Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-15
The ASSAULT UPON SILK CULTURE.

The friends of silk culture in California
will very naturally feel that they have
been injured in the house of their friends
by an assault from an American source
upon the business of raising siIk-worms.
When the New YorI, 9i5Janc denominates
that business as petty, degrading and " fit
only for poems or half-animal peasants" it
simply speaks from the volume of its igno-
rance Of the subject 4 very large num-
Der Of families are engaged iii that bust
ness in California, and do not Gnd ii to be
degrading labor" Ladies Of culture
and refinement, rich and poor, have for
some years cultivated the silk-worm with
out being contaminated by watching the
wonderful processes Of evolution by which
the silk thread IS produced. from the
Matching of the egg, 20 the worm through
its i've ages. 20 the spinning period, TO the
cocoon, TO the formation of the chrysalid
the birth Of the moth, and again to the
reproduction Of the egg. Silk culture IS
taught in all the schools Of France, from
the primary to the grammar grades, and in
the private and convent schools The
question Of its proftabIeness is as yet not
settled in America, but when the TiiJ'op,
charges that the labor involved is "de-
grading it speaks, we repeat, either from
the wealth of its ignorance Of the subject,
or IN the interest OF foreign silk eulturists,
who view the establishment Of failures
here with great jealousy. We are not
ready to believe that the Tribune is under
any such influence, and therefore ci,arita-
lily aseribe its singular position to It's lack
of correct information Provided it can
be made sufficiently rcmmerative, We in
California believe the raising of silk
worms viii he a specially appropriate in
iuStry for the home to engage the labors
of children and the members of the
household without serious interference
with their regular domestic duties. We
agree with Rossiter that there are hun
dreds of thousands OF families in the United
States to-day who would be most willing
to add few dollars to their annual income
by giving light and easy employment for a
few months each wear to the more aged, to
the young, and more especially to the
women of the family, who may have no
other means Of proGtably employing then
time"
We agree with Secretary Carsadel Of
the New York silk Exchange. that there
is no industry which can be made more
generally useful. and hope to be able by
demonstration to concur in his further con
clusion that there is no industry NOR,
profitable than sales.--future. Horace J
Smith. the special agent in Europe of til,
State Board Of Silk Culture of California
REPORTS to the Board that his observation
in France and Italy convince him of tn,
importance and great value OF the indus
tIy. He says
SIX. raising cocoons. silkworn diseases ant
their remedies, TCesuig ana All the important
questions relating to the Industry are as com
monty discussed and rs Familiarity brought for
yard To ones attention everywhere as are crops
cattle. agriculture aud trade generally at home
No one can become familiar with Southern
France and Northern lAly without being i'm
messed with the immense value of sericuiture
nor can any intelligent person doubt the truth
al two hings: first, that the industry is vel
worth any effort necessary TO incrt ase ii, and
snronfIy that It's introduction must be Il pro
80 Of some difficulty, requiring energy
nstjenre. intelligence and organization on The
paTt of these who undertake 20 promote il.
Later in his report he adds
IF nronerly carried out. the work OF the Eoart
viii add an clement to hepubi;c wealth of Cal