The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-09
Rut the Price of Silk Scars Un- til Calico Comes Into Popular FaVOr-It'S All Because of the War-COSt More Than Doubles In Short Time.
''The price of silk is going upt''

the word that Miss 1916 must descend the scale from silks and satins to cali eos and pay well for the appeasement.
 Of course it's all due to the war. Who would have thought though, that be- cause Europe chose to go to war, a majority of the women of this coun- try would have to do without silk ho- siery, silk shirts, silk dresses and in fact everything silk. and revert to the more plebeian, and substantial, cotton ones? For that is what, the situation has amounted to.
 Sillen wear has jumped for beyond the reach of the average modern girl who in the spirit of the fox of old, can only say as she glances 1onging1y from her cotton hose to those of the better material: "Oh, we'll, they do run so anyway"
 For the first time since the begin ming of the war, the American woman has felt the sting of it's far reaching havoc, for silks are dear to her heart and to have to foreswear them be- cause they cannot be afforded is in- deed a sacrifice.
 It is strangely true. that the woman who wears a silk shirt has infinitely more confidence in her own ability than she who is not so garbed. It is likewise true that the refining inhuen- ces of culture are more likely to be felt through the meshes of a silk shirt than in any other way. There is some thing in the touch of the garment which suggests the lady. Surely the first step in the conversion of the wild untutored creature into beautifully refined young woman, 3. theme so pop hu1ar with playwrights, should be to give her silk shirt.
 We are told that the scarcity of the raw material coupled with an alarm ing lack of dyestuffs, has sent the price of silk bounding up rapidly with but little hope of it's doing anything but ascending until several of the powers in Europe shall have laid down their arms and taken up once again, the peaceful occupations of ordinary life.
 Silkmen tell us that raw silk, which before the war, was considered expen- siveN at $3.5O per pound is now bring ing ST for the same amount with every indication that by August it will have reached the $1O mark.
 l. Used Silk in Guns
 sIta1y's plunge into. the war has greatly crippled the silk trade for it was in sun blessed Italy that the worlds finest silk was produced. Next in importance to Italy was France, but men in France and Italy have no time now to devote to cultivation of the sim pie silk worm. Greater things are at stake than that miIady shall be luxur- ious1y clad.
 It is said that what first caused the silk supply to run out so quickly was that early in the war England used. pounds of the raw material in her great guns to deaden the concussion.
 Whatever it was the supply is now very low and while the merchants are looking Hopefully toward the October crop in CIina, Indi aand Japan to all leviate the situation somewhat this will only help out in the coarser grades of the material.
 Added to this there is of course the dye situation. Where formerly 35, 900 tons of dye were imported yearly into the United States but 7,300 pounds are all that, can now be obtained in the same time and there is great danger of even that small amount diminishing Indigo blue which in ordinary days brought fifteen cents a pound is now valued at $3 R pound and it is said that there is enot that amount to be had in the whole United States.
 The increase at present on retail price of silk articles is 5 per cent and it is constantly rising. This means that all things fashioned from silk which a few months ago sold at $1 are now bringing $1.S5 while $1O articles are being purchased at $13.50-
 One of the most unusual phases of the situation is that perhaps never before was there such a demand for silk Fashion decrees silk in it's finest weaves for the favored Georgette crepes, the Italian silk dresses, coats and underwear and hats. Every new design shows the use of yards and yards of the precious stuff
 Silk Worm Does His Best.
 Not that the silk worm is to blame for the shortage! He, poor fellow, has been doing his very best, to fill the demand, literally jumping out of his skim four times, in his endeavor to eat enough mulberry leaves to make good thread and in the end giving up his life that these may not be cut by the little moth into which his earthly body would be transformed were he to live. Martyr though he is, no choice form of death is accorded him for he is ig- nominiously baked in an oven until dead.
 Ever since the 18th century when the culture of silkworms was first in troduced into Europe from China, it has been one of the leading indus tries of the Mediterranean countries Before the war Italy led the world in silk production with France as a close second. Silk of an inferior quality is also raised in Syria, China, Japan and India. Many attempts have been made to raise it in this country none of which were successful the cul- ture of silk worms requires the em- ployment of 8 large number of care fui but cheap labofers for a few months of the year only.
 In August or September each fe- male moth lays about 500 eggs which hatch during the following May when the mulberry tree begins to leaf. In many districts where the worms are raised the hatching and feeding takes place in the cottages of the people who follow that occupation.
 It's a very hungry caterpillar that comes into the world after his resi- dence in an egg all winter for during