Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-05-19
SILK CULTURE NOT PROFITABLE.
Too Much Time Required for the Small
Amount Of silk Produced.

Too Much Time Required for the Small
Amount of silk Produced.
There has been a great deal of talk
about the rearing Of silkworms as an ap
propriate occupation for women." said a
practical person who takes much interest
in the various opportunities and sugges
lions offered TO her sex for earning their
own livelihood. And it is just as well,
she continued, ''that the public should un
derstand its possibilities. We tested the
subject thoroughly and practically in our
Industrial school, in which | was much in
lerested, and short but exact and un
prejudiced account Of our experience may
be of service to those who have thought
vaguely that there might be something
in it,
s'In the house we had leased for our in
dustrial school we devoted one room TO
this purpose. in which we put roughly
constructed wooden tables made accord
ing to the directions of the Silk Culture
association, and procuring several thou
sand eggs from the agricultural depart
ment we Matched them according TO direc-
TONS We were all delighted with the
idea, feeling that although there might
not be millions in it, it at least promised to
be a remunerative industry. We also pur-
chased at the same time several hundred
young mulberry trees and presented them
to the people in the village who bad little
places of their own: and visions rose be-
fore us of beautiful home of industry
through which the old people and young
children might greatly add to the family
resources with very lit lie work.
Everything succeeded admirably-the
eggs Matched successfully. the little wrig
glers seemed perfectly healthy and grew
with the most surprising rapidity, and
were transferred from sheet to sheet as
they increased in proportion until they
quite covered the tables prepared for them.
st feeding time the noise of their MUNICH
ing could be heard several rooms off. IT,.
kept one of the girls so busy attending 20
them, procuring food, stripping off the
leaves. keeping them clean, etc, that she
practically could do no other work II
would take too long just now TO describe
the method of their treatment, but if any
one feels like trying the experiment of
rearing these curious little creatures after
hearing our experiences ! shall be pleased
TO give any instructions desired.
''Our experiment excited great interest.
and many persons came to see these vorit
eious little monsters feed. for as they in
creased in growth they had to be attended
TO constantly and kept supplied with mul.
berry leaves, which, by the way. we found
very difficult to get Finally, however
our troublesome charges had eaten to re
pletion and were content to climb up into
the dried brush prepared for them and
build their cocoons. Soon the room pre-
sented a very odd appearance with the
quantities Of yellow objects hanging like
hoo. hnf x.~itr In. a
These were all gathered of in due time,
treated according TO directions and sent To
headquarters, while we waited with great
eagerness the result in dollars and cents.
As soon as our consignment was received
we had most lattering letter congratu
lating us upon the peculiarly fine appear
Gnce of our cocoons, which were declared
to be Of the first quality. This elated us
so much that we ordered a second consign
ment Of mulberry trees and had directions
for their planting, together with recon
mendatons in regard to silkworm culture, |
printed and circulated among the poorer |
people in the neighborhood.
after about month. however, OF these |
sanguine expectations our dreams were
rudely dispelled by a check from the Silk |
Culture association for exactly nine dol
lars So we came regretfully to the con
clusion that although il might pay French |
and Italian peasants to rear silkworms as
an occupation time and labor are too valu
able in this country for such an avocation.
and that even for very old people and young
children it wouldn't least in our climate
require too much space aud outlay 20
pay for the few dollars obtained by each
rearing. Possibly in Florida, where there
could be several matches during the year
and where they could be kept under shed
there might he some profit in It; but even
then, unless done on large scale. it would
appear TO me doubtful. Ii requires too
much work for too little result to suit
American energy. New York Tribune