, d" What shall we do with our
boys and girls.
WORD TO GIRLS.
And here, a word to growing.up girls,
who can earn more than $50 in season.
Silk-reeling is work at which an adept can
always obtain good wages. To be a good
operator on the silk reel is as profitable
and far less injurious to health than run
ming sewing machine. A young Amer
lean Is now in France experimenting with
new invention which claims to reel silk
by electricity, We may dream that skilled
fingers will no longer command price ;
but let me tell the girls that the finest linen
thread for lawns and laces is hand spun by
the women of Ireland and Russia and the
cobweb cotton for Dacca muslins is to-day
twisted on the hand spindles OF India,
where a delicate handling has become
hereditary in families. Is it not good
time for our State Board of Agri.
culture, initiating the recent examples
of other State Boards, to take some
steps to encourage this industry? The
New Jersey Board have recommended the
practical study Of sericulture in the Nor
NAL School. Our University is not too
poor to include this among specialties of
instruction, for silk worms were shown in
all their stages of growth to the earlier
agricultural classes. The officers of the
Woman's Silk Culture Association, which
is national one, propose to hold special
exhibition of the products of sericulture at
Philadelphia this fall, and hope there will
be something to show the superior adapta-
ton of our own State to it. and that
our own society is active, jealous and
successful in promoting the good work.
No doubt the leading manufacturers will
do their utmost to make the exhibition
success. The art schools are invited to
send contributions of designs, embroideries,
etc., on American silk goods; dressmakers
can advertise their specialties also. The
making of lace is now a favorite pastime of
our Young ladies of fashion, and I would