The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-05-24

Uncle Sam Booming SILK Culture.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson IL
convinced that the United States can
produce its own raw silk, and he Is de-
termined that it shall do so. Our total
Importation Of raw silk since 1890 ap
proximates $65O,OOOOOO. The >secre-
tary believes that this vas. amount
might just as well have been paid to
Americans as to Cinnamon, Japanese
and Italians, from whose countries
most of this material came
Experiments inaugurated by no less
a parsonage than King James II. of
England have shown that mulberry
trees thrive in our southern states and
that ,silkworms are readily acclimated
there. Over 200 years ago the Stuart
monarch notified the Company of Vir-
ginia that he had "taken into his
princely consideration the great bene-
fits to the adventures and planters of
the breeding of silkworms and the set
ting up Of silk works in those parts"
He enjoined the company to use all
possible diligence in this matter and
rather to bestow their travail in COM
passing this rich and solid commodity
than that of tobacco, which, besides
much necessary expense, brings with it
many disorders and inconvenience"
A consignment of mulberry trees and
silkworms sent out in connection with
this recommendation was lost at sea.
Another shipment was forwarded, and
for several years much attention was
paid to the silk industry by the Eng
lish in Virginia and the French Hugue-
nots in South Carolina. Other at
tempts were made from time to time
to stimulate silk raising, and from
1850 to the civil war period it contin-
ued to flourish in a small way. The
depression incident to wartimes prac
tically wiped the business out of exist
ence
Now it shows signs Of reviving. The
agricultural department has been send
ing silkworm eggs to many persons in
the south and has recently received i'll
return several shipments of cocoons.
The best specimen sent in was fifteen
pound package from Alabama. A fifty
pound package came from the farm of
the late Rear Admiral Beardsley at
Beaufort, S. c. These cocoons were
grown under the direction of Japa-
nese who was formerly steward to the
admiral
Since there is at present no open
market for silk cocoons in this country
the government is purchasing the en-
tire supply at the rate Of 81 pound.
The secretary has in operation at the
department a four basin reel Of the
most approved type. Experts were
brought over from Belgium to teach
the process Of silk Keeling to Ameri-
cans, and there are now five girls in
Mr. Wilson's little factory who are
daily reeljng silk with all necessary
ucAlcI1ly
The chief obstacle to the success Of
the industry seems to be the cost Of
collecting the cocoons. This difficulty
the secretary hopes to overcome by in
'ducing women and children to collect
the cocoons in hours which would 9TH
erwise be idle, thus appreciably in
creasing domestic revenues. Cocoon
collecting would be under the secre-
tary's plan an avocation rather than a
vocation. like berry picking. 1t is
doubtful, however, If it would ever
supply the millions Of pounds of raw
silk now required by American mills.
The value Of the raw silk annually
consumed in the United States is about
equal to the demand for potatoes. If
Secretary Wilson, who is seeking to
help the farmer grow two potatoes
where now he raises one, can produce
cocoons where none grow now his
achievement will be both notable and
important.