Wichita eagle., 1889-04-11
SERICULTURISTS
IN STATE CONVENTION ASSEMBLED
TO DISCUSS THE SILK
PROBLEM.
Address by Phillip Walker, OF Depart
ment of Agriculture-Dr. Buck,
of State Station Talks
Several Important
Papers Read.
SERICULTURISTS

held at the board of trade rooms yester-
day, beginning at O'Clock, was quite in
teresting and very instructive to all pres
ent. DIR. Buck, who has charge OF the state
station at Peabody by late appointment,
was present, and a number from oyer the
state interested in the industry. Before
the convention was called to order the eX-
hibits were carefully examined. Mr.. Jacob
Miller, of Washington county, had an
exhibit of silk goods of his own raising
and manufacture. Mrs. Mary E. David
son, of Junction City, had handsome dis
play of reeled silk. Mr.. Bdwell. of Val
ley Center, had an exhibit OF CO.
coons. Mr.. Phillip Walker, who has
charge of the silk department of the
agricultural bureau was present with some
used in the raising of cocoons.
Shortly after 2 o'clock the convention
was called to order by Mr.. Bidwell and the
Hon. z. p Thompson elected president.
Mr.. Bidwell was selected secretary.
Mr. Thompson said the silk culture in
his opinion had not reached the point de-
sired. One very important thing in any
business was to put it on a paying basis.
He hoped to hear the question discussed
in way that would result in a benefit TO
the industry,
The secretary read number of letters OF
"regret" owing to inability to be present.
Mr. Walter being called upon said when
he came to the state some days ago he had
no knowledge of the meeting and hence
was not well prepared for talk before
the convention.
The raising of silk worms had been go
ing On for forty centuries, ana while it
seemed very simple could not be done
without effort and information which
come from giving attention to the subject.
1.-The first work is getting tables eco
nomical of room and money. That's best
done by arranging tables one over another
from floor to ceiling twenty inches apart.
The best size for tables four by eight feet;
this, of course, in proportion to room
used. 1t takes six hundred and
forty square feet OF table
surface to accommodate worms that hatch
from once of eggs. The eggs should be
Matched out as soon as there are any leaves
to feed them, and people who propose to
apply to the department of agriculture for
eggs should do so at once as the eggs Will
not hatch until taken out of refrigerator,
or better known as cooler, not calaboose.
After the eggs hatch the rearing OF the
worms takes about thirty days by which
time the worms will commence spinning
cocoons About eight days later the
cocoons should be taken from their racks
and the bulk of the floss removed from the
outside They should then be sent
TO the place where they are to be
stifled, or if no such place exist
should be stified by the raiser. The
Kansas state silk station at Peabody
will purchase all cocoons it needs for ex-
periments, and the secretary of agrlcult-
ure at Washington will take any the state
authorities may not need. The agricult-
ural department at Washington IN add
ton TO distributing eggs and buying
cocoons will furnish books of instructions
TO silk raisers and any information that
may be wanted in regard to the industry.
AS to the prospects of silk culture in
Kansas he said there is nothing that
stands in the way but the lack of fixed
market. The difficulty in establishing
such a market has been due to the inabil-
ity of manufacturers to produce reeled
silk in competition with foreign labor.
More Uld1 S-O,UOp,uOO VI ouSh Sin 40
now annually imported without the
payment of any duty. An
effort will be made during
the coming session of congress to secure
honest and just tariff protection for raw
silk which will make the industry to
stand alone and to become profitable to
citizens of this state. 1t is understood
that all the Kansas representatives in con-
gress are heartily in favor of such an lnno-
walton and ready to work for it next
session.
Notwithstanding the fact the manufac-
turer of raw silk is not established in this
country, markets for the entire present
product of the United States now exists
at state and national stations. There is
ever encouragement for silk raisers to
attempt their legitimate work OF
raising cocoons. The Keeling of silk is not
an industry that concerns the farmers as
it can only be profitably performed III
large mills There is no doubt in the
minds of those well informed On the sub
iect that the establishment of such mills
will speedily follow the congressional leg
islation which has been referred to. III
the meantime it behooyes all those who
are interested in the progress of silk cul-
ture to use every effort to produce a large
crop this season, so that the Importance oil
the industry may impress itself on con-
gress when brought to its attention dur
ing the discussion of the bill on the re-
vision of the tariff.
Judging from the demand fol
eggs and the ability Of the
department of agriculture to supply them
The production of cocoons this year will
probably be double if not three times that
of last year Five hundred ounces of eggs
will be distributed from Washington and
they alone should produce $4,000 pounds OF
fresh cocoons worth $4,000. Last year
Kansas produced twenty per cent of the
entire product of the United States; and
Judging from the demands for eggs this
year the percentage will be equally as
great
The cocoon country extends from central
Ohio most to the central part of this state
and Nebraska, and the cause for the large
production in this belt is due largely TO the
existence Of innumerable hedges OF orange
used in feeding worms.
Mrs Dora r. Priddy read paper which
is as follows:
How in the eternal fitness of things it is
that history should eudeavor 10 trase the
silk industry TO the genius Of woman, in
the person of Mrs. So-ling-ch wife of the
resigning emperor of China, 100 years
before Christ. Thus for $3.50 years has the
industry. with the star of empire, been
travelling toward the setting sun. with
always rooal honors and protection. Its
record for speed is hardly uD to the latter
part of the nineteenth century idea, but
with tortoise like pertinacity it has arriv-
YOU do with itf" We Will for g
moment glance at what may be
done with it. Judging its future from it: