The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Nurturng the Silk Worm in Southern California.


For moro than 5000 years the silk in
dustry has been increasing in active value.
1t was first known to the Chinese and
through all the sweep of centuries that
have come to that nation the grand IN
dustry has never been given up, but is to-
day one of her great and reliable sources OF
wealth. Every nation that has ever fos'
tered silk production as an industry has
added largely to the well-being OF her
citizens and to her own revenues.
This assertion applies only where the
natural conditions favor the work. England
has tried repeatedly to establish the rear
ing of silkworms in her island possessions.
but the climate is too humid, so the
thought has long since been abandoned,
and now she is content to import the raw
material and manufacture silk goods.
In the United States many fugitive
efforts have been made at different
times to inaugurate the silk industry.
The records of our agricultural resources
show plainly that these efforts were not all
that could be desired. Two leading causes
may be named as the reason why, leaving
many unnamed: First lack of knowl-
edge how to manage the insect, and
second, ignorance Of the climatic condl-
tions necessary to the fullest DEVELOPMENT
of the insect, or its natural food the null
berry tree. But here we would gladly
adopt the language of our own poet and
say: "Let the past dead bury its dead.
Act, act in the living present." by seeing
how and why we can succeed.
Southern California possesses all the
-. l. ~,
almost unlimited degree to make her the
very finest silk-producing country of the
world This section includes % per cent
of the entire State an area equal to A sol
square miles. In 1890 her population was
POI, 352, fraction over four persons to the
square mile.
From these figures it may be noted what
vast increase of population may be looked
for in the near future.
One very special advantage to silk Gull
ture here is the wonderful length of
season. Instead of forty-two to sixty days
as is the case in most silk-pro-
ducing countries of the world, this
favored region can boast of q sea-
months of the year, during which silk
may be pro6tably produced. This does
not mean simply that eight matches of
worms-crops of silk-may be produced.
1t means that 240 crops may be perfected
every year. The only prerequisites to OBJ
tain these astounding results are al ample
supply of mulberry trees, house room for
the development of the worm, and help
sufficient to care for the insect.
The continuous Matching out of the silk
worm is one of the most important yet
most perfectly demonstrated facts OF en-
tomological science that has yet been
brought to the notice of agricuIturists.
In this brief paper 1 cannot explain how
this may be accomplished. I will simply
say that on small scale it has been done.
and is now being done. and may continue
to be doIe on larger and still larger
scale while the everlasting sunshine of
this glorious land continues to illuminate,
to vitalize and fertilize our valleys and
foothills. This is no mere assertion of a
blind enthusiast. 1t is simple declara-
ton of fact, based on an underlying prin-
ciple that challenges criticism and defies
disproof
Colonel Charles Brady of New South
Wales, the pioneer of silk culture of the
world, has fully demonstrated that silk
culture can be carried on in that elm ate
for eight or nine months of the year. This
fact having become known the people have
taken up the industry and are now operat-
ing on that basis, and by this means are