The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-16
SILK CULTURE IN THE SOUTH.
An Account of Experiment Made Mt
the North.

An Account of Experiment Made Mt
the North.
That was an interesting article in
the Morning News relative to the in
dustry which Mr.. Louis B. Magid, a
silk expert, is hoping to establish in
the South, at Tallulah Falls The
climate of the South seems wonderful
ly adapted to the culture of silk where
the mulberry grows so joyfully and
plentifully to feed the silk worms. He
also publishes a monthly called silk
to be devoted to it's interests. This
brings back to the mind of a Northern
visitor, experiments made at her home
in Massachusetts of the cultures of the
MONS mIllicaulis, a most beautiful
species OF mulberry. Alas, it was
a bubble which burst years ago and
which fortunes were made by it's early
culture, fortunes were lost by the later
speculator. One dollar expended by the
writer of {. bud to plant brought the
next year $40. My first and last specu-
lation. A promise of a silk dress made
three children of the family, eager to
feed silk worms in a cocoonery built
on the place, where plenty of null
berry trees were already growing. But
this involved picking the leaves after
the dew was absorbed by the sun and
feeding regularly three times day
for six weeks. The silk worm eggs
came from China by the way of the
Sandwich Islands and were not to be
Matched until the leaves were grown
enough for daily food.
At the close of the season when the
worms had wound themselves into
their collins of golden silk they were
placed in boiling water to destroy the
worm ana chen reelcd. Just ut this
time there arrived in the village a
weaver from Lyons, France. He was
easily persuaded to set up his loom
in a house provided for him and until
recently standing. Here he dyed the
silk blue black, a color then in fash
ion, a quantity was wooven soft and
lustrous all silk, no mingling of other
properties, enough for three dresses,
three waist coats black and white
stripes, and yards of blue black ribbon.
Silk dresses were not so common as
now for young people. One dress re-
mains just as 1t was fashioned and
was worn in Savannah in 1850. Now
1t figures in tableauX and is kept to
show what children could accomplish
by steady work for six weeks and much
time for school and play. Before it
was made into dresses lit was exhibit
ed at many fais-silver medals and
elaborate testimonials are held by the
family as proof of what American eX-
pertinent could do. Many clergymen
and their families purchased the MONS
mullicaulis at special rates and made
large profits, but many lost I we'll
remember what a beautiful sight was
the field of mulberry with it's immense
green leaves and what is now a street
of fine houses was then a field of mul-
berry trees. One Sabbath morning just
as the owner of these fields was start
ing for church man approached, say
ing he had come to view the planta-
ton and If satisfactory, was author
zed to buy it.
Sunday then was day to be OBJ
served, and not for sale or barter. He
went out to look at the green fields and
offered $4,000 on the spot. l love to
recall that my father refused to sell
on the Sabbath, though he said 1t was
worth 100000. The bubble soon burst
and many spectators lost. The multi
caulis gave place to the more hardy
Chinese mulberry, which bears fruit
and is a good tree to cultivate.
Experience is a hard master, and
teaches many lessons, but the silk
dresses remain as a proof of the dill
gent work of children.
If the cultivation of silk for eight
weeks can yield more than the labor
of year In raising a crop of cotton,
why should not the countrymen and
children, enter into this pleasant Gull
ture? A cold rain at the North at
certain stages of feeding might mean
great loss. but is not likely to occur at
the South.
The article quoted by the News asks
IF America consumes practically half
the silk raised in the world, why should
all this profit go into the hands of for
eign manufactures?
With tea plants so successfully grown
in Summervil1e, S. c., by the colored
people under the training of Prof.
Shepherd, a public benefactor, why
should not Georgia have the honor of
raising the best silk--and after that IN
the early spring, cotton can be planted
and a good crop raised.
pitch, tar and turpentine," from the
trees of Georgia, which has brought
so much wealth, must give place TO
new industries, and Florida is now call
ed upon to give her trees towering TO
the skies, for the valuable rosin.
A Northern Rover.