The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-05-01
SILK CULTURE NEREE.
Plans 20 Introduce the Industry
III the United States.
0RBIsd EXPERT LABOR NEEDED

Efaliaas, VINO Are VeFy Proactent
srfcult ure--Piedmon Section
consiaered Ideal Place to Begin.
Louis B. Magid, banker, Of New
Eofk. Who has been travelling through
the. sonth. Investigating the country
Tor Tie Introduction Of silk culture,
gas Id washington recently. Being in
ereste6 Ia the silk business. he has
given. special study for many years to.
she possibility Of producing raw silk in
She United States.
'.The United States is today using
more than one-fourth of the worlds
production Of raw silk. and it produces
none. said he to a reporter of the
washington Post. There is no reason
7vhy this state of affairs should contin-
aae. since we have the climate and soil,
as well as cheap labor in the southern
States. which is now untitled and adj
mnirably adapted for the purpose. Be
Gsides the silk culture is one that is easy
sand lasts only two months Of the year
sat the outside and the unproductive
labor could easily give attention to it.
Il will not speak Of Japan and China.
countries not of the highest civiliza-
zion. hut take France and Italy. more
advanced countries, whose govern
aments are today encouraging sericul-
auGe and have encouraged it since its
of
Eheir largest incomes from silk crops
sThe United States is purchasing from
chem annually this prod let and annu-
zally sends S5OO00.000 to $70,000,O00
abroad for the raw material.
.'0f course many experiments have
G0een made in the United States to
aeaise silk. but always in such a crude
xyay that success could not be expected
5Ea the undertaking. Usually some wo-
nsaan reads a pamphlet on the subject,
shen attempts the raising of silk. OF
ssourse such a person deserves credit
&5oT having the courage and ambition to
snake the experiment. but the industry.
Is ore Of far greater Importance and
demands the cooperation of men with
sznoWiedge of sericulture and of fnan-
eeial institutions as we'll as of the ma
e1onal ard state governments in its es-
"a Enlistment
- have incorporated a stock compa-
KY with some of my associates on a
Nsusiness basis Our plan is practically
TO establish one or more colonies to be
settled By northern Italians who are
experts or, better said, Unborn with the
knowledge. of silk culture and silk
manufacture. By doing that we shall
make an object lesson to the natives Of
@ne southern states, white and black
salI3e to teach them to raise the silk
sand to unwind the cocoons. making out
81 them marketable product.
A great obstacle which is il the way
at the present time is that we have not
expert labor to do the work. Now, by
@colonizing several districts with Ital-
8ans We will remove this obstacle.
these Italians will teach the natives to
Eaise the silk, and the natives Will also
dzave a chance to learn the unwinding
<sr reeling of the cocoons.
seThe object Of the company in bring
ing these Italians is purely for that
purpose, as it is not necessary on &C.
count of labor to bring in Italians, for
wye have throughout the south much
cheaper labor than is obtainable in any
s5@gt of Europe. The southern laborers
a.an take up silk culture and yet be in a
Mposition to continue producing their
as1tton crops and other agricultural
Ewoducts, because, as stated before, the
eszak raising lasts only two months of
G2ae year and could be conducted by
women or children above six years of
@ge during the months of May and
.Eane.
s9The climate of the Piedmont Sec
zion. which I call that between Wash
&1zgton. Atlanta and Columbus. is the
adeal place to begin, but there is no
reason why the native farmers of ev-
aExy state in the Union should not en-
ayage in the silk culture, and my COM
ngany offers to give them any and all
information in connection with the
aI1after, as we want every farmer to
asroduce silk. and we shall create
gfaarket for the cocoons by our plan of
establishing mills. / had an interview
yUafh Secretary Wilson based on a long
correspondence, and he assured me
shat as far as was in his power he
would assist the establishing Of silk
a.uiTuve in the United States, as he has
4ong been of the opinion that silk cul-
@nre could be introduced in the United
Estates and now has bill before con-
Aress asking for $4,000, with which, /
2seiieve, he is going to distribute null
Berry trees and eggs to all who will ask
Ger them"
GsTxs Hanna's Aid to Float the Ark.
Senator Hanna receives many curious
aetters, but the proposition which was
aziade to him the other day takes the
aaaln for uniqueness says the Wash
4ugton Post. ION the top of Mount Ar
sarat, wrote his correspondent, there
Is still preserved, buried amid eternal
snow, Noah's ark. ! am organizing
10 ONT and INv.ira 4 -