New-York tribune., 1919-04-02
Business Netus BureGu
Special Correspondence


Special Correspondence
HOUSTON, Tex, March 29.-Pros-
poets are encouraging for the produc-
tlon of silk on large scale In Texas.
The industry already has been placed
upon a commercial basis, it is claimed
by the men who have been dcvoting
much time and effort for the last six
years to experiments in the raising of
silkworms and the "growing" of CO.
coons. AS a result of the successful
operation Of small silk farm, which
was established near Austin several
years ago, DR.. V. X. Osigian and asso-
ciates have enlarged their enterprise
by the purchase of a 1,OOO-acre tract
of land situated at Houston Terminals.
near this city, which they are planting
in mulberry trees for the production of
silk incorporated under the name of
the Austin Silk Plantation and Manu-
featuring Company, with a capital of
S5OO,OO0, DR.. Osiglan and the men in
tcrested with him own and are operat-
ling the new silk farm. The stockhold-
ers are men who are prominent in the
business and financial affairs of the
state. The company also has purchased
silk mill, which will be built and
placed in operation, it is stated, when
the cocoon production reaches a stage
that will provide the necessary supply
of raw silk.
Egg Supply in Cold Storage
White mulberry trees, selected for
the special purpose of giving the silk
worms the kind Of food they require
for the silk fibre that they weave into
cocoons, are being planted upon the
1,00o-acrc farm. Upon each acre 200
of these white mulberry trees will
be set out They will have attained
growth the second or third year suf-
iicient for full supply of leaves for
in great numbers will then proceed
uninterruptedly, it is expected.
In the meanwhile the silk farm at
Austin will produce an abundant quan-
tity of eggs for the propagation of
silkworms for stocking the new and
larger plantation. The company now
has on hand about 800 ounces of silk
worm eggs. Each ounce contains about
10000 eggs, making a total Of $4,000
600 eggs that are available for pro-
viding supply of worms for the new
plantation. These will be multiplied
many times over when they are per-
mittcd to hatch. The present stock
of eggs is kept in cold storage at
temperature of so degrees or less. 1t
is stated that they may be kept fer
tile IN this manner for as long as
twenty years. While the mulberry
trees may be used for furnishing the
leaves even the first year, they do not
come into real commercial bearing
until the second or third year.
How Silk Farm Ctortod
DR.. Osigian is practical silk grower
prominently identified with the indus
try in Armenia, of which country he is
native. Being forced to leave Armenia
on account of political troubles, he be-
came identified with silk growing and
manufacturing in other countries. He
began his experiments producing CO.
coons near Austin, with one acre plant
ed to white mulberry trees. The first
year he succeeded in harvesting six
crops of cocoons, weighing seventy
five ounces; second year, six crops of
cocoons, weighing 225 ounces; third
year, six crops of cocoons, weighing CTS
ounces. This quantity was more than
doubled the fifth year. The total guam
tity of eggs from each crop was about
one and half ounces. Equally as good
results were obtained from the farm as
1T was enlarged to embrace more acre
age.
1t is claimed by DR.. Osigian that as
many as twelve crops of cocoons NAV
be produced each year; that the indus
try, SO far as Texas is concerned. has
no known natural enemy. The mulberry
trees are of hardy, thrifty stock and
are not affected by frosts or insect
pests.
Besides operating its own silk farms.
the Austin Silk Plantation and Manu-
featuring Company is waging a cam
paign for the private production of
cocoons in the southern part of the
state, where the climatic conditions arc
said to be ideally suited for the indus
try. The claim is made by the company
that the United States Department of
Agriculture has given its Endorsement
to the new enterprise, after Investigate
ing the results Of the experiments that