The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-05-21
SILK CULTURE IN UTAH.
Some Beautiful Specimens Sent to
the Worlds Pair.
What the Industry May Become in Our
Territory-The Climate Adapted to It.
Encouragement 1t Has Received.

The following is condensed from pa
per prepared by Mrs. c. E. Allen, and
read at a recent entertainment in this
city.
The opportunity to make an exhibit of
Utah silk in the woman's building was
not given until just before the lpeniug OF
the fair, bat the committee have labored
assidnously, and have obtained consid-
cradle amount. Mrs. Caine has gone up
and down the territory collecting silk
material, and the people have been very
generous IN their response to her appeal
for contributions. She has collected dress
silk pongee, lace, twist, reeIed silk and
cocoons, Some OF the Dress material IS
very beautiful, though made upon a hand
loom, the same that is used for weaving
rag carpet.
No aetempt will be made to obtain a
prize on manufactured goods, but it IS be-
lieved that Utah silk is OF a very superior
quality, and If prize can be obtained Tor
our raw material II viii give great i'm
pulse to the industry.
A very brief account of the silk industry
In other countries will help TO show what
our Utah industry may become. The
process of rearing the silk worm, reellng
the thread and making it into cloth was
discovered in China 2, 600 j. {.
The knowledge Of the art spread through
eastern Asia before the Christian era. In
the year 555 A. ID. two Nubian monks
brought silk worm eggs to Constantinople
and the the Emperor Justinlan estao-
lished the industry there. Sericultnre
spread rapidly through Europe and be-
came one OF its chief industries In
France at the present time silk IS manu-
featured to the value OF one hundred and
twenty million francs annually and from
100000 TO 1. 600, COO operatives are en-
ployed.
Silk culture was introduced into Amer
lea in 1922 by Cortez. Georgia was
founded as 2 silk colony. James l. en-
deavored to force Virginia TO raise silk
but they preferred to produce tobacco
Many of the colonies made successful at
tempts at silk culture, but during the
revolution it was entirely suspended.
From 1925 to 1874 the interest revived and
silk culture might have become well es-
tablished il il had not been for the
schemes OF some jealous men. The
price OF mulberry cuttings ran from IS a
hundred up to $500 and even $500. Many
persons lost their entire fortunes.
IL was not long after this revival of in
terest in sericulture that the Latter-day
Saints came to this valley. Brigham
Young quickly perceived how well adapted
this climate was to silk culture. Heman-
toned the fact when fixing the site for
the temple, and in his first sermon in the
valley spoke of Sericulture as one OF the
industries which should make this people
prosperous. He sent to France for null
berry seed which he had planted in his
own garden, and personally superin-
tended the work. He gave away cuttings
TO all who would take them. Later on he
sent to France for silk worm eggs, dis
trlbuting eggs and leaves to all who cared
10 experiment with them. About 1865 he
built a cocoonery at Forest Dale and
placed competent person in charge.
Soon after this, a systematic attempt was
made to introduce the industry through
out the territory. Mrs. Tina ID. Young
went from ward to ward explaining the
method of caring for the worms and urg
ing the Importance of the industry.
A general interest was soon awakened
and many trees were planted. When the
people were not able to build cocoonery
they made a cocoonery of their houses for
the required six weeks in the spring,
literally turning themselves out of doors.
In 1876 the Deseret Silk association was
Ormed. An exhibit OF beautifully reeled
silk was made at the Centennial which
received a diploma. At the Territorial
fair in 1877 there were exhibited numer-
Gus silk Notwithstanding lace,
stockings, artificial flower work, and
dress silks Of various kinds.
Soon after the Legislature appropriated
fifteen hundred dollars to encourage the
industry. This sum was too small to
equip an adequate manufacturing plant
and an effort was made to obtain some
capital by forming the Utah Silk asso-
citation. They invested about seven
thousand dollars and did good business
for a time. Utah county still has
fiourishing Silk association and produces
EO-1,t, good material
Silk is an indispensable article of COM
merce. The demand for it is growing all
the time. If Utah could produce more of
the necessary raw material it would
greatly add to our prosperity.
At the close of the talk there was ex-
hibited the sage green silk in the sage de-
sign by Mrs. Dallin; threads from the
material of the Utah curtain, spun silk,
silk from perforated cocoons, Utah and
japanese cocoons and a inc piece of
Utah silk which had been in use con
stantly for fifteen years.
Beecham's pills sell well because they
cure.