The Cecil Whig., 1882-08-19
MRS, GARFIELD'S GOWN.

with time and patience the leaf of
the mulberry tree becomes satin, and
so, with time and patience, the energetic
women of the silk Culture Association
nave inspired anI built mp a modest in
duStry that has furnished a specimen
piece Of silk reared, reeled, spun. dyed
and woven in this country-a silk that no
American need blush to see beside the
superb products Of foreign looms. The
point of this present to Mrs. Garfield is
not in the weaving Of it, it being fully
understood that American silk mills can
turn ont rich and splendid webs. 1t was
the growing Of it, from the egg of the
cocoon, and the reeling, both of them
farm house industries, which have given
this sikeu robe the interest it has for
Mrs. Garfield and for all American eyes.
The ladies of the silk School OF Phila-
de!phia deserve all the wide advertise
mcnt which this gown, 50 graciously and
handsomely accepted by its honored re-
cipent. will give them. Mrs. Garfield
understands what is hidden away under
its folds. and the meaning there is in
every thread of it. spun among Quaker
homesteads of the Keystone state, or
from the 1ilatures Of North Carolina, or
Il New Jersey cocoonery. or as many diff
ercnt regions as the cocoons could be
gathered from. If only the web came
from one, it would still mean great
deal both to the women who send and
tn c women who takes the gilt. It means
that they together have watched, what
the President S widow. ill her thoughtful
way. represents General Garfield as
watching, this hamble spinning among
the mulberry leaves Of Philadelphia
Park. OIL the Usage hedges Of the West
and South, watched the spinning Of these
cobwebs, more and more of them every
year. 1t means that these Philadelphia
women have taken hold of the process bg
the right handle. 1t was easy enough to
teach a few girls o raise and rear silk
worms and send out cocoons and eggs
and Instructions over the country to nu-
merous correspondents. What was not
So easy was to force open 4 market for
the eocooits 5S.ian raised. 1t was such
an unconsidered tgirle. IL .,.s 3ye5 Gt the
manufactures, scarcely worth stopping to
consider. SO these ladies studied the
marhets, they found out what cocoOus
were fetching in Lyons and other silk
centres abroad. They gave consuls and
merchants no peace until these listened
10 them, answered their questions made
sugges,io.e. Lcgaa 20 invent electric
reels and other reels, and waEen up 10
the fact that there WAS something III it.
All this time they were receiving most
pathetic letters from the South, largely
where the women Of that section lind
that their hands are willing, but that the
demand TO- uaa&s..-;r:c:att IS weak. There
are so few avenues for any ~Gri. Df 60
men in the Southern country. where they
cannot all sew and scrub and teach
school, that this silk idea was blessing
with its suggestions In North Carolina
especially we learn, from other sources
thai il has become largely popular. 1t
does not pay iarseiS. bpt i furnishes
that sort of pickup occupation that can
be put in among other household duties
and in otherwise idle time.
That is what makes the profit Of it iii
this couittry-it can be done i'll ''between
times" In North Carolina one promi
ncn. s.~me,5 at.a has been at work ex-
perimcntin9 since iSr:, mas mahe his
mulberry and silkworll crop ont of a
four acre patch Of thin, gra,olly, worn
Mississippi, there are two large silk
farms. bu.h the ciIrap land ii:e climate
and tie surplus of light labor in the
South make the COMPETITION of Ameri
can cocoons-now begau-to promise
fairly enough. silk companies are start
ing up il 60 many quarters, under intell
igeEt managei..ent, il sho~s general
interest is awake at last. 1t is as easy
to rear silkwolmS, and considerably less
expensive than to raise chickens. The
cocoons can be sent long distances to
market 1T light rates of freight. The
Philahelsht. l,ni2eM Of the Silk Associa-
ton have opened 4 market, and will take
ali that are sent. That means that they
have the steady cooperation Of some
manufacturers, or else they are going in
to the exporting busiaess. There is no
reason why they should not export them,
if they can get a good market abroad.
We are nearer to Lyons than Japan is,
thongi VIC are considerably near to Pat
erson. AID FtDicnrc, apa Fourth street
than to either 3Irs. Gariield's gown
will not only be an heirloom in that fam
lily. 1t is a very good sort of banner
for these far seeing women to show, for
their three years nursery 10 da,c. u an
interest that will be giant by-and-by.