St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1885-02-28
SILK CULTURE.

ture is from the hand OF Mr.. Ed
ward Fasnach, of Raleigh, n. c..
and will apply equally MS well to
Louisiana and st. Tammany par
ish. He speaks from a practica!
knowledge Of the business:
Among our undeveloped re-
sources there are probably none
deserving of more thoughtful con-
sideration than silk culture.
The mulberry, which supplies
the food for the silk worm, is in
digenous, and grows in great abun-
dance in almost every section of
the State, and it attains its fullest
development with scarcely any cul-
tivation. Nor is the silk giving
quality of its leaves less noticeable,
for wherever it has been put to
test. it has been found of most ex-
cellent quality, and equal to the
best French and Italian.
There is no branch of agriculture
that offers so generous a reward
for little capital invested as silk
culture. The making of crop,
from the Matching to the gathering
of the silk, be the crop small or
large. will consume but six weeks
time. Moreover, the otherwise un-
employed members of the family,
as the women, the children, the
aged, and even the infrm, can here
find profitable occupation. Nor is
silk culture limited to the farm OF
country, but where thei is a room
| and food for the silk worm availa.
BILE, whether it be in town or city,
silk can be raised. It is computed
that there are 27O.s94 families III
| North Carolina; now. if only
10000 would make a small crcI
each year of 200 to 800 pounds o.
silk, the aggregate income would
amount to between 100000 and
S2,000,O0O. Three-fourths OF the
silk in France is the production O
small crops, from 200 to 400 lbs
It is a source of great wealth te
that nation, and contributes more
than any other branch of industry
to the general prosperity OF the
people. The French call silk cul
ture une de nos gloires industrielle'
lone of our industrial glorles.)
Our endless tracts Of cheap and
uncultivated lands, SO well adapt
ed to the growth of the mulberry
and our mild and equable climate
present strong inducements tt
French and Italian colonies of silk.
growers, with whom the culture o
silk has become an hereditary &C
cupation.
The rapid progress and fast in
creasing production Of the Ameri
can silk manufactures can not bu
have an encouraging influence upol
silk culture in this country. Thu
raw silk imported, duty free, las
year, amounted to about $4,000,
600.
The prices for cocoons and raw
silk have Of late years very mucl
fluctuated. While the cocoons solo
in 1876 at So per pound, they ar
selling to-day at 81 25. These ar
the extreme figures; the average
price may be stated at 81 SO pc
pound.
Two hundred mulberry trees vii
grow very we'll on two acres o
land. A good medium size ire
will yield $50 pounds of leaves
which will give 10000 pounds o
leaves on two acres. As it take
II pounds of leaves to make on
pound of fresh cocoons, 1000
pounds will give 1865 pounds o
fresh cocoons.
The 1765 pounds of feesh co
coons will make 5SS pounds o
dried cocoOns.
A ready market for these cocoon
can be found in New Orleans.
The expense of cultivating tw'
acres in trees. feeding the worms
etc, may be stated as follows:
l grown person first 10 days. $40 o.
2 boys or girls /" " 8 0,
3 grown persons second 10
L