Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-10

! ed from the fields it does not become COM
mercially valuable until it is ginned or
freed from the lint. So it is in the silk, the
production of it is the simplest thing
Unwinding of the cocoon and max
ing the thread ready for the market
and weaver is the particular work
There is, of course, good machinery
for the purpose, but as yet l be-
lieve it remains for some one in America
10 invent an improved machine to cheap
en- the cost of unwinding the cocoon. In
1875 an American in the state Of New
York invented a machine for the IN
winding of cocoons and it is largely used
today in France and Italy. 1t all goes
to show that If the United States takes up
silk culture in the proper way. interesting
our farmers and capitalists, the growing
genius of the American inventive power
will lead in silk culture as she leads IN
other things.
The worlds total crop in 1900 was about
35. 100000 pounds. From this amount the
United States purchased in foreign lands
one-third of the worlds crop at cost Of
s45, 900. In addition we have imported
SIS 100000 worth Of manufactured silk in
the form of dress goods, ribbons, velvets
and pushes. And the United States gov
eminent collected s15,Ooo,00O duty on top
of the original cost. In weight the i'm
ported manufactured silk fabrics amount
ed to 100000 pounds. Adding to that the
II. 900, 900 pounds of raw silk imported 1t
gives us a total of using nearly $4,000, 900
pounds, which goes to show that we are
using more than one-half of the world S
production of raw silk and while being
the largest users, we produce none.
The small but progressive country, ia
pan, produces annually more than $4,000
900 worth of silk, cultivating only $4,000
acres in mulberry orchards, against as a
49, rzHE
gia cultivating S,513,00 acres in cotton.
The average income per acre is not more
than 1894 in Georgia, while the farmers
in Japan get for every acre planted in
mulberry trees for feeding the silk worms,
$3.50 per acre. There is no reason why
farmers in the United States should not
also take up and add the culture of silk.
For in period of six to eight weeks they
can produce twice the amount that a
whole years toll in the cotton fields
brings them.
The state of Texas is represented to
have $4,000 persons employed in agricul-
ture and is two and half times as large
as Italy. If 1t is possible for Italy's $780,
900 persons engaged in silk raising, aside
from their other occupations, to produce
5o,000, 900 worth of raw silk, why should it
not be possible for the state of Texas to
do likewise? Let Texas produce $25,0O0, OOe
ana IL WOuiQ De equal TO One-LnlTQ IN Ndlue
OF her largest crop, cotton. SILK is a mon
ey crop as staple as gold from the mine.
The raising of silk is an industry that
offers labor to the unemployed. Such
members that are unable to go to the
field, even children and members who
are too feeble to do any field work, can
give their attention to the noble, inter-
esting and fascinating work OF feeding
the silk worm, and in return il produces
,-fxr ~ fFrId fhak I,oa
added great wealth to many nations and
to the world at large.
In the year 1871 France contributed 81
per cent Of the raw silk production. How
ever, the effects OF the cruel Franco
Prussian war has devastated her null
berry orchards and has also had the eff
feet of bringing the disease amongst the
trees which reduced the annual silk
crops OF France to IS IL per cent of the
total worlds crop in the year 1878. The
disease continued to hurt her silk crop
and. the farmers getting discouraged the
government Immediately stepped in and
created what is known as the scientific
commission" made large expenditures,
the object OF which was to discover and
arrest the disease that has been killing
her mulberry trees.
1t was unsuccessful in discovering the
disease. but successful in finding a rene
dy, and now looks forward again to lead
in silk culture. In the manufacture OF
silk. France leads with an annual pro-
duction OF $122, 1000, while that of the
United States, according to the annual re-
port of the silk association of America,
amounts to $107, 100000. or In other words,
the United States manufactures IS per
cent for her home consumption.
/ In the year 1850 the United States pro-
duced only s,SO0.0oo, or Is per cent for
home consumption. She at the same time
imported manufactured silks from for
eign countries to the amount of 81. 0O00 co.
With the increase of the United States
consumption the worlds raw silk product
has also largely increased.
In 1870 the worlds crop was only 1900, :
900 pounds, while in the year 1882 the
worlds crop amounted to 100000 pounds