The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-07-13
The New silk rnsustry

in silk culture is the knowledge that
there is q home market for $I5, GEO.
600 worth Of floss, which American
manufacturers are obliged to import
from foreign lands. The other con-
sideration is, that silk culture fur
nishes women and children in the
rural districts, with a congenial oc-
cupation that does not require con-
slant attention, and so will not in.
,terfere with household duties.
In view of these facts the Women g
Silk Culture Association of Phiia-
delphia was organized two years
ago, for the purpose Of calling the
attention of the women Of the coun-
try to the opportunity given them
to establish new industry, both
suitable and profitable; and also to
give the necessary instruction to all
desiring to engage in silk culture. y
The success of this pioneer asso-
citation is remarkable; there has been
aroused wide spread interest in
the cultivation of cocoons, that must
go on increasing until the aim of the
association is fulfilled.
This fact was most forcibly pre-.
sented at the last exhibition of the
association, at which the display of
cocoOns was very fine and interest
ing. The chief feature of the exit
bition was the display of specimen
cocoons by the twenty-six contes-
tants for the Strawbridge & Clothier
premiums. The first one of which,
by the way, was carried off by Mrs.
Rebecca Taylor, mother Of the late
Bayard Taylor), who is over 80
years, of age, and suffer from pa.
ralysis. ... ..
The association announces that
through the literally of Messrs,
Strawbridge & Clothier, the we'll
known dry goods merchant of Phila-
delphia, it is again enabled to offer
to the silk culturists the sum of five
hundred dollars in ten premiums, as
follows: first premium, 500; second
premium, $75; third premium, sos;
fourth premium, $50; fifth premium,
$50; sixth premium, $45; seventh
premium, $40; eight premium, $50;
ninth premium. $25; tenth premium,
$40. For these premiums any resi-
dent of the United States may con-
test. From the ten largest amounts
Of cocoons, one pound will be taken
without selection, and the test of
reeling applied; the quantity and
quality will be the conditions for
premium. Application for competi-
tion must be endorsed and the
amount of this years cocoons raised
by the culturist, testified to by some
responsible person. Stock must be
sent not later thar December /,
1882.
Anyone with sufficient land to
grow few mulberry trees can add
the rearing ofsilk worms to the daily
care and find it a source of pleasure
and profit. The work occupies but
a small portion of the year, and
child can attend to the daily gath
ering leaves and feeding the worms.
liza supply of mulberry leaves can
not be had, an Usage orange hedge
will answer every purpose. The
Usage orange leaf is admirable food
for the silk worms, from which they
spin splendid silk.
A very interesting event of ma,
tional interest. connected with this
subject of silk culture, has just oc
Cured in Philadelphia. The Wo-
mems Silk Culture Association Sc
lected silk from twenty six families
living in fourteen states; had it
spun on a yankee" reel, made in
to a web of twenty-eight thousand
threads of silk, and woven as a bro
cade on jacquard loom, requiring
three thousand six hundred needles
to form the original and striking
design. This is the first brocade
ever woven in America of American
silk; and probably the heaviest in
texture of any brocade ever woven.
1t is known as the Garfield dress,
as it is the intention of the associa-
tion to present this magnificent
fabric to Mrs. James A. Garfield.