Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1909-12-07
SILK FARM N CITY
Philadelphia Barber Enlists Aid Of
Agricultural Department.
Three Hundred Mulberry Trees Nou
Growing on Jersey Farm-Yesrly
Yield Of coeoons Expected TO
Reach 700 Pounds.

Philadelphia. PA silk farm"
has been established near this city
with the aid OF the United States de-
partmeDt of agriculture 1t is not, as
yet. an extensive one. but il Is IN
charge OF a proficient and experienced
silk-worm raiser.
At present the farm contains 300
young white mulberry trees, which
the government sent to the pioneer
here, James Carvello. who six days in
the week IS a journeyman barber. and
at all times an enthusiastic silk grow
er. The trees were sent as an expert
ment.
About year ago Csrvello heard
that the government was preparing to
assist in the culture of the silk worm
In this country. His father-in-law,
Charles Moroni. was for IA years en-
gagged in the industry near Rome,
and together they decided to go to
Washington and volunteer to make ex-
periments If the government would as
sist them to get the trees necessary
Tor the work. The silk worms are yo-
racious and at the same time dainty
feeders. and their proper culture. to
large extent, depends upon supplying
them with sufficient food of the right
kind. .
Car~silo and Moroni were ques-
tone ana were found to have had the
necessary experience, SO the govern
ment officials agreed to supply both
trees and worms. When the trees
arrived they were about eight inches
high. Carvelio planted 500 in close
rows in boxes in the little yard back
of his dwelling. ia St Adams street
The trees sent to Moroni were planted
on his place at Somers Point, N. J..
where he has lot about one hundred
and fifty feet square
The trees now in CarveIlo's yard
are about six feet high, and have
large leaves. but are too young as yet
for the purpose for which they are in
tended. Two years more win be re-
CURED before their growth is sufi Client
TO establish colony Of silk worms.
Carvello said that he would take the
young trees to his father-in-law's
place this fall, Shere they viii be
transplanted
The air here in Philadelphia" said
Carvello, lis not pure enough for the
trees. There is too much carbon in
It. . intend to take the trees down
to my fatherin-law's place. He has
more room than ] have. Together we
shall have 500 trees, and in five or six
years we should have yearly yield of
cocoons Of about zoo pounds. The
government offers to buy all the Co
coons We raise at sl-25 pound.
my father-in-law, who is a native OF
Rome, has had II years. experience
They tried to get some of his Sc
crets from him down in Washington,
but he is wise. When the trees are
of good size land that will be in about
two years. we viii send to Rome for
worms After that the culture viii
be merely a case of watching worms
and trees. You know, the worms get
sick, and they have TO be taken care
of and cured, or they viii die.
The trees begin to bud April 25,
and then the tender young branches
are given to the worms. Later the
worms are fed with tender leaves |
They will only eat from one side of
a leaf, and for some reason they
would rather starYe to death than
touch the other side. OF course, all
the worms are not allowed to reach
the butterfly stage they ruin the Co
coon by breaking the silk strands.
So, when the cocoon is formed the
worm is killed. Others are allowed
TO reach the butterfly stage and lay
eggs to be Matched the following year
There are about thirty-nine thou
sand eggs to the oEnce. and this num-
Der, IL successful, win yield about two
hundred pounds of cocoons.
IF we are successful at Somers
Point we shall take a larger place and
cultivate more extensively. 1t is
largely a matter of sufficient food.
and that means sufficient trees to fur
nish leaves The worms feed about
four CT five times day and are not
put upon the trees, but are fed with
leaves taken from the trees.
Il do not know why silk worm cul-
ture has not been extensively tried
here. for the white mulberry tree
seems to flourish here as well as in
Italy. think the trees are originally
brought from Italy. The white null
berry has no fruit and seems to be the
only tree whose lee res the silk worm
can ea%."