Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-05-30
SILK CULTURE.
An Interesting Corner of the ARri-
cultural Department.


cultural Department.
The GAZETTE has been requested to
reprint the following Washington letter,
Which will interest members Of the Del
naryia Silk Association. As an item OF
local news II may be stated that the Rev.
III. Ashton Henry has decided, on account
OF the pressure Of his clerical duties, to
decline the post OF president of this asso-
clation and MIR. Charles W. Rowland has
consented to act 80 president
WASHINGTON, May 19.---In one corner
OF the building in the agricultural de-
partment grounds, known as the museum,
is located the silk bureau and an inter-
esting and important place it Is. For 10
years, beginning at the time Prof. Riley
took hold, experiments more or less ex-
tensive, intricate and successful have
been made with a view to determine
whether or not silk culture can protita.
bly, engage attention in this country.
At present, under the direction Of Mr..
Philip Walker, tho results of the expert
ments seem to demonstrate that silk can
be made at profit In this country, under
certain conditions within the power Of
the people to obtain. These conditions,
Mr.. Walker says, are an automatic ma
chine to feed coooons to the winder, and
duty OF 25 per cent on raw material
The duty on the manufactured article, he
says, now averages about so per cent.
The automatic machine spoken OF Mr..
Walker thinks he has secured after much
labor. The model has worked salts.
factolily, and number of machines are
now being constructed in the depart
ment, to determine whether or not the
invention 10 entirely practicable. II il
works, two.thirds Of the labor now nec-
essary to reel the silk from the COCOON
can be saved.
At the department there are a large
number Of silk worms being fed, and ex-
perience has apparently demonstrated
the value OF Usage orange leaves as food.
Old authorities agreed that they were an
aid to the mulberry leaves, but that the
latter were Indispensable in the produc-
tion OF good oocoons. But SO faE as he
has been able to observe, Mr.. Walker
says that cocoons from worms fed on
osage orange exclusively produce as good
silk as those from worms fostered on
mulberry or mixed diet. A knowledge
Of this fact ia valuable, as it viii tend to
increase the culture OF the silk worm.
This ia attracting attention in all parts Of
the country. The department has pur.
chased coooons from every state and ter
ritory in the Union but FIVE, and one of
those is Alaska. The raising Of eggs can,
not be made profitable by the average
person; that must be left to specialists.
There is, however, money in Matching
the egg, developing the worm and selling
coooons. Purchases OF ooooons are made
for the department In pursuance OF q
general scheme formulated by the officers
Of the bureau, This year the arrange
ment ia as follows: Lots Of ooooons
will be received during July from Texas,
Louisiana, mississippi, Alabama, Gsorgia,
Florida and South Oarolina; during
August, from Arkansas, Kentucky Ten
IssssG, North Carolina aud Virginia;
during September, from Kansas, Nebraska,
Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana,
West Virginia aud Pennsylvania; during
October from all the states Of the north
ern tier. This distinction ia made on ac-
oount Of the difference in the seasons In
the several parts OF the country and
the fact that ooooons produced
in the extYemo north would hardly be dry
before Octobar, while those Of the ex.
treme south, being raised much earlier,
are sooner ready for the market. The
pYice paid for the best ooooons is Si.16 o
pound. In the present state Of the In
dustry In this country but few rBisers
produce cocoons of such quality as will
command the maximum price. The
average price paid is about 75 cents.
This year, In addition to dry cocoons
purchased under the above scheme, fresh
coooons will be bought prior to July 1st
at the department in this city, and by DR..
i. A. Buck, state silk commissioner, at
Peabody, Marion county, Kansas. The
highest price for fresh cocoons will be 40
cents a pound,
Mr.. Walker will leave her for Europe
in few weeks to study the methods of
elk culture and manufacture in the
countries there.