The morning call., 1892-10-02
: SBRICULTURE At Home.
An Industry Which May
Become Profitable.
WOMEN CAN MAKE MONEY.
Food of the silkwo.ms-Causes Of Failure.
The Need Of Government
aid.
written for The MonS1se CALI

At the old courthouse in Los A ngeles.
1t was a display of slikworms 10
the act of spinning silk and the reel
ing Of their product. The exhibit was
made by the Ladies' Annex of the Los
Angeles Chamber Of Commerce. The re-
suit was over 100 pounds of raw silk.
which it is the intention Of the ladies to
make into a banner for exhibition at the
Worlds Fair. There being no appropria-
ton Of State Worlds Fair funds for the
purpose, the ladies of the annex have paid
the expenses of the enterprise themselves,
being aided a little by trifling admission
fee, which was charged at the hail. They
think they have a fair claim for a small
appropriation to help them make a credita-
bic showing of this promising California
industry al Chicago.
Last March a few enterprising women of
San Diego organized the Ladies' Silk Cul-
ture Society of san Diego County. the object
being to develop the silk industry as far as
they could. Two skilled Japanese silk cul-
tuTists were engaged to operate small
cOcoOnery. The results were quite enr0uT-
aging. These ladies also contemplate the
making of q silk banner, from home-spun
silk, for the Worlds Fair.
SILK culture has been frequently tried in
California during the past twenty-five years
and the fact that it has not yet developed
into an industry OF consequence has led
many to regard it as failure. This is not
at all the case. On the contrary, the out
come of such ventures, whenever managed
IN a con sentative, intelligent and practical
manner, has Invariably shown that we have
in California all the prerequisites TO the
successful development OF the Industry.
The trouble has been hitherto that attempts
have been made to establish such enter
pTises On a large scale, which is lmpTae-
tiea bic in Calif0rnia on account of the high
price of labor. We cannot expect-nOr
should we hOpe-to compete with the
coolies Of China, who get 10 cents day,
nor with the labOrers of Syria, who are con-
tent with a wage but little higher The OBJ
e jeet which sensible advocates of the silk in
dustry have ia view in California is not the
establishment OF great silk-raising farms,
conducted by hired labor, but the rails
ing OF silk on q small scale by
thousands Of families throughout the
State as an adjunct TO their regular
work, in the same manner that few chick
ems are kept, or flowers raised for the mar
ket. In this manner the women OF a family
and the grown children could, by light and
pleasant work, easily earn sufficient to
purchase their clothing or to secure many
small comforts for the family. In each
case the amount earned would not be large,
but the sum total throughout the State
would, in course IF time, be an astonishing
one.
1t is the attention paid to such minor
productive industries which enables Euro
pean nations to survive and even grow rich
under taxation which would swamp
wealthy country ike the United States.
Several years ago a silk section OF the
Department Of Agriculture was established.
under which a hlature was operated at
Washington and branch experiment sta
tons at various points. In his report of
1887 Norman j. COlmaD, Commissioner of
Agriculture, expresses the belief. judging
from experiments which had been made,
that the superior intelligence Of American
girls would overcome IN sTlk-reellng the
difference in cost of labor between Europe
and America. Operatives in Washington
were then doing twice as much work IN a
given time as the same number employed in
the south of France The difficulty has.
however. not yet been overcome.
The one thing still wanting to create an
unlimited market for California cocoons at
remuneTative prices is filature machinery
that Will take the silk from the cocoon and
twist = ready for the weaver. There are
'ni5T1fes n operation elsewhere, and Ameri-
can genius should supply the want before
long. Keeling by hand is tedious. Half
pound Of silk is good days work. There
is a Teeler, worked by foot treadle like
sewing machine which is some improve
Went on the old plan.
At the courthouse exhibition in Los An
geles. above referred TO, an electric machine
was used at first, which worked with great
rapidity. but the power was found to be too
expensive. Keeling requires considerable
skin and practice, or the product is likely
70 be spoiled. IL would be better, all things
considered. for beginners to dispose OF their
coc0ons to large steam flatures-whieh will
be established as the industry gr0ws-until
some more satisfactory home machine is
devised.
Congress was liberal In appropriations
for seTeral years, until quite recently.
Among other places, $4,000 was granted
for Al experiment station at Piedmont near
Oakland, about ten years ago. The appro-
priation was expended before much good
could be accomplished. and the station sold
for a triflIng sum to the Ladies' SILK Cul-
tuTe Association. The California idea of
wanting 10 do everything on large scale
and with a rush stood Ia the way of
success. The object for which the station
was established was not to make silks, but
to teach persons how to cultivate and
handle silkWOrms, those teachers 10 go to
subs diary stations 10 be established
throughout the State; also to experiment
on varieties of woImS and mulberry trees.
About 100000 eggs will be Matched at the
station this year. Besides Federal appro-
priati0ns the State has granted money to
assist in silk experiments.
La his report for $780, Secretary Rusk
stated that he had become quite convinced
Auat. even Win lUlDIOftu machinery LOT
Keeling silk, lt would be necessary for
manufacturers TO have some encourage
ment, either in the shape Of a duty on i'm
ported raw silk or a bounty for such as
might be produced in the United States
He regarded the Importance If the subject
and the desirability of establishing such an
industry as beyond dispute. The imports
of manufactured silk had risen from
SIS. 333 229 in 1889 to So. 331. S67 Sc In 1890.
Philip Walker, chief of the silk section,
appeared by request before the Ways ana
Means Committee, while IL was taking
testimony regarding the proposed Mckinley
bilk and suggested that the committee
should recommend duty of 81 per pound
on reeled silks, imported into the United
States, which he believed would make IL DOS
sble to conduct the industry Of siIk-reeling
with profit In this country. Representatives
of manufacturers urged that silk culture
was dramatically impossible 10 America.
and that the duty would ruin the silk manu-
featuring interest here. Mr.. Walker ther
suggested that in place OF a customs duty
the committee should recommend the grant
ing Of bounty Of 81 pound upon Teeled
silk produced IN the United States from
c0cOOns of American production, and an
additional bounty OF cents per pound for
fresh coeOOns Of American growth. The
suggestion was adopted and IncOrp Grated In
the tariff bill, and, with II, was passed by
the House. The Senate Committee on
Finance, however, reported adversely upon
the section. and recommended that 1t be
stricken out, which was done, nor was 1t
restored in conference.
During that session bill for the develop
ment and encouragement of silk culture in
the United States was introduced in the
House by Mr.. Morrow, and ia the Senate
by Senator Mitchell, at the instance Of
Joseph Neumann of California. The bill
created division Of silk culture In the De-
paItment Of Agriculture, and defined the
duties of the Secretary Of Agriculture in
connection Herewith. Most important Of
these duties were the payment of bonnties
on reeled silk and c0coons produced In the
United States, and the esta blishmant of
agricultural experiment stations for. the
education of the people in the industries Of
silk-raising and silk-reeling. Another bill
was introduced later by Mr.. MeKenna Tor
tie encouragement Of silk culture In the
State Of California, which proposed nothing
4 L. - .l.-A. ..... i.fn LII.