The Washington herald., 1909-05-21

The Department OF Agriculture has re-
Gently decided TO abandon the expert
1lents II has been conducting in silk cul-
ture and make no further efforts 70 es-
tablish II as an American industry IL
cannot be made a paying industry, it is
stated. even II II be put in the hands OF
school children and no pay be given for
their services The Federal government
rzNSpent several hundred thousand dol
lars experimertire II not only raised
the worms and distributed eggs and liter
ature free. but imported European ex-
perts. established a mill, bought the CO
coons, and, without charge. taught people
70 reel the silk Il having become evi-
dent that Americans could net compete
with Italians working for 10 10 50 cents a
day and with Chinese receiving 4 TO
cents a day. Congress stopped apPToPTia-
tions for silk culture a yea- ago. and the
Agricultural Departments plant has been
shipped to the Philippines. in the hope OF
establishing an industry there
Few industries have such q romantic
history as silk culture Spasmodie at
tempts have been made 20 grow the silk
States ever since the early days Of the
Jamestown colony. and the numerous re-
vivals OF interest have been in different
parts OF the country. BENJAMIN Franklin
early became interested in the subject.
This IS not the only industry tried in
the United States only 10 be abandoned
later. One OF the most extensive Of these
is the vegetable dye industry. Formerly
thousands OF Americans were engaged in
the cultivation OF various plants which
were used by thousands Of other Ame-i-
cans throughout the land in making dyes
Now there is practically none Of this
work being carried on Thanks 10 the
discoveries of German chemists almost
any dye can be made artifcially from
CCaI tar products In early times dyes
ard inks were made in every household
throughout the land. but now their manu-
facture is confined 10 few large fac
tories. where the synthetic chemist per-
forms wonders which il was once thought
nature alone could perform.
A striking illustration Of an abandoned
American industry is the cultivation Of
Irdig0 The people OF South Carolina en-
tered upon this industry in 1783. For more
than a century II flOurished and the in
diEo plantations OF the South furnished
q large proportion OF the worlds supply
OF this useful dye During the civil war
the Carolina indigo industry vas The
source OF much revenue 10 the beleagueTed
Confederate States
The industry was carried on IN a some
what primitive manner. The indigo plant
IS not blue in color. as is pOpularly sup
posed, but green ike most other plants
The plants were cut and put into large
watts. TO be covered with water. where
thev were permitted 20 ferment The
whole mass vas then violently stirred
and beaten. This bruised tAe leaves OF
the plant. promoting ozidization. which
latter process produced the blue color
The blue preCipitate was then gathered.
the water drained OF. and the indigo re-
fred and cured for the market
How much more up 10 date seems the
process Of the synthetic chemist, who can
convert unlimited quantities Of naphths-
Iene. a coal tar derivitive, into artificial
indigo at less cost than It takes TO pro
ouce the natural indigo. No wonder that
the synthetic process. discovered in 1880.
has practically resulted IN transferring
the worlds indigo market from England
20 Germany, putting the American indigo
Industry out OF business. and threaten
ing the destruction Of the indigo industry
OF India Java and the Philippine ISL
ancs, in the past the greatest sources Of
supply
In 1916 il is estimated that 50 Per cent
OF the worlds supply was artificial indi-
gs. and Il makes as good navy blue as
the natural product. Extraordinary ef-
fCrts are being made TO save the natural
indigo industry. Though the British mill
tary authorities have 6ecreed that only
the natural product shall be used in dye
ing the cloth for their army and navy
uniforms and though The Indian gov
e-nment Is subsidizing its indigo growers,
their efforts appear 10 be doomed TO fall
ure.
A generation or two ago the cultivation
OF the madder plant and the preparation
from its root OF the celebrated red dye
was an important industry in the United
States This dye has been replaced by an
artificial substance called aIizarin, which
was the first artificial color or aniline dye
produced from coal tar In 1858 Now the
cultivation OF the madder Is confined to
few Isolated localities. The Old purple
dve and household ink supply. extracted
from logwoOd and other vegetable sub
stances, have been entirely replaced BY
factory colors and writing fluids At
one time millions OF dollars were made in
California by gathing certain lichens and
extracting dyes from them Now that In
rl1.strv IS dead one OF the few vegetable
cdforing substances left on the market is
anato, which is used in tinting butter.
Fifty years ago Il was believed that the
cultivation Of sorghum would open Up an
,--rfr-,fra5 rrsr-lr- ~ Millions ~
dollars were spent IN America IN expert
menting with this native plant OF Africa
and China. Millions OF acres were plant