Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-07-12
SILK CULTURE m CALIFORNIA.

culture in Californian"
at is progressing very rapidly.
Thirty-two counties are raising silk
worms
"For the most part, how are they
being raised?"
"By small farmers, grangcrs, farm
ers' wives and daughters-by personal
enterprise instead of the use of cap
ital."
"What is the profits of silk culture,
so far as demonstrated up TO the pres
ent timer"
"Mrs. ii. c. Downing, of San Rafael,
has experimental for two years past.
She received the first prize in the
United States of 800 in raising CO.
coons. The Philadelphia Ledger, in
its report of the exhibition of Stran-
fich & Clotheir, says: Tho first prem
ium of 800 was awarded TO Mrs. ii. G.
Downing. This lot of cocoons gives
the best result from the smallest num-
Der, and the quality of the silk is extra
good, containg 10S cocoons TO the
quarter pound, and yielding 1.2l
ounces of reeled silk and 279 ounces
of waste These cocoons were in COM
petition with the product of nearly all
the States of the Union. For the sec
ond years experiment she received
S2l0 from the Silk Culturists' Associ-
alton for cocoons and eggs, and $40
from the San Joaquin Valley Fair as a
prize. Miss Julia Farnsworth, of San
Jose, during her school vacation of six
weeks, raised 90 pounds of cocoons.
For these 80 pounds she received $50.
She also received $50 prize from
Philadelphia"
"What is first necessary TO engage
in this Industry"
'eThe first thing is TO get the null
berry trees. They grow well in this
State, requiring light, loamy soil.
They will grow anywhere below an
elevation of 5000 feet above the sea,
and in some places higher elevation.
They do not do well where there is
much frost late in the spring. They
can be grown over two-thirds of the
area of California"
GLOW many trees are recommended |
TO be planted for the profitable en-
ployment of family in this industry"
THAT depends upon how largely |
they wanted 10 enter into the bust
ness-twenty or thirty trees perhaps
would be sufficient. Mrs. Downing
had ninety trees 100 trees would be a
profitable investment"
GLOW many cocoons could be raised
ON 100 trees?"
81 should think you could raise
thousand worms on each tree. One
hundred thousand worms could be
raised from one hundred cight-year-
old trees. This is a moderate state
ment of the facts. With care and sci
entific culture 80 per cent. more could
be raised; but the statement, to be
safely within the result of experiment,
may be placed at 100000 worms to 100
trees"
"What is the value of cocoons?'
"From 81 TO $1.15 pound"
GLOW many cocoons are there TO a
pound?n
"That is difficult to answer. Mrs.
Downing raised 164 to the quarter
pound. 1t depends on whether the
cocoons arc heavy or light. If the
worms are not well fed II will require
more of them TO make pound. 1t
would probably take from 500 TO GOO
cocoons 70 make a pound"
''Can people reel their own silk?"
"Yes, sir; by hand reels"
"What is the product in money per
treeP"
"About So to $3.50 per tree"
GLOW many trees can be grown to
the acre, where the land is adapted to
the growth Of the tree?" K
"From five 10 six hundred are plant
cd TO the acre."
'Do you know of an instance where
81 900 has been obtained from an
acre?"
"Thcre are instances reported to
our society, but 1 cannot recall one to
memory. There is very singular
fact that has come to our knowledge.
In every instance of European expert
ence ii requires twelve pounds of CO. !
coons to make one pound of recled
silk. In California it requires but four
pounds of cocoons to make one pound
of reeled silk. The silk-worms of CAL
ifOrnia up 10 this time have been very .
well fed. There has been no over
stocking of the trees with worms,
and, as a consequence, the quality of :,
silk is better, and the quantity pro-
duced by each individual worm is
greater"
"What is your opinion of the profit :
Of silk culture on a large scale?" 7
81 do not think il will pay by means =
Of hired labor"
"You mean then that silk culture is =
profitable employment for the surplus |.
abor Of the farm, including the labor !
Of wives, daughters and children" |"
"Ycs, sir; that is my opinion" !"
''Do you know how many persons =
are engaged in the industry in the :
Slater"
"About l60 persons are engaged in :
California, to my knowledge"
Are you in correspondence with all
persons engaged in silk culture?"
"Yes, sir; nearly all.
"What are your reports from themr' =
Those who have raised for the sale =
IF eggs 10 foreign markets have made i,
I profitable. will give two instances ~
Mr.. Gartorins, Ia blacksmith by tradel -
wife and daughters, of jackson, Ansa- ~
Tor county, have cleared from $500 to il
1850 each year for their eggs. Mr.. IL
'aines, of Aitaville, states that his o.
have averaged $500 per an :,
lum for several years from the sale of X
'ggs. There is no demand for eggs al
low. The market for eggs fluctuates. q
There may be great demand for eggs ~ -
or two or three years, and then the B,
lemand may cease for several years. "
we are turning our atten- 81
ion to raising cocoons for sale and !, y
hipment. We can ship cocoons to Il