The morning call., 1892-10-02

as food for silkworms in various sections OF
the world. and experiments are constantly
going forward. White, yellow and delicate
gray silks have been obtained from Indian
worms, which do not eat the mulberry leaf
at all. Northern China has a beautiful
fawn-tinted cocoon, from gigantic worm.
which derives its nutriment from the leaves
of the mountain oak; Europe obtains a
pretty pearl-gray silk from a species OF
silkwOrm fed on the leaves of the aIanthus,
blue cOcoons have been obtained by dosing
silkworms during their latter ages with
small portions of indigo plants gwen along
with their mulberry leaves; by feeding
others on the trumpet-fower, red SILK was
the result. In the United States worms
have been raised, in Mississippi and Ten
nessee, on the leaves of the Usage orange,
and, il is said, with good results.
When [ was a 10y in England a fad OF
keeping silkw0rms prevailed for time in
the school which | attended. and mulberry
leaves being scarce. We fed the worms
largely OH lettuce and blackberry leaves.
They made silk of fair quality, that from
the lettuce being of green tinge.
Finally. there is species of silkworm in
British India which feeds upon the castor
oil plant, plant which, according TO a
statement that has been going the rounds of
the press during the past year, no living
animal or insect will touch. The silk made
by this worm is said 10 be supple and dura-
The small silk culturist who gees into the
business for the few dollars it will bring
would better leave such experiments to
those who are able 20 afford them. The ex-
perience of over thousand years in Europe
points to the white mulberry tree as the
best known food. While the tree is grow
ing, however, Usage orange might be used
as substitute for the silkworm.
In France the mulberry trees are planted
twenty-thIee feet apart IN order TO permit
of the culture of other crops between. Two
hundred trees may, however, be planted to
an acre, and Trimmed out afterward. Cut
tings are first planted in rows, four feet
apart and six inches apart in the row. Ten
or twenty trees are, however, sufficient Tor
a first experiment in silk culture. They
may be planted along fence lines or roads ;.
or in vacant spaces around the house that
are not otherwise utilized. The leaves are
gathered and fed to the worms on trays. and
should be dry.
The work of silk-raisng occupies only
from five to six weeks in the spring OF the
year. beginning with the budding of the
leaves. The labor during the first three
weeks OF this time is light. and it is only
during the last age OF the worm that the
care required becomes constant This is an
industry which should be encouraged. as
one subordinate to the household duties of
women. An experienced woman with food
at hand IN suitable quantities can easily
eggs, with two or three children to pick
leaves for her, and perhaps little assist
ance from the male portion of the family
for few days prior to spinning. AS re-
turn for this labor woman should harvest
not less than eighty pounds of cGcoGns per
ounce of eggs, worth about 80 cents
pound. fresh, three pounds or fresh coeoOns
being about equivalent TO one pound OF dry.
While she could thus obtain neatly SIS for
her otherwise unremuneratiye labor from
the rearing Of an ouHea OF eggs, this amount,
by the application of more energy, and the
assistance of larger family, might easily
be doubled, or even trebled, by undertaking
a larger crop. This sum may seem small,
but liz would prove welcome addition to
the p0cket-money of many women, as the
result of six weeks work, and, multiplied
throughout the many families who would
be engaged 10 the industry if we produced
all the reeled silk we consume, would add
immensely 10 the aggregate income of the
farming classes of the United States.
As already stated. the importation of un-
manufactured silk in 1899 amounted in
value to over S24, 00O, coo. About 81 per
cent Of the value Of this silk is the worth OF
the coeOons from which it Is produced. 1t
therefore cost the Teelers of the silk i'm
ported by us during the year moro than
$40, 900. 600 for the silk consumed bv them.
This money might all have been paid to the
wives and daughters of American farmers
q
plat of land.
Moreover, the importation of reeIed silk
into the United States is constantly aud
rapidly increasing. In 1870 it amounted in
value to only SS,017,95S. showing an in
crease of go per cent in value and 900 per
cent in weight in twenty years. In few
years, at the present rate OF increase, we
shall be using as much silk as Europe, and
our manufacturers will be forced to seek new
sources of supply. The small city of Pat
erson, Y. j., sends out annually $40, 900, 900
worth of manufactured silk goods. Per-
maps, in time, some Californian cities may
rival this production, and from home
grown silk. Already fine silkmill, which
will employ 300 hands, is approaching COM
pletion at Petaluma. IL will use 5000 pounds
of raw silk a month, but the silk will all
come from China and Japan. The COM
pany is offering % per cent more than the
market price for all raw silk produced in
California, striking tribute to the quality
of cur native producer, which has been thor
onghly tested.
Twenty-Five years ago there was qnite a
small Juror over silk culture ia THIS sec
ton. Rev c. Z. Loop. now of Pomona. and
others, spent considerable amount OF
money in experiments; but then, as now,
the '5ig scale IF operations" with its at
tendant labor difficulty, stood in the way,
and the result was financial failure. AT
present a little desultory work Is being done
by ladies here and there, but there is no
thorough concert Of action or interchange
of ideas. The industry certainly deserves
encouragement, both from the State and
national governments. There Is no reason
why California farmers should not obtain
large share of the SIS. 0OO. 900 which is sent
away annually from the United States for
raw silk, as well as Of the 500. 000, 600 which
is drained from the country for sugar.
HARRY ELLINGTON BROOK.
Los Angeles, September % 1892.