The mirror., 1920-01-29


washed; and after dormant period from
the end of December until April they come
to the time of incubation.
When the first leaf of the early bud
ding mulberry unfolds, about the time the
cherry blossoms are coming on, the careful
sericu1turist knows it is time to start the
Matching process. Gradually increasing the
temperature from about S. to II degrees
brings forth the little worm, or ant, as it is
called, in Is or IA days.
No human baby requires greater care
in handling and feeding than does the baby
silkworm. The attendants have to sleep
near at hand so as to not neglect any of the
seven or eight meals of finely chopped null
berry leaves.
When the silkworm reaches maturity,
about five weeks after Matching, its appetite
suddenly fails and it begins to move about
restlessly and give evidence of its readiness
to begin the work for which it has been so
carefully brought up. The matured worms
are carefully removed to trays filled with
cocoonage, tangle of folded straws on stiff
twine. The average time for producing
cocoon of 500 to 1000 yards is two to three
days, and while engaged in this important
process the worm requires special attention
as to temperature. Perfect ventilation is
essential to the best results, and even the too
c<r of %1o IL
cause the imprisoned creature to build the
wall heavier there, thus forming cocoon
uneven thickness and inferior reeling quality.
No time can be lost when the little
worms have finished their two or three days
work. Deft-fngered women and the chill
dren, if they are large enough to leave their
mothers backs, pick the silken cocoons from
the straw, and the farm men take them on
their carts in baskets of bamboo to the fila
ture. There they are carefully and quickly
sorted, the best to be used for reproductive
purposes, the rest to 60 to the drying cham
Der, for in few days after the worms have
finished spinning, they are ready to come
forth as moths, eating their way out of the
cocoons and running them After four hours
in the drying chamber, where the cocoons
pass back and forth on moving frames be-
tween steam pipes, they are in condition for
the cooking pans. They come in such bulks,
however that great quantities must be stored
for months before they can be reeled for
market.
Up to SO years ago the reeling of silk
was entirely by primitive hand methods. I'm
proved hand methods are still in use in the
home of the farmers, but the flatures, which
handle the great bulk of silk, are equipped
with mechanical reeling devices.
While Japan has been improving her
great industry she has not been without the
stimulus of insistent demands from abroad.
By far the greater part of her export silk
comes to the United States, for which mar
ket it is highly specialized. OF Japan's ex-
ports in 1917 the United States took nearly
81 per cent.
Since prime essential in rearing the
worms is an abundance of mulberry leaves,
improvements and increases in mulberry.
plantations have gone hand in hand with ex-
tensions in other phases of the industry.
According to recent report of the depart
ment of commerce and agriculture, at the
end of June, 1918, there were more than
100000 acres planted to mulberry trees,
an increase of nearly 40 percent since 1906.
This increase has been mostly at the ex-
pense of wheat, barley and rye acreage, thus
adding a further share of food difficulties
of the empire.