Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-24
SILK Culture In Georgia.

This is subject which has been fire.
quently alluded to in these columns, and
it is one to which the farmers of this
section might doubtless turn their atten
ton with interest and profit. The eli
mate of Southern Georgia and Florida is
especially suited to the production of
the silk worm. The mulberry upon
which it feeds can be raised with no ex-
pense and little labor, while all the
care and attention necessary for
saving the cocoons, preparing them
for reeling, ETC., can readily be bestowed
upon them by the wives and daughters
of our farmers. The cocoons meet with
ready sale, and. whatever profit is to be
derived therefrom, being unattended
with any considerable expense or loss of
time, would prove Just so much net gain
to those engaged in their production.
Under such favorable circumstances it
is singular that our farmer friends
have not devoted more attention
to silk culture. 1t has not, how
ever, been wholly ignored, and Mr..
NJ. G. Lindsay. one of our subscribers
in Jefferson, in this State, writes US
the result of his experience, and gives
certain advice to those who may desire
to engage in this industry. These we
reproduce in the hope that they may be
productive of benefit.
He writes that silk culture can be sue
cessfully conducted in the South, and that
the worm grows stronger when fed on
the common old field mulberry than on
either the white mulberry or the morris
multicaulis. The seed, or eggs, should be
opened about the 9th of April, and will
hatch as soon as opened. The mulberry
leaf is then large enough to be used as
food, but should there be late frost the
worms can be fed on lettuce, on which
they can live, though on that food they
will produce but light cocoon.
During the two first weeks after
Matching they are little trouble. They
should be kept clean and dry, and the
leaves upon which they are fed should
be gathered after the dew has fallen
upon them in the morning, though they
should never be given to the worm wet.
While shedding, the worm needs no
thing to eat, but as soon as they have
finished, they should be moved to a
clean place, which can be done by
lifting the leaves with the worms on
them. When they are ''ripe"-thst is,
ready to spin-a row of oak leaves
should be placed on scaffold for them
to spin in, and the twigs should be taken
from a red oak tree, cut down in August,
while the leaves are strong. If properly
arranged they seldom make a double
cocoon, caused by two spinning to-
gether. These will not reel, but can be
kept for seed. The cocoons intended for
Keeling should be summed three times a
day for the purpose of killing the worm.
Mr. Lindsay writes further that he has
prOduced as hlgn as one nundred yards OF
woven silk in year, and has made silk
dresses therefrom. This he did in An
derson district. South Carolina, where
the production of silk was at one time
quite largely engaged in. What he
states, therefore, is the result of practi-
cal experience. and his suggestions may
prove valuable, both to those now en-
gagged in this industry as well as to those
who may hereafter desire to experiment
in the culture of silk. 1t is an industry
which ought to prove profitable, and
when the little time and expense attend
ing it are considered it is strange that il
does not prove more attractive.