The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-06-22
COMMUNICATED.
The New Silk Industry.

The greatest incentive to engage ID
silk culture is the knowledge that
there is a home market for Sl5,OOO,-
900 worth of floss, which AmeTirsn
manufacturers are obliged to in:p"'t
from foreign lands. The other con
sideratioo is, that silk culture fur
ni>hes women aud children in the
rural districts, with congerial oc-
cupstion that does not require con
slant attention, aud so will not in
terfere with household duties.
10 view of these facts the Womcn's
Silk Culture Association Of Phlla
delphia was organized two years ago,
for the purpose Of calling the attention
of the women of the country to the
opportunity given them to establish
new industry, both suitable and pro-
ftable: and also to give the necessary
instructions to all desiring to engage
in silk culture.
The success Of this pioneer associa-
tiou is remarkable; there has been
aroused wide spread interest in the
cultivation of cocoons, that must 20
on Increasing until the aim Of the
association is fulfilled.
This fact was most forcihly pre-
sented at the last exhibition of the
association. at which the display Of
cocoons was very 6ue and Interesting
The chief feature of the exhibition
was the display Of specimen cocoons
by the tSeu,y-six contestants for the
Strawbridge & Clothier premiums
The first one of which, by the way,
wss carried off by Mrs. Rebecca Tay-
lor, (mother of the late Bayard Tay-
lor). who is over 81 years of age, aud
sufferer from paralysis.
The association announces that
through the liberaIity Of Messrs.
Strawbridge 4 Clothier, the we'll
known dry goods merchants Of Phila-
delphia, it is again enabled to offer to
the silk cul.urists the sum of FIVE
hundred dollars in ten premiums, as
follows: first premiun, sl00 second
SIS; third premium, S65; fourth
premium, $50; fifth premium, $50
sixth premium, SIS; seventh pre-
uium, $40; eighth premium, $50
ninth premium, s25; tenth premium,
$40 For these premiums any resi-
dent of the United States may con-
test. From the ten largest amounts
of cocoons, one ponnd will be taken,
without selection, aud the test of
reelipg applied; the quantity and
ouslity will be the conditions for
premium. Application fer competi,
tion mus: be endorsed and the amount
of this years cocoous raised by the
culturist, testified to by somc respou'
sible person. Stock must be seut 10.
later than December !, 1889.
Anyone with sufficient land to
grow few mulberry trees can add the
rearing of silk worms to the daily
care aod find it a source of pleasure
aud profit. The work occupies but
suall portion Of the year, aud child
can attend to the daily gathering of
leaves and feeding the worms. If q
supply of mulberry leaves cannot be
had, an Usage orange hedge will au'
swer every purpose. The Usage orange
leaf is admirable food for the silk
| worms, from which they spin splendid
elk.
A very interesting event of national
interest, connected With this subject OF
silk culture, has just occurred 10
Philadelphia. The Womeu's Silk
Culture Association selected silk from
twenty six families living in fourteen
States had it spun on 'Ysnkee'
reel, made into a web of twenty.eigbt
thousand threads of silk. and woven
as brocade on jacquard loom, re.
curing three thousand six hundred
needles to form the originsl and strik.
ing design. This is the first brocade
ever woven 10 America of American
silk =; aud probably ever woven. 1t is
known as the Garfield dress, as it is
the intention of the associstion to
present this magnificent fabric to
Mrs. James A. Garfield.