Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-11
Much Interest in. Secretary
Wilson's Efforts Shown.
MANY INQUIRIES MADE
IMPROVEMENT IN THE Keeling
MACHINES NEEDED.
Numerous Groves Of Mulberry Trees
in the Country-Success in
Growing Havana Tobacco.

The story in The Star the other day OF
how Secretary Wilson and his assistants
are preparing to build up n new American
lndustry-that of silk-worm raising and silk
reeling-has apparently attracted wide at
tention.
Letters have already been received at the
! department from all over the country maxi
ing Inquiries as to the manner in which
the department intends 10 continue its work
and requesting shipments of silk worm
eggs. 1ncidently, it has been found by
means of these letters that there are quite
a number of mulberry tree groves in the
eastern, central and southern portions of
the United States, some of them of sufficient
size to make the raising of silk worms
pre- fitable industry.
Improved Silk Keeling Desired
Secretary Wilson, in discussing the silk
industry proposition with a Star reporter,
said that in his opinion it would not be
long before some ingenious Yankee had in
vented slk-reeling machine that would
be a vast improvement over those now in
general use in the silk districts of France
and other European countries The latest
improved French Keeling machines are in
use in the Agricultural Department. and as
matter of fact, several quite important
improvements have already been made in
them by the experts of the department.
This in itself, the Secretary believes, should
be sufficient indication to the optimistical-
ly inclined to warrant the statement that
when sllk-worm culture spreads throughout
the United States, the Secretary and his
assistants hope ind believe 1t will, some
bright American interested in the young
industry will invent Keeling machine that
will make the French affair seem cumber-
some and antiquated by comparison.
The Secretary of Agriculture is much
pleased with the interest in silk culture
ers in the southern states and elsewhere,
and here is likely to be a big demand for
mulberry trees in the near future. Young
trees can be obtained at compa ratively
small expense, and it is believed that many
of those interested in silk culture will pro-
cure numbers of the trees on their own ini-
tiative. Information on all points connected
with the silk industry will be furnished by
the experts of the department to persons
interested.
Secretary Wilson's Efforts Commended.
Secretary Wilson has received many sim
cere words of commentator of late in con-
nection with his efforts to create an Amer
lean industry. His work in furthering the
beet sugar industry in the United States,
which has now grown to enormous proper
tions, is we'll remembered as are other agri-
nent in fostering and aiding.
The Secretary modeStly attributes a good
part of his success along these lines to the
fact that his administration of the depart
ment has lasted for a rather longer period
than the terms of most of his predecessors
He has been able to take up a project and
follow 1t through to fruition, which of
course, would have been otherwise a matter
of impossibility. and 1t is certainly true that
in the Agricultural Department, perhaps
more so than in any other branch of the
government service. unity of direction
counts for great deal
Success With Tobacco.
The other day a visitor at the AgricuI-
tural Department called on the Secretary
and in the course of his conversation COM
plimented the latter on the results he had
achieved and on his plans for the future
But don't hear much about the Ameri-
can cigar-tobacco crop" the visitor finally
remarked. Il suppose that is one Ameri-
can industry that will fall to the ground"
THAT reminds me-, said the Secretary,
that 1 want to smoke" Then he took two
fine looking perfecto cigars out of his
pocket and handed one to the visitor. IF
we could grow tobacco like that" he said,
Il guess would be doing pretty well,
don't you Think"
The visitor lighted his cigar, smoked for
a moment with keen enjoyment and then
remarked: We'll. / should say so. That is
a 50-cent straight clear Havana cigar, or
never tasted one"
That cigar" replied the Secretary
calmly, lis an American product. The
filler was grown in Alabama and the wrap
per in Connecticut.
Il am certainly converted, declared the
visitor, after he had smoked some more.
"and your domestic tobacco with the clear
Havana flavor can't get on the market too
quick for me-"