Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-21
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Practical SILK Culture I'm the South
Again.

| Practical SILK Culture I'm the South
| Again.
| To the Editors of the Appeal:
| have tried to make plain rules for the
successful and highly profitable silk culture
| in the South, and as simple as words can ex-
press them, 20 as they could be thoroughly
understood and could be easily followed by
the masses OF the Southern people. But it
seems that some do not yet fully understand
about the kind of food, and how to feed it
for profitable silk-raising, so 1 clip the part
of my lecture on practical Silk Culture in
| the South" about food for elk worms, and
insert it just as it WAS first printed in the AP-
| PEAL; it is as follows:
SILKwORM FOOD.
The traditional food of the sflkworrn is the null
berry tree leaves. The white mulberry tree On.
aba and the osage orange MAKES the finest quail
orange leaves Tor silkworm food must, however,
bear in mind that the shoots from hedgerow be-
come very vigorous and succulent by the time the
worms are in the last age lone week.. These more
milky and succulent terminal leaves should be
thrown aside and not used, as they are not good
In avoiding these more tender leaves, and using
only the Older and frmer ones, especially when
the worms large, consists the whole great
secret of raising silkworms on this plant. And If
care De hsd IN this respect there viii be no APP
orange leaves compared with the white mulberry.
This is a well understood and proven fact
with every practical silk-culturist, whether
in America or Europe. In support of my
correctness, L quote from Prof. Charles V.
Riley, United States entomologist and United
States silk commissioner, who is the highest
authority on silk-culture in America, who
says, in his latest report TO Congress, pub
lished in pamphlet form, page twenty-nine:
Usage ORANGE.
The cultivation Of the Usage orange (nGeIarg
Glrant1cdl Is SO Wei Understood IN TINS country
tons on the subject. Very generally used as a
hedge-plsnt in those sections Of the country which
saTHt Ortnd
may at once be obtained without any special in
81 h pl he n ne ye
as the leaves may be wanted for feeding purposes
who use this plant as siikworm food must, how
ever, remem Der that the shoots from a
sncenient by the time the Worms are in the last
age zone week.. These more milky and succulent
used. In avoiding the more tender leaves and
using only the elder and hrmer leaves especially
secret OF the successful rearing of silk OF
there will be appreciable difference in the silk
crop from Usage orange leaves. compared with that
from the mulberry.
On page eighteen Same report he further
says
Where branches and not leaves are fed the Usage
orange has the advantage of the mulberry, as its
spines prevent too close settling or packing and
insures ventilation.
This, think, is sufficient to satisfy any |
and all persons who hesitate to enter silk |
ENTHUSIASTICALLY in the South. Persons |
who have certain kinds of mulberry trees tor |
sale at a high price do not like to talk much |
about the Usage orange favorably as food for |
the silkworm. The people are interested to |
know what is the cheapest, and at the
same time as good as the costliest tree
for the purpose OF raising fine silk.
Now, as to the sale of silk cocoons raised on
Usage orange, when fed properly, there need
not be the slightest he-itancy. Not only
will they find ready sale in Memphis, but in
Philadelphia, Paterson, New Jersey, New
York, and also in Marseilles and Lyons,
France, and many other places. The demand
for raw silk and silk cocoons is incre asing;
only few weeks ago over $5,000,000 worth
of raw silk was bought in japan to be woven
by the silk looms in the United States
Every day persons write to me and come to
me, and say that if they had to buy trees
the same as they had 70 buy during
the morus muhicauIis craze, years ago,
they would not wish to engage in sericufture,
In conclusion desire to call your attention
to the fact that the culture of raw silk as an
American industry is now exciting far
spread interest all over the United States.
Nature has given the South such vast natu-
raj resources and such a grand climate that
we should lead the world in the production
OF all raw materials and manufactures,
silk. The culture of silk is better
adapted to home industry than any other
branch of work which opens as large field
in the commercial market, it being valuable
as a commodity and largely in demand. 1t
commends itself to the women
and children of the rural districts, as well
az towns and cities, as an occupation of an
intelligent and moral bearing, not requiring
constant duty, but enabling the parties to |
pursue their household duties. / invite the
cordial cooperation OF all those who desire
% see our country retaining within her own
IL, 4
goes to foreign markets for raw silk. ]
earnestly urge the agricultural people and !
others 10 enter perseveringly into this work,
aud help to retain within their own pockets
he millions of money which are now sent
abroad for foreign silk. Amy kind of room
will do TO raise silk in, it is dry I
md airy. In Virginia and Georgia, at /
Quantities of silk we're raised annually.
North Carolina became a regular feeder to
he mix markets of Marseilles, France, and
would have so continued but for the intro ,
luction Of slavery, and later, OF the war of
TIE introduction OF slavery ,
brought about change in the nature OF pro- !
luets, the negro requiring to be occupied IN {
less delicate occupation than silk, and in I
NE that brought into activity the vast acres
# virgini..soil No silk factories at that |
lay gave employment to the busy thousands /
urning from their looms, as they do to-day, :
80 100000 worth of rare and beautiful fab
les annually, and using for this manufac-
ure upward of 100000 of raw material, ,
early all imported from foreign lands. I
Iere, then, in our own country, is the ready /
market; it only needs the persevering efforts I
+ the people to preserve and more fully de-
elop this entire silk industry and incre ase
in the South. 7
There is another valuable item of wealth. q
he ready market is at our doors, price has |
cen offered for raw silk (reeled silk from q
s so to SO, and sometimes 81 per pound of /
welve ounces raised on Usage orange leaves; !
II silk cocoons, 81 80 pound, the highest |
rice for any kind of silk cocoons, and even e
ierced cocoons at seventy-fye cents pound, ;
,rmerly waste, to be used with approved i
lachinery in the manufacture of spun silk. n
p. WALLACE McKITTRICK. .
MEMPHIS, February 90 1882. e
P. 81 am willing to meet any man in a
ublic debate on practical Silk Culture in q
lie South" 1
Practical Silk Culture