Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-06-27
Russian Mulberry and Kansas silk.

Mr.. l.. 5. Crozier, the pioneer silk
grower of Kansas, now in the south,
recently paid visit to Kansas to look
after silk interests. He also visited
several other states. A report of his
trip is published in American Silk and
Fruit Culturist, from which we couV
that part relating TO Kansas. He says:
The general agent of the AtchisOn.
Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, Mr..
Johnson, had previously offered my
company n free pass, in order that we
might visit the Mennonites. from New
ton to Hutchinson, and ascertain what
quantity and what quality of cocoons
could be procured from them.
At Newton | was referred TO Mr..
Muntferin, the German agent OF the
company, a true gentleman, whose
perfect politeness and pure French Ian
guage made me think ! was back
again in Paris, and not in the far west.
Soon after my arrival two fast trotters
brought us amongst the immense fields
of wheat, bordered by interminqble
hedges of mulberry trees. planted by
the Mennonitcs. MY first care was to
ascertain TO what kind belongs the
Russian mulberry tree, and was not as
tonished at all to find that, like the
Spanish, the English, the Turkish and
the Italian, this So-called Russian null
berry is simply the MorUS alba, with
almost all It's varieties in the wild
state, which have never been improved
by grating, by the selection of the
seeds, or by propagating The best va
rieties from cuttings, layers. etc. So
their tree is Il classic one. and cOcOOns
of the best quality can be produced
with it, if the breed of the silkworms
they raise belong to the first quality.
| found among them more than
twenty thousand pounds of cocoons for
sac, and was gratitied ID learn that
since they are sure they have 4 market
for them, the two thousand families,
scattered over 4 surface OF about fifty
square miles, between Newton and
HutchiSOn, can produce two hundred
thousand pounds of coCOons this COM
ing season, and treble that amount in
less than two years, without losing an
ear of corn or straw Of wheat.
The trees are planted in thick hedges,
at the limits of the fields, and on both
sides Of the highways They are cut
down, Onc-third ut time. every three
years, and in that rich but timbeTless
country, in such q short lime, hese
trees grow four to six main branches
as big IS a mans limb. and furnish an
abundant supply Of fuel to tLcir intelH-
gent planters. Beside, that. the stables
Of these gentle, hoSpitaUlc and labori-
Gus people are crowded with COWS i'm
the winter time, and with siikWorms
in May or June while .btir graDar;es
are fled with corn and wheat. and
their orchards ornamcLteG with All
kinds Of fruit trees and grape vines.
These facts, which supcrabundantly
prove that silk culture is Iv no means
4 speciality, should be made known 20
all by the Silk and Fruit CU'uri-ts and
It's exchanges.
The japanese breeds, white greenish
and some seCOnd-claSs yellow coco0ns.
were brought to me as samples. They
were good, but very far from what
their mulberry trees can produce. Two
Of them weighed just about rs much rs
one Of oar OWE Ceyennes This cX-
pertinent, made in the presence Of Mr.
Muntferin, Nj. Johnson. and many
other gentleMcu Interested iii the bus.-
ness, and before the editors and re-
porters Of the leading papers. has con-
yinced them ofthe Importance Of a GOOD
breed on the profits of SILK culture. and
now they understand why the coco0us
are quoted at Nar,clles from : francs
to Il francs per klogr.. and at Lyons
the silks from $3.50 to @G5Qpe. pound.
or 81 TO - francs per bilogr
\ fright smart Chance"
san francisco Chronicle.