Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1939-03-30
NEW ERA CLUB

Mrs. Eugene Bell was hostess to
the New Era club, Monday evening,
March 27 The vice president, Miss
Kelly, was chairman of the session
Miss Gregg, program leader, chose
the subject, '"The Romantic Story Of
Silk" Two sources Of world fabrics
are animal and vegetable. The for
mer includes fur, wool and silk, the
latter cotton, flax and grasses A
quaint poem cuiied from early child
hoods leaf gave zest to her subject
To China's young empress. Sizing
Chi is given the credit Of discovering
thread could be woven into cloth
About 500 A. d.. the "secret" drift
ed into Europe. Centers of the silk
industry in the United States are
New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl-
vania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts,
and Connecticut.
On the research work of NJ Pas
teur and his associates, is based a
method of silkworm breeding to Sc
cure the quantity and quality CT
thread demanded in silken goods OF
todyy The denier is the unit Of size
tC determine the thread size of raw
silk, which comes from Japan,
China and Italy. The silk Spe-
cial," all tracks cleared. meets the
Trans-Pacific liners, and rushes its
$500, 600 shipment to Chicago in 60
hours, New York, S5 hours. TIE
silkWorm emergeS from an egg laid
by moth, which produces from 800
to 500 eggs, and lives only long
enough to promote the cycle of life
The eggs are collected and placed on
sheets of paper on thin muslin. and
hung in a damp place, then placed
in, 01T RI ctr he
incubation. 1t attains a length of
8 to 3 1a inches in 80 or 40 days. 1t
changes its skin four times, during
this period. When full grown. the
worm loses its appetite and shrinks
in length Now it attaches itself to
twig and begins to spin it's cocoon.
Within day or two, the process is
complete, it's size that Of peanut.
Again a law of change and the
chrysalis appears-a dark oval mass.
1t breathes but gives no indication
of life. In two weeks, the chrysalis
becomes moth and emerges
duce the egg for the future work of
silk culture. These cocoons are not
used in the manufacture of first
grade silk. The unburst cocoons
are stified to kill the chrysalis, dried
and stored before being sent to the
reelers.
The worm breathes through nine
small holes on each side of the body
called "spiracles;" has no eyes. but
a mouth; the moth has eyes. no
mouth, and cannot fly. The worm
forces the silk through a double ori-
flee, the "spinnerit. Selected null
berry leaves form their diet. some
times Usage leaves are used. Alto
gether it is a ''pampered pet"
One pound of raw silk REQUIRES
from $500 to 5000 cocoons, each CO.
coon produces from 400 to 500
yards of thread
Beginning with hot water and
soap, reeling, grading, weaving, dye
ing, weighing and printing enter in
to the manufacture of silk. Crepe
silks are not weighted The present
war has not increased the price Of
silk.
In letter from Mrs. Annie Raj
ston Rusk of GAINESVILLE, the silk
worm culture of the Misses Ralston
OF this place was described. A pair
or their sllken mittens was shown.
The Misses Ray of Deerfield town
ship also engaged in this industry.
Hospitality night, April 3, closes
the work of '3S and '39, with a
wealth of unusual lessons in it's rec
Ords and productions.