Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-28
jIIne21d9t

which is bound eventually to become one
of the most important in Southern Texas
from time to time supplied information
with regard to this interesting subject.
In its well known exhibit Of Texas pro-
ducts and resources the display of raw
silk raised in different localities of tbs
State Is a prominent feature.
Numerous inquiries coming TO the Dc
partmcnt rcc' ntly as to low the silk
worm might be obtained, Prof. Atwater
secured a quantity OF eEgs. which he has
been distributing among those Interested
in the matter.
The professor went to Austin few
days ago and left Il boz OF these silk
w"im eggs on his desk. In the box they
looked like handful Of gray seeds, each
about the sizc OF a rinhcad. When lie re
turned this morning he found that they
had all RitChCd ont during his absence
and were crawling thousands of them
IN all directions over the box in search OF
f"rl. completely lining the inside with
Y 'l LITTLE bodies. They nre, about 2
Quarter OF an inch long and the size Of i
mbric needle. Prof. Atwatcr shook
them all out upon mulberry leaf, and
, tie v"v they began To dcvour 1t showed
their drpetitcs were i'm no way affected
hv the Texas climate. lie carried them
ont to his experimental garden and turn
ed them loose or mulberry tree.
IN commenting ~ tho incident Colonel
7. J. AndC rsCn said The Japanese RIGS
farmers who have settled in Tc>as nro
bound. sooner or later t. take up the Ciii-
trrc of the silk worm. They are progress
sivc people and they know there Is money
in 1t. When the few supposed difficulties
IN connection with labor, etc, have been
overcome raw silk from Texas will he
come IN imI ortnnt item in the export
products Of the State"
70 those Interested in the silk worm AMI
its silk. q recent interview Press repre-
sentative had with Prof John Dean. OF
BROOKLYN. n. y. might b" instructive.
lie IS tho hest authority on silk culture
IT, - tNrl N,ta nal hus Iflf gns,1
many lectures on the subject.
"Whcn Noah was y little boy" he said,
''hc saw one day on Mount Ararat a lit
| tic Chinese "irl In carly spring watching
some catcrpilars that were feeding upon
the I"rvcs ~ mulhcrrv troc. DAY hY
dav she watched. ana day by day they
grew moro rapidly.
"She noticed tfat ne they moved their
heads from eide to side that "A gummy.
| liquid substance appeared to Issue from
their mouths and soon changed Into
soft d"wny thread. Bye and bye when
the cocoong were formed she had the
curiosity to take one IN her hand and eX-
anime It, She found ~ about tho eiZc of
q peanut. With a number OF loose threads
| floating about. Pulling ono OF them. she
found it was 80 liSht 1t would 6oat In tho
air. yet so tough she could pull OF quite
q length OF II. II occurred to her that W
conld Obtain n longc- thread AMI lie able
tn 1Ise II. After some study she soaked
the cocoon I'm warm VIZ ter and began
prlling on the thread. To her SURF risa
she unwnun1 n thread 4.cN feet long.
Turning to her waiting woman. she ex-
claimed. Look how beautiful, We will
| weave II into dress" II Was not long
before this till the Emperor and court
appeared robed in this dazzling fabric
"Fnr many years the Chinese guarded
we'll the scrrct NJ the source OF their i'm
mrnse wealth, for raw silk was imported
ar over Asia. India. Persia and Arabia
There are two lerends as to how the Soc
ret got ont. One is that some monks con-
vnyed eggs in their staffs over tho border.
tho other that Cupid had hand in 1t"
New Orleans Picayune.