The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-26
Some Facts About Silk Culture.


Silk companies and silk associations have been
organized in Philadelphia, Pa, Corinth, Miss,
and in California, that are advertising through
their newspaper organs all the goods needed for
starting in the silk business, and, judging from
the advertisements and reports, the chief profit
from the business at the present time is de-
rived from the sale of eggs and trees to those
who, from reading the glowing accounts of deal
ers, are induced to invest in the business In
this regard the business is not entirely unlike
the fishculture craze that lasted so longas there
was demand for eggs and young fry for stock
ing ponds and lakes.
Silk has beeh produced successfully in Con
necticut. and in most of the States along the
coast to the Gulf of Mexico, but our people are
rarely satisfied with business that is fairly
profitable when some other business can be fol
lowed in its place that is more profitable. The
more enterprising silk growers of Connecticut,
who, fifty years ago made a little money every
year picking mulberry leaves and feeding silk
worms in their season, soon learned
that the purchase of raw silk from
abroad, and the manufacturing of it into
finished goods, offered a much more promising
field for their enterprise, and as our government
has encouraged the manufacturers more than
the producers, by admitting raw silk free of
duty, the manufacturing has grown to large pro-
portions while production has dwindled to al
most nothing. Those who now grow silk here
labor under the disadvantage of competition
with the cheap labor Of Asia and Europe, and
the skill that has been acquired by long acquaint
ance with the business. Yet, as we have al
ready indicated, if the thousands of idle persons
in this country of both sexes can be induced to
take hold of the enterprise, they may be sure of
getting something out of the business.
We do not believe, however, that the business
will, or can be, made very profitable north of the
fortieth parallel of latitude The eggs should
not hatch till the season is far enough advanced
so that good leaves for feeding will be abund-
ant as soon as required by the growing worms,
and to retard the eggs ice may be as much need
ed as In dairy room. Another difficulty many
young ladies will find, will be to overcome their
worms are as "horrid" as other worms. Then
they must be fed every day with
leaves that fresh and not much wet
by rain or dew. and with week of
heartiest and growing the fastest, a good many
farmers daughters might come to the conclusion
that even Homework is not SO bad as it might
be, when compared to picking mulberry leaves
from an acre of large, thorny trees in stormy
weather.
Then there are accidents and disasters to
guard against. Mice like the eggs, and a
pair will destroy a milEon of them in short
time, bat diseases caused by neglect in keeping
the worms quarters sweet and clean during
growth and moulting will kill them faster than
mice. But, looking on the brighter side,
those who have had more or less experience
claim that an acre of land will produce twenty
five tons of leaves after the trees are three or
IOuf years Olu from SeLUlng; InaC LneSe Will IeeQ
a million worms; that $500 cocoons are re-
quired for pound of raw silk, and that it is
possible for experienced growers to produce 400
pounds of silk from an acre, worth $3.50
pound. 1t is claimed that the women Of France
earn $4,000, 600 year from silk culture, and
the poor people of Lombardy as much more. But
they understand their business, while we haveit
all to learn, and while learning, as matter
of course, make many expensive mistakes The
worms will do well fed upon the leaves of the null
berry or of the Usage orange, and there are two
or more varieties of the mulberry that are grown
for the purpose. The Russian mulberry (Morus
Moretti), hardy variety recently introduced
from Russia, is claimed to be specially adapted
to our northern climate. The Morus Alba, or
white mulberry, and the Usage orange are recon-
mended as the most desirable trees for feeding
the worms, though in the case of the latter much
care must be used in selecting the mature leaves,
the half grown tender ones producing diseases
among the worms feeding upon them Indeed,
to the beginner, trouble and disappointment will
seem to come from every quarter. But if one is
sufficiently persevering something can be made
at the business, even as far north as New Eng
land. STILL we believe that under present CON
ditons there are other industries which, If fash
ionable, would offer greater inducements to
farmers daughters of Massachusetts than silk
calture Poultry viii give employent the whole
year, while silk worms live but a few weeks.