New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-15
Silk Trade in China

There are two chief exporting CEN
tres for silk in China. Shanghai and
Canton. Shanghai is the port Of ex-
port not only for the steam filature
silk, which is produced in the vicinity
OF Shanghai, in the provinces OF
Kiangsu and Chekiang, but also for
quantities Of silk brought in from the
districts Of West, North and Central
China. There is also considerable
quantity of wild silk shipped from that
port. The total export from Shanghai
for the year 1915, including steam
filsturc, rereeled, and wild silks.
amounted to $4,000 bales.
Tho silk exported from Canton, on
the other hand, Is produced almost
wholly in the Province Of Kwangtung.
The most important silk district in the
province is the district Of Shun TAX,
although silk is produced in several OF
the neighboring districts as well. Shun
Tax is distant from Canton some thirty
miles. Here, within an area OF about
$50 square miles. there are $50 fila
lures, each employing 800 to 500 girls.
The growing Of the mulberry and
the rearing of the silkworms form the
chief industry Ct that district. The
mulberry trees or bushes are usually
grown along the banks OF streams, and
put forth leaves several times during
the year. As soon as the leaves ma
ture they are stripped off by the Chi
nese and fed to the worms. There
are six or seven crops Of silk pro-
duced each year, and any food or other
disaster which causes a shortage OF the
mulberry crop is Immediately followed
by shortage Of cocoons and conse-
ouent shortage of the silk crop. The
silkworms are reared on large circular
trays woven of split bamboo. and they
spin their cocoons on a nesting tray
made OF twisted bamboo bent into loops
about four inches high. After the
worm has eaten his fill OF the mulberry
he becomes restless and seeks place
where he may spin his cocoon. lt IS
at this time that the worm is placed
on the nesting tray and begins to spin.
Il requires several days for the worm
to complete the cocoon. After the
cocoons are completed they are gath
cred and brought to the market or
filature.
The failures employ all the way. from
500 to 500 girls each. These girls e.
ceiye very good wages. as compared
with other female labor in emma, the
girls employed in the best failures
earning 80 70 so cents day. although
the scale Of paw varies with the sea-
son. The average pay OF all the ma
lures is lower, being from 20 10 80
cents. The hours OF labor in the MA
lures vary according TO the season
usually ten hours constitute WORK
dav The machinery used in the fila
lures is very crude and is made 10
cally. The steam engines are usuaI!y
made by Chinese machine shops IN
Canton.
The cocoors are placed In basins OF
warm water. which are kept heated oy
charcoal braziers burning under them.
The threads are run from these baslnS
TO the reels up above and behind the
girl. Two reels are kept gong by eaen
girl. and it takes one day Tor the
girl to complete the Keeling OF the two
skeins. Seven 10 nine cocoons are re-
ouired to make one thread, Depending
on the size Of the cocoon. AS there
are two threads being rseled from each
basin, it is necessary for the operative
n see that each thread Is supplied
With the proper number sof cocoons.
otb.rvise the thread will not be uni
formly even.-F'rom Consular ne
port.