The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1892-01-21
rHs cuLrusE OF SILK.


Repor.s of Pro .r.. in Ams s-ic,. The
thmt nj - bc.aG W II Aiaptra
An effort is being made b., associa-
tions formed Tor The purpose toward
! revival OF silk culture III this country.
aud Very favorable reports are given
of the progress being made in this d.
rectiou.
The time was when this in lustry
was quite a flouri,hing one here. SAYS
the American Cultivato.. and som,
time ago an article on the sui, ec'. ap-
peared in these col,.mns, in which the
climatic conditions and possibilities for
the success of the Industry were set
forth.
In this connection and for the encour-
agement which 1t MAJ give, we app md
R communication which recently ap-
pearod in one OF our exchang S. COL
tanning some interesting facts on tho
subject by gentleman thoroughly
posted in this matter. He says:
"A half century ago was young
man. oae among thousands who
espoused the cause of silk culture in
the state of New York. Neither was
this state alone in the matter. but the
whole United States and he Canadas
were enlist d in it. The bust. ess
! started we'll; the mulberry trees were
planted and they grew well extensive
cocoonerie5 were es abls Ied, and silk
worms were fed and they grew we'll
Large quantities of cocoons were ra:s-
ed. and some OF the finest qualities OF
silk were ruled from them that was
ever tilletted in the world.
The business seemed SO successful
| that many u farmer and small house
| holder PLAZA ed an orchard of mulberr..
| trees. and The business would havv
succeeded beyond everybody's expec-
tation had il been for two things.
frs. the specula ion in trees; second
] there being no market for cocoons
The first experiment cost the country
millions OF dollars. 1t was ike al
new inventions. or progenitors OF
new things who hardly e ei. reap he
/ benefit OF their inventions: but thcir
successors Or tho second corporatIo. S
mest with better success. This is so
today OF the silk business. To-day
| there is = market tor all the cocoons
raised in this country and at fair val
uaiion. There are now over SEQ eilk
manufacturer in the United S ates
and does any one suppose tina. ii the
| same feelin5 existt d now for C -lava.ing
tho mulberry trees and the silk worm as
| in 1888. 1889 and 1910 there would be
any such thing as fsiiure? i think not
When sixteen carloads of skein silk
were transported a season or two past
in one shipment from Yokohama to
| New York. am uniting to 81. 800 0UQ
passing through as good silk-grow-
ing country as ever was in Japan or
| China when the same sixteen carloads
could have been raised in this country
ployed. it would seem as though this
second attelnp. at the cultivation o..
| this silk industry in this country would
b. comme:dable giving employ me mt
in new indu try to Thousands OF mea.
women aid children.
In lS43 the American institute Of
the city of New York called together
q considerable number Of gent omen
silk growers from differe.t pats o: the
| United States and formed Il conven-
tion Of which James Talmage was
made president with large list of
other officers In pursuance OF tha:
call about sixty delegates assembled.
Mr.. Talmage. in taking tho clair
made some remarks. This said he
is the fret national silk convention
ever called in this co.ntry. Its oh. ec;
Is 10 take into consid ration the ex-
pedieacy as well as the possibility.
of making silk one of the staples OF
the country. and to ascertain whether
its culture be or be not congenial TO
the soil. and then 10 advise these en-
| gaged in the matter to go on with it.
II not to cease their labors. and in
these WAYS the convention. in his opin-
ion. would be able to do good deal uf
good.
Gen. Tnlmage then went on to ex-
press his opinion that not only in one
part, but in all parts of the United
States the climate and the soil OF the
country were most admirably adapted
to the culture OF the silk worm In
stead of sending money out Of the
country for tho purchase of what we
can make ourselves. the general
would advise his coun.rymen to enter
into the enterprise with vigor to GO
to work like patriots and to improve
the advantages which God and nature
had put into their hands for the pro-
ductiCn of new staple and one that
It was fully demonstrated ,nust eventu-
ally turn out rich source OF nationa!
wealth.
The present generation of young
men know very little OF tn, silk cul-
ture as it was followed fifty years ago
except by history. Tho business to-
day is springing up in many parts o!
the country. The congress OF the
United States is assisting in many
localities its culture. and not many
years hence this country viii be over
flowing with silk fabrics OF its OWL
growth and manufacture.