The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-08-31

promise of unqualified
success. The trees covering the 4C
ncres &c this plantation We're imported
from France and are of the most ap,
proved variety for feeding the worms
Ihe fact that the production of CO.
"oons is going forward at the rate of
10000 Il month shows what can be
done In this industry.
1t has been found that climatic and
olher conditions in Texas make it the
ideal place FOR the development Of the
fiIE industry. The silk crop is surer
than any olner crop and involves lit
lie risk or trouble, while the occupa-
ton Is pleasant and the returns are
safe and substantial. 4 crop grows
every twenty-five days and six crops
are produced in a year. whereas in
Europe the season lasts but two
months, and only one crop a year is
produced. Furthermore, the soil Of
Texas is 50 wcll adapted to the culti-
Walton Of the mulberry trees that they
can be grown in few months, while
In Europe they require at least five
years.
What is known here as the mulberry
tree is called the golden tree in China,
because the tree has brought golden
hurreSts to the successful silk growers
OF thar country. With the splendid
conditions for the successful cultiva-
lion Cf silk surrounding the people of
the South, it is "A marvel that they
.lfr 40; l.,
pendence Of the European silk grow
ers and entered upon an industry that
is more remuncrative than agriculture,
horticulture lumber or mine industry.
The American people, especially those
living in the favored South, could and
should raise their own raw silk, and
thus keep at home the S200,000O00
which they pay out to foreign coun-
tries each year for their raw silk.
Think Of a country where six crops
can be made in one silk-prOducing sea-
son, and where the season extends
from March to October How does
that compare with cotton, which re-
quires 40 weeks for its cultivation and
which only yields one crop a year?
The character of the labor connect
ed with the silkgrOwing industry is al
so a point in its favor. The work is
nearly all inside, light, pleasant and in
teresting. A family of five can easily
take care Of crop of six ounces of
Nlk-worm eggs every twenty-five or
thirty days. The average price Of the
eggs is Sc per ounce. An ounce of
rggs will produce 120 to 100 pounds
" fresh, or forty to fifty pounds Of
dry cocoons. BY subjecting the fresh
cocoon to a heating or steaming pro- !
cess, the chrysalis in the silk cocoon |
Is killed and the cocoon is rendered +.
thoroughly dry and light, For the |
production of crop of 250 pounds of /
cOcoOns a quantity of between 10000 |
and 1900 pounds of mulberry leaves |
Is required as feed for the silkworms .
from the time they are hatched out .
from eggs until they assume the
chrySalis form. The white mulberry
Is the best and is preferred by success
full growers at the age Of one or two
years. These trees will produce from
twenty to thirty pounds of leaves each,
or. in other words, 400 two-year-old
trees will produce $4,000 pounds of
leaves. The proper way to cultivate
mulberry trees is to plant them y feet
apart, allowing 302 trees to the acre.
1t will thus be seen that for the pro
auction of the above crop of dry CO.
coOns two acres Of land will be sufii-
silent, but if the trees develop rapidly