The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-06
80 News from Philadelphia.

ut.Gac- not six Culture succeed. or
hi 10 say. why does it not become
cannon in North Carolina com
.. the success of the few who have
..fr- Answer: Because thus far our
.,.. have been limited. in great meas
-9 the SIMPLE raising and selling OF
.....n.. Little or no attempt 70 reel
.r. silk from the Spools, or Cocoons,
... been made. because the time and
.....te labor would not be profitable
. land where so many faster methods
concentrating exist. Thee are coun-
.-a ike Italy and France where the
..n. millions of poor people find a fair
-# .Yst 10 reeling silk by hand: but
.... ~au'I not do similar work in free
t-a...a. What is needed to make the
~..e-,rs thrive among Us, and add thou
.grH- of dollars to Central Carolina. i
-...e cheap machine to reel the silk
which often is as line as a apyder's
.ssad. 4 Philadelphia paper says:
The most important step yet taken,
DIFF proposed. in aid Of silk growing in
IN tH. United States. has just been COM
,..ted by the Department OF AgricuI-
lure. I'D the establishment of a silk fla
rgr. at Philadelphia. to be conducted by
the AGENT IN charge Of the silk expert
ment4. station here, Mrs. a. II. Lucas.
Under the appointment recently made,
Mr. Lucas was authorized to eXpeud
$4,000 during the present fiscal year in
the work Of instruction and experiment,
heretofore conducted by the Women's
Silk Culture Association, but now the
ulu is enlarged and SIN steam webs OF
Oh. best French construction nave been
ordered by Mrs. Lucus from Lyons. un-
-u-.lli instructions OF the. department.
aud further direction has been given to
rent suitable rooms with power. and to
rrav de skilled Teclcrs and
~ addition ia assuming the work and
ar8 r1~t Of the Keeling at the Associa-
toms rooms, 1928 Chestnut street. The
reels now n use Will continue to do all
they can DO until the new ones arrive,
and there are | 600 pounds Of good CO.
cgou> in the Associations hands, from
which 22j or $50 pounds of good silk
will Hr reeled from the crop of 1891
4 further appropriation becomes
available July LIST. from which the estab-
l-lmcut now created Will be maiutain-
cI during next fiscal year. The work of
tie Association is therefore enlarged to
,.r.. times It's former proportions by
.a liberal outfit Of the new f%lature,
.Ilcu will be conducted at the cost Of
t.eG Government. The Women's Assoc
cation has for three years past bought
all the c0cO0us grown by its correspond
dents and those to whom It furnished
Instructions paying thirty-live to forty
cent, per pound for cocoons too imper-
..ct to reel. and 81 to 81. Is per pound
tor l~erfcct cocoons. suitable for reeling.
These noble-spirited ladies have
done all this with their own money,
while returning the full value Of
the .5gGQns, or more, to each grow
81 ~ soon as it was possible to
test their value. No more careful. con-
s..lutl0us or faithful work can be mag
.ci than that by which several thous-
and correspondents have been instruct
,I ia q now industry, aud paid for all
hey could produce in the absence Of
amy commercial market. Now all the
.1>' of reeliug is PAID by the Govern
mant. as well as the cost OF maintain
ug he correspondence and the system
Of instruction.
The Association, will however, alone
he permitted to purchase cOcOons or to
sell The reeled silk. 1t therefore renews
Us circular announcement of the agency
If continues to offer, that oil receiving
.-nd paying for the COCOons that growers
may send to it. Better prices may now
be pad and more prompt returns made,
bat the business public should not wait
for these ladies' to help them to every
thing; a little energy and resolution
would start many private establishments
The heaviest burden borne by this most
honorable Association is now taken up
by the Government, aud careful proyis-
ION IS made for the large future business,
certain to be offered by the silk crop of
1853. There are 1000 pounds or more
Of GOOD cOcoons of 1884 in hand already,
and the crop Of 1885 annot be less
Diam $1,000 to Zoe, 900 pounds. Keeling
wl. he prosecuted vigorously with the
GaoI. and stock now III the Associations
t4Ym4, until the new !oels can be got in
position and the new crop can be re-
gc.ved from growers.