The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 17.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 505, 17 May 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 17.

W... sinwri.'ly hope tliafc the movonient inili: eel :tt the hurcii.'diy assembled meeting held last Tlnus lav, at (he Aknroa library, will not be allowed to drop until a thorough trial has' boon given to the industries recominemuid by Mr Federli. These arc mai-ily iho cultivation of the niulbeify, for siik, and the oliye, for the prodm-Uou of oil. Air Foderli was careful to guard hiuisoli" the clsuige of or exaggeration. Pie gave !n's opinion as to the adaptability i>'i our aoil n\v\ o!i----nxnb) io certain pvodiu/tior.:}, and h ? put h[;i liearerh in posynsdiiui of ocrtiu'r. I'acL-- j us to the [n'obable revt'iinc to be deriv-i'.i j fi'oii! cultivating 'tluwji, j no.v to /.jlaiico -.d tlie subject, tuul ]>ut on lvjdor.s i:i posse-isiou of the gi':t of the stetoiiionis uiade by LLr Fedorii, that may be in r. po:'it,ion. to judge of the adviyableiics-i or '^ivi::^ , ihe pi'Ojiosed cuitivatioiih, or cithor of them, a hhi\, iieioro a settlor proci;<:ii;J to l;ty dovrn i his iniid iii gr.i.'.;> it i;; jhcciS;.! , } j for him to dear away the n.'itivo bus!!. ; In like v,-:- : % , -i' , .. try to romovo a .- fov/ nn:.■..';!-:; that may bo! liiiiir.d boi'ore tko question vecoivi's yon- ' sidortitlon. Th-1 averiige Briton U } iw ar

rule, very hard to more out of the beaten track. What has been good enough for his father arid grandfather is generally considered to bo suitable for him. He has two standing objections to make to'any project which is presented to him for the fit'st time. It is " new-fangled,"' and it is " only good enough for foreigners." It may be asked why seek to supplant any of the industries in the pursuit of which we are undoubtedly doing well, by others, the ruoccss of which is at least problematical ? We h:ive our wool, our grain, and onr dairy produce ; what do we want of lresh productions which are entirely stiunge to us, and for the pursuit of which we are totally unfitted by education and previous experience? The answer is not far to seek. We have been content hitherto to follow in the footsteps of the mother country, and no doubt it was only natural and prudent to 'do so as a commencement. But we must not forget lhat the circumstances of soil and climate which prevail in New Zealand are entirely different from those of Great Britain. By too sla\islily confining ourselves to the productions of the latter country there is no doubt that we are wilfully throwing away immense natural advantages. England has attained commercial pre-sminenco by assiduously utilizing every advantage she possesses, and also by reducing her disadvantages to a minimum through energy in combatting mi fa vo"a We sunonndingß. There is no doubt that in climate and soil we possess very great advantages over a country like England ; and what we contend is that by going along in the old groove we are ignoring these advantages. To confine ourselves for the present to the Peninsula. We have here a climate to which the nearest approach is that of Italy, though in many respects ours is superior. For example, in many of the northern and high lying parts of Italy the cold in winter is intensely severe, while in the middle and southern portions there are portions of the year where a great part of the country is almost uninhabitable during the extreme heat of summer. Lilly is a thickly populated countty and has few, if any, manufacturesHow docs she support her population? By utilising her resovuecs, foremost, amongst which is a magnificent climate. This enables her people to go in for special kinds of productions, by nieaj's o.'which an acre of hind is made to return a tenfold value of produce as compared with the same extent in less favored regions.

Among these special indusliies, sericulture, or the growth uf the mulberry fir the production of silk, holds a foremost place. It is n pursuit v/hich ! . enables thousands of families to make a living off n very small plot of grout d, I say three m - four aces. Jα ' .attempting it here we have unimpeachable. . lestimony that we possess excepf tional advantages in the way of util ami climate. The first outlay for :i i trial ■which would have complete value as an experiment would be very small. The labor required only lasts for about forty days, and is not severe. It is of a kind in ■which the services of women and children can be utilised without any hardship being inflicted. Here is what Mr Federli has to say on that part of the subject: — This industry is not only carried on by the lower, but also by the better, classes. This cultivation lequires some care smd attnition, and is well adapted for women, and generally ladies of good standing also take great inhrest in this important and fascinating industry. I have n<> doubt that, if a start were made, in a short time iho lv.uilt would be satisfactory. It is ret my idea to suggest to any utio to start at once on ;< laige scale-, and with the idea of Gfcenlr.tion. For that it is not yet time, laber aiso being Mi dear, and a speculation implying- the construction of .'ippropriaie buildings;' but a good start cm bo made on a inmill son I j by the CLilttiri; in .! iv.tr I projnuvd to assert that a we mat. , , wirliout negiocfc of her. domestic dut.ios, can cultivate as wmiy oilkworiris as produce a hundred pounds of cocoons in tbii'Lj-iive «!avs • ami ooiif.idei'tig tho average aci'i:":! pi ice paid in iiurope, she would maim 2s pel , hour for iite time employed in that cultivation, and 1 consider that a I good re!urn. The mulberry-tree lus two nL'\<-v ::Jw.ntage.s—namely, in autumn ( tho I'tlk-u I'-uvi's tiU'.ky cxoelie-nt food for ( t.JiijiJug tihec-p dwiiig winter, and t-'i.j ] tin.bei' hi considered one or the b.)st ibr m;iUuv.,' receptacles I 'or wine, spirits, etc. ]3i'.-,i'Je.:- the general advantages vrhicli -j we possess, there if? liovr a special one , in existence. It appears that i:i Europe i a disease lias attacked tho silkw-jrm, 'i wiiiui the gi'ctvors to pvocUiC i L their enth'e snp[)ly of '■;•';.;?: SVoi.a cuisine | ( - sources. iia!ypt\vn now i'nilv;!:"/;, L'1;(.'.,U00 l -- ' " is per annuni i\;i- a bUpp:y oi eggs ' i'nii!! Jupaii, and tho:i the supply fidia ~ short of Hie demand, Thero Iγ,- j.o doubt that ay long :;;; wo coiild r<iainuiin an j j, iaiauuiity from the disease , we mast en- ' ii

joy immense advantages over those countries which are subject to its ravages. Mr Federli maintains that rearing the worm for the sake of its eggs (" grain " is the technical term for them) will yield a return equal to four times that derivable from the cocoons. Now, it must be remembered that the European grower is restricted to the latter branch of production on account of the disease. We should, theresore, stai'fc with an immense advantage in our favor. We trust we have said enough to show that this subject is well weith the enrncst consideration of every man who has made the Peninsula his home, and expects to leave children behind him to participate in the results of his enterprise, and we hope that a sufficient number of pioneers will be found to give the industry a thoroughly satisfactory trial. Should it turn out a failure (winch is highly improbable), no harm will have been done, but a little loss-of time. Should it prove a success, its influence on the future of our adopted home is almost incalculable.