Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-11-09
ON A MODEL SILK FARM.

should not be as extensive and as lu-
cratiye in the United States as any
where else in the world"
The speaker sat in coy Office in
Bond street, at desk covered with
papers and proof sheets. He was a
tan, fair-eomplexionsd man, with blue
eyes and blonde mustache and goatee.
1t was Mr.. w. b. Smith, president Of
the American Silk exchange, upon
whom a Star reporter had called.
+" What part Of the country is best
suited for sericulture, Mr.. Smith?"
Wherever the worms can obtain
supply Of young. tender mulberry
leaves. We have what we call
model silk farm at Park Ridge, Ber-
gen county, New Jersey. The enter
prise is new one, but win practically
demonstrate that Americans can make
silk equal to the product Of Lyons"
How extensive is your model
farmY'
"We have thirty acres, divided into
eleven plots Of varying sizes. The
price Of land is from $50 to $3.50 per
acre, according to location. The soil
is a grayeIly loan, with clay subsoil,
and is admirably adapted to our pur-
pose."
:" What sort Of people do you expect
as colonists2"
"Oh, first-class people, Of course.
We encourage no others. Perhaps
may as well say that the exchange
does not intend to assert any right to
regulate the actions of the colonists.
1t is not at all Communistic affair.
Each person buys plot of land and
raises silkworms in his or her own
way. Our superintendent, M. Viron
Des Lauriers, is practical silk cul-
turist, and will visit the colonists to
give them advice and instruction; but
Of course they need not necessarily fol-
low his IDEAS"
!" Are there indigenous mulberry
trees at Park Ridge?' the reporter
asked.
II don't think there are any in the
country. The trees we intend to use
will come from Italy. There are diff
ferent kinds Of mulberries suitable for
different climates. The morus iaponica,
for example, gives a rich, juicy leaf,
but thrives best in warm countries.
On the other hand, the morus nigra
or black mulberry is very hardy,
though its Leaf is not as rich as that
Of the japonica. In our colony we will
try the experiment Of grating the
japonica upon the nigra, thus scouting
the best leaf with the hardest stock"
"How much time is required to pro
duce one crop of worms2"
"Six weeks"
"Then you can raise several crops a
year?"
Yes, that can be done and is done,
but when several crops Of worms are
produced yearly they are smaller and
weaker than the ANIMALS, as they are
called, and the cocoons are of a CORE
spondingly inferior quality"
"What will your colonists pay for
eggs?"
''The best. imported from the south
Of France, cost $4 an ounce or twenty
five cents per 1000"
"Hold on, Mr.. Smith, cried the re-
porter, sat that rate there would be
5000 eggs in an ounce"
Don't let that tax your credulity,"
replied Mr.. Smith; sin fact there are
no less than 10000 eggs to the ounce,
and we guarantee all the eggs we
SELL"
You seriously assert that for $4
you carefully examine 10000 eggs and
that you guarantee them?"
"No. / assert nothing of the sort.
The soundness of the eggs is tested by
examining the bodies of the worms
laying them. The eggs are laid on a
piece of paper, within space which
a trade dollar would cover. The worm
laying them is pinned to a corner Of
the paper, where she is left until she
dies and is as dry as smoked herring.
Then she is pulverized and the par
ticles examined. A fungus growth
upon them is sign of disease and the
eggs are rejected. Otherwise they are
known to be good"
"Do silkworms live on mulberry
leaves alone?"
"That is their only diet, and they
are veritable pigs in the matter Of
feeding. They eat their own weight
every day. Here are some eggs" said
Mr.. Smith, showing the reporter a
piece Of paper bearing several hundred
dark-brown specks.
"Will the worms raised on your
colony be as good as those Of France?"
aThey will be better. In Europe
they live closely huddled together, and
any disease breaking out spreads rap
idly. The effect Of overpopulation
is the same with silkworms as
with the genus homo. Making the
most sanguine allowances for the
increase of sericulture in the United
States, the worms will not be crowded
in 1000 years, and no appearances Of