Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-13

4 god deal Of interest Is being mani
Tested in silk culture in some parts Of the
Union. Associations q ladies fer the
ENCOURAGEMENT q six culture have been
formed in New York city and Philafel-
phis. and also in Texas, Tennessee. and
perhaps other States. CALIFORNIA; has e.
tsbliShed $ State Board Of silk Culture,
ana il Is estimated thSt about for'y
thousand persons are devosinS their A.
tention 70 this occupation in the United
States.
In some sections the idea Is entertained
thar with few Scrss q land planted
il mulberry OF oSaSe OranSe Trees, On the
leaves II which me six worm feeds, any
enc can make annually s considerable
sum Of money with very little labor or eN-
VeDSe. In many Instances ladies are
coiuS into the business, snd i the present
Interest in the Suhjso1 continues, and 1t
VIII continue If silk culture proves
0ro6table. 4 considerable amount Of
native American six viii be in the
market in a few wears. - far silk has
not 0een raised recently in this country
on what NAV be considered = commercial
scale. Ii i doubted by some that silk
culture win ever Re successful IN Amer
ica-rot that silk cannot he raised here,
but that the cost q production Is - great
that American six can never compete,
it ! said. with that raised in China even
II $ tariff q one OF TWO hundred Per cent
should X placed On raw silk. which Is now
admitted duty free. A writer in the New
York TrsaaRs recently stated thar with the
rate Of wSges prevailing in this country,
silk could not be produced in commercial
quantities At less than IS per pound,
while the market price Is only s. 50 per
pound. IL Is stated thar the Sweayers
are not favOrably disposed towards Amerl-
can silk. They say It is inferior 10 that
grown in China. II Is thought that their
opposition Is not due 50 much 70 any diff
ference in the quality Of the silk Is 70 the
fear that If silk culture becomes general
in the United States an import duty VIII
be placed on foreign raw silk.
Il Is evident that there are Two sides 70
tue silk question. Much harm might BE
done by advising people 10 70 extensively
into six culture. The selling Of silk AZ
$ or $ Per pound that costs SIS. would
| be = more disastrous occupation than sell
ing cotton al : cents that costs the prOdu-
Ger 10 cents per pound. It viii b best
| for those who wish 70 give their attention
n the raising Of silk 10 90 slow. They
should ind out what the actual cost Of
production is. and what price can req
soushly Be expected for II in the market
silk culture is nv no means novelty in
the United States. II was introduced II
| Virginia during the reign Of james L Tie
| Germans 81 EbaneZer. IS is known L
many Of our readers, exported over l-ot
| pounds Of cOcoons from this city in 1142
aud it was - well reelei that II com
msnded the highest price IN the London
market. silk was extensively raised II
| GeorEia anI south Carolina for many
years. Tie exports q eocoons from 81
varuah IN 1895 was 2o.oao pounds. on
| account q 4 reduction Of price. however
| the industry rapidly declined. and only
3so pounds were exported II 1.-Q- Ths
business was destroyed by the revolution.
arr war.
Twenty-Five wears ago ladies in many
| sections Of the [ MON We'd win each olhei
| in knitting gloves. stockings. sc2rfs. and
in some instances in weaving dressa:
from home raised silk. Much taste va:
I displayed in these articles, even with ths
rClie dyeS1ufs they were then forced Z
use. With the improved dyes o. the QreS-
| eut day the occupation. from an amateur
point Of view, would be much more a.
trsctiva than ever. The production q
many useful and expensive articles from
home grown six. NOT for sale. but for Use
and ornament. would be a pleasant occU-
| patton. should silk culture become profit
able amateurs might expand their pl2nta-
lions in q few years - as 70 produce The
| nn-.aors in nsvir- nnantirias