SERICICULTURE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 568, 23 December 1881, Page 2

SERICICULTURE.

At a meeting of the Industrial Association says the Press, Mr Federli laid on the table some specimens of silkworms, and stated a number of facts very interesting to persons who devote any attention to the subject of sericiculture. To prove fir* fallacy of the contention tint the silkworm is not likely to thrive in New Zealand, Mr Federli mentioned that the specimens produced at the meeting—which looked remarkably healthy—had been bred from some worms introducedVinto Canterbury some ten years ago. He also s.-iid it was a mistake to suppose there would be any difficulty about providing food for silkworms, as both the climate and soil of New Zealand were well adapted for the growth of the kind of mulberry tree suitable for this purpose. Two descriptions of the trees had been introduced into the colony, but somehow or other the kind that should have been preserved had been destroyed, and vice versa. The white mulberry would thrive well in New Zealand. One or two members of tbe association to whom some of these trees had recently been distributed, reported that they were progressing well. Mr Federli also explained in reference to a quantity of silkworm grain which the Government recently imported from Japan, that be thought it better to hatch the grain himself and distribute the worms, aa people might not be successful if they attempted to hatch the grain at unsuitable seasons. Another popular delusion which Mr Federli said he would like to dispel was, that a great deal of labor was required to work the silkworm industry. This, he said, was a groat mistake, and he explained how, through the use of perforated paper, a great deal of labor could be saved. Mr Federli cordially invited all interested in this branch of industry to apply to him personally, when he would be happy to give them ever}' assistance in his power in their efforts to further the growth of the silkworm in Canterbury, One interesting statement we must not omit to mention, was, that Mr Federli, in conjunction with Professor Bickerton, had been conducting experiments, similar to some undertaken by several eminent scientists at Padua, with the view of seeing whether it is possible io hatch silkworm eggs by means of e.loctricity. Mr Federli stated that the experiments, so far as they had been carried, had been very successful, aud that some silkworms which had been hatched by this process were still alive and healthy.