Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-07
AGRICULTURAL.
MATTER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOB
The RECORD UNION
SIX Culture in California and
Saving sesds-Good Wheat "ea'nef
Alfalfa and Glover.


Alfalfa and Glover
AZ association of ladies has been organized
IN San Francisco for the purpose OF ehcou'-
,oipo the culture of silk in this State ms
20 aav the least, is a very praise worthy
rnJartalzipo. for the tendency of the enter
nrise. if successful, will be to give employ
,,ent TO a class Of people who seem, practl' |
caIIv to have nothing to do, as labor is now
orgsnized in this State. We are in great
want of tina. variety Of employment that
gives all classes something to do that win
helm to keep the wolf from the door and
5ravent the evil tendencies of idlensss. We
have had some practical experience in the
business in this State, snd what observations
ne shall make on the subject will be from q
practical standpoint. That the soil and eli
mate are favorable in some sections for the
growth of the tree, and the quality of the
leaves to be fell to the worms. is, Ia our
opinion, d pretty certain proposition, but
these sections do not embrace al the State
By a great deal. Trees, t. produce
leaves healthy to the worm, must
not be grown where their roots dur
ing Che summer months or during
the feeding season are too near the WateC.
The low river bottoms, for instance, will not
do for the growth Of the mulberry tree from
which worms are to be feed. The moisture
about the roots will be so great as to induce
too rapid and luxuriant growth of the leaf
It will contain too great az amount Of water
aud too little propor5i0nate fiber and glutin.
The worm may do well on such leaves during
the early STAGES Of It's growth, but altar the
last or fourth moltiug it viii very likely and
almost surely fail Then alkah soils, Of
which they are in the valley portions Of The
State large areas, are wholly unsulssd TO
silk culture The alkali in the soil Is taken
up by the roots ana carried by the sap into
the leaves and is thus introduced into the
worm, and viii surely bring death before the
time of spinning We think, therefore, 1t
may be laid down rule that the river
bottoms Of the State where the water re
mains high till June and July, as it does
on the Sacramento and San Joaquin
rivers, are. not adapted to the pro-
duction of heal by food for the silk worm
There is another pretty serious objection to
the large open valleys of California for tae
prosecution of silk culture. We refer TO the
great difference in temperature between the
dav and night atmosphere. 1. is the practice
in all silk-growing countries to hatch the
-vorns for the first feeding about the time
the mulberry leaves begin to grow on the
trees. Following this rule here We should
have the first brood hetched about the first OF
April. During April and May the nights
are too cool as a rule for worms, without
resort to artificial heat. This objection could
be overcome by the application of the Eeees-
sarv heat but it would be attended with an
expense TO small feeding that would be most
surs to absorb all the profits. 1t will be seen
shat the objections above stated would
operate to limit the area OF the State IN
which the natural conditions are favorable
for silk culture very materially. Practically
they drive the culture away from those seq
lions where It would be most beneficial 10 the
classes most to be benefited by it. Our chief
stiles are located on the large rivers, and in
the sections from which By natural causes the
culture is exclu ed. IA these cities are prln-
cipnlly the poorer people who have the time
on. their hands to devote to six culture, and
who most stand in need Il IKE small Indus
tries to employ that TIM, ana keep them
from the vices that idleusss Is "a sure to be
set In Sau Francisco causes o-hsr than
those we have named wouid obviously eH-
cIude the culture. The climate there il
uufavorahle, and there Is no room for
the cultivation of the trees. We must
look therefore to the wLest-growiug auo
fruit-crowinc sec,ious Of the Sts5e for
localities uunhiec.ianable t lthe bust -ess-to
the upland plains and the foothills Though
not intervene, We believe the natural con
ditions are favorable, and that silk culture
may and ought to be introduced as an ad-
iunct to other kinds f business. Silk cut
IRE, however, has been succssriul IN no
country except a me tic industry. From
the very nature f things ii cannot be made
70 succeed on a large scale. A large number
nj worms in one building are sure to breed
disease among tire worms themselves, and
therefore cause failure. The raising OF silk
,7.orns, in the care and attention necess ary to
-1cceHs, is very much ike the raising OF
mary birds OF chickens. Afsw Will seem t.
-es along with but little trouble and dotHe y.
u. too many under one management 10 NEST
Rain to bring disaster. The mulberry Is
"a OF the pleasantsst aSd most beautiful
shade trees in the country. Every faru-hou5s
IN the State would be the better for having
p about it, and every farm in the valley
lai foothills would be ornsmented and
-pdered attractive by having the road
lie and division lines set out with
ne mulberry. These trees would furnish
tood for as many worms as the family cccu
wing the farm should undertake to raj. Z.
'fais is the way that six culture should be
reduced and this IS the way that 1t can be
.sadered successful and profitable. AS a
domestic industry it becomes domestic
pleasure the same as does the raising OF
7iaunr canary birds or a brood of choice
chickens. To each family the profits would
l'= small, but they would be profits arising
from a pleasing and Instructive recreation,
i1ssead Of from tiresome task for the chil-
.lrsu and females of the househ Id. 1t would
re in the aggregate that the profits Of the
business would tell il favor Of ths State, as
has been telling IN favor OF China ard
apan for centuries, and Of France for =
acre limited period. But for the bad fai, n
# the State towards those who e1 g7ged in
,iik culture here some twelve and fifteen
years ago, silk culture would now have been
one Of our 7urisning industries It's growth
IL T,,,+ - e.. Il.