Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-20
WOODWARD & LoTHRoP.
FEW WORDS ABOUT SILKS.

Ew WORDS. ABOUT SILKS
An English publication says: To produce
sufficient silk to make a dress requires more
time and capital than most people imagine.
II we take one and quarter pounds the
weight OF pure silk required this would he
equal to two pounds Of raw SILK To produce
two poands of raw Silk would require the
entire Silk obtained from 1000 to ? 900
worms, allowing q percentage for death by
disease and other casualties. 1t may be in
teresting to state that these young worms
when newly Matched would scarcely weigh
one quarter of an ounce, yet in the course Of
their life, which only lasts some thirty to
thirty-five days. they will consume about
three to four hundred pounds of leaves. and
increase in weight about nine thousand
times. Consumers Of Silk will not wonder
at its high value when they consider that to
raise two pounds Of raw silk so much time
and money is required. Besides the original
cost Of the eggs or young worms, they re-
quire feeding at regular intervals daily with
mulberry leaves, and consume the above
weight of leaves during their life. This is
large item Of expense IL the cultivator does
not grow and gather his own leaves, and is
compelled to purchase them.
With unremitting care and attention the
worms arrive at maturity and commence
thirty-five days from Matching. producing Q
gross weight Of twenty to twenty-five
pounds Gncluding both silk and worms),
this being reduced to two pounds after reel
ing.
When the worms are ready for spinning
bushes of broom or other light material are
placed near. into which the worms ascend
and spin their cocoons among the branches.
Afew days after the cocoons are gathered
and sorted into various qualities, then
placed in steam box or subjected to great
heat to kill all the worms. This prevents
the silk moths from escaping by piercing the
cocoons. which would spoil them for Keeling
PURPOSES.
After killing theworms the reeling begins,
which consists in placing number OF CO.
coons i'll hot water and then joining the
threads Of four or i've cocoons together, the
whole being wound round q reel and thus
made into slips" or hanks, of fine silk in
the raw state The process of reeling is very
slow. one reeler only being able to attend
two lots Of cocoons, and in this manner reel
ing eight to twelve ounces Of raw silk per
day, or two pounds for three days.
Two threads are wound around the CO.
coon by the worm simultaneously: these
are attached together by the gum in the
silk. and are very fine: from eighteen hun
dred 10 two thousand single threads can be
laid side by side in one inch. but although
80 fine, one single thread will support about
half an ounce without breaking. and so light
that fifteen pounds Of the single fber would
encrcle the world.
The strictest attention, the eentlest care
and extreme cleanliness are required dur
ing the time of roaring the worms, or disease
may appear and carry of the whole brood
Under the foregoing conditions Of produc-
ton the cost of silk cannot be regarded as
excessive considering the cost Of production
to obtain the small quantity required to
produce silk dress
Since the advance in Raw Silks short
while ago there has been every indication
of an increase in the price of the Manu-
featured silks. Notwithstanding the fact
that when next we buy We shall probably
be compelled to pay . higher price
we do not propose to allow this to
affect the price of the large stock Of silks
we now have. Here are q number Of special
bargains in Black Silk:
l9-in. Black Faille Franchise ESQ
lain Black SILK Surah - 6ac