The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-12-23
The CULTURE OF silk.
Exception Taken TO Statements
Made by Miss Kelly.

Made by Miss Kelly.
To the Editor of the Sunday News:
In yourspaper of December 2 an article
appeared over the signature of Miss
| Henrietta y. Kelly. of your city, pur-
porting to give some practical sugges-
tions on the subject of silk culture.
l am quite in sympathy with the
work Miss Kelly has in hand, because
I myself am deeply interested in this
industry; not only am | sympathetic,
but I have invested already more than
$50, 600 on my silk plantation, which
covers more than 8, 500 acres, at this
place, and I bave already planted 30,
900 mulberry trees within the last
eighteen months, and have now 75,
eco to 100, 600 seedlings for transplant
ing and am also planning to erect a
silk mill and develop water power at
cost of more than $500, GOO, in the
near future. These facts, and the fact
that last FEBRUARY [ started and am
publishing a monthly paper, "Silk,"
which has now reached circulation
of 10000 copies a month, are quite
sufficient evidence of my faith in the
possibilities of silk culture being sue
cessfully started and carried on in the
United States.
Not only has much comment been
made on ny work for the past year
and half, but actual opposition has
been aroused among a certain element
in the Northern States for reasons
rather selfish, but which [ have looked
upon as grounds Of encouragement.
Business men do not usually kick at
nothing
The Government Washington is
also deeply interested in silk raising,
and congress is more or less backing
the department. of agriculture to in
vestigate and encourage silk raising
throughout the Southern States. I
have also read in the papers that Miss
Kelly is employed by the Government
at a certain fixed salary. From time
to time articles have appeared from
Miss Kelly, and these claiming asso-
citation with Miss Kelly, that were
misleading, MORE or less, and have,
given ground and good reason to the
opposing element to ridicule and be-
little the work of those who are deeply
interested in The introduction of silk
raising in the United States. For in
stance, in the article in your paper of
December 2, Miss Kelly makes state
ment which will mislead many people
and cause much disappointment to fol-
low.
She says that one ounce of silk
worm eggs will produce 1872 to 1873
pounds of silk cocoons. This is far
from a reasonable statement, .as the
highest production from one ounce of
silk worm eggs that has ever been re-
corded was l30 pounds, and 80 pounds
is accepted as very favorable pro-
dnct. However, this statement is not
so bad as the one following:
She estimates that 1872 pounds Of
cocoons sold at 80 cents per pound is
equal to Sl19. 30: It's pounds at 80 cents
equals s157. 50; 1873 at 80 cents equals
$3.50.
The fact is. that while an ounce of
silk worm eggs might yield 13O pounds
of cocoons in the wet form, OF, more
properly styled, fresh cocons, that his
class is sold from 35 to 40 cents per
pound instead of 80 cents.
On she other hand, if those cocons
are dried-that is to say, if the
chrysalis and moisture Of the cocoon
is dried up within the cocoon, it mast
be remembered that cocoons will re
duce or shrink two thirds in weight
from drying. Therefore, having l30
poounds of cocoons there would only
be, after drying, 43ll pounds, and
these sold at 30 cents. and sometimes
a@dollar, would bring $50 instead of
SITS. 20, the enormous sum Miss Kelly
figures.
Such misstatements will discourage,
disappoint. and once for all give a
black eve to silk culture in the South
ern States.
I am prompted to write this to pro-
tect the possibilities of silk culture.
Nay, also to protect my own interests,
if { may do SO.
70 establish silk culure in the Unit
ed States we must no only be careful
and reasonable in cur statements, but
must forbear from presenting the
facts which will lead to failure and
disaster.
A lady who claims to be delegated by
Miss Kelly to look after the silk cul-
ture industry in New York State, which
State blythe way, should not attempt
silk raising, for reasons which l do
not care to take up space to enumerate
at this time, made a statement that
leading papers like the New York
Herald, the Brooklyn Eagle and the
Repu blican of Springfield, Mass, were
led to print without giving attention
to the correctness of the presentation,
that are positively ridiculous To
illustrate; one paragraph reads as fol-
lows:
"A woman on Long Island produced
from one ounce of silk worm eggs,
$4,000 perfect cocoons. Now, Mr..
Editor, for your own good [ wish to
inform you that one ounce Of silk worm
eggs contains 40, COO eggs; that one silk
worm egg can only produce one worm