MR. G. B. FEDERLI AND THE GOVERNMENT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 577, 24 January 1882, Page 3

MR. G. B. FEDERLI AND THE GOVERNMENT.

The following correspondence regarding the establishment of sericiculture in New Zealand lias been forwarded byMr Federli to the Government. The Government in their reply urged upon Mr Federli the necessity of giving the correspondence publicity, and lie has accordingly forwarded it for insertion in our columns. The second portion will appear in outnext issue :— "Christchurch, 31stDec., 1881. " Sir, —According to the promise in my letter of December 22nd, I have now the honor to send you a full report. I must start from the grain imported from Sydney, which has caused me a great deal of trouble not having a leaf of proper food for them but lettuce. With a great deal of care only a few cocoons of the white variety could be obtained, and the grain from them will be enough for the introduction of that kind for next year, which I consider to be of first class quality. With regard to the first consignment of grain received from Japan, I may stare that hatching has begun on a small scale of a few days ago of a small quantity of grain, and this result I obtained as follows :—When I found the grain would not hatch by the usual means employed, I felt myself compelled to try currents of electricity to promote life in the embryo. In this operation I had the kind co-opera-tion of Professor Bickerton. We will further repeat the experiment to ensure a sufficient number of worms for next year's production. As to the second consignment of grain, I entertain hope that it will have a free hatching, it having been subjected longer to cold in Japan so that the warmth now will give it an impetus. Of course, this draw back only happens the first year when grain is brought from the northern hemisphere, and it is therefore completely a matter of acclimatising it to our seasons, and next year and in the future none of the difficulties have to be contended with.

" While I have been busy with the process of hatching, I was informed that Mr D. Nairn, of Christchurch, had some silk- I worms. I made it a point of business to call on him and see them. I found that that breed had been reared by him for the last thirteen years. This fact made me immediately ask him for somo in order that I might accurately watch them to find if some trace of disease could bo observed in them. Mr Nairn complied gladly and gave me the greater part of bis silkworms. Through this I am able to give the most encouraging report. With these silkworms I had the advantage to make many acquainted with the practical management and manipulation of them, all Of-whom will embark in the industry and do their utmost to promote it. The other advantage and the most important from a general point of view is the thoroughly healthy condition of the silkworms which are almost all now spinning their cocoons with the exception of the few which are a few days younger. These silkworms, I am also informed by Mr Nairn, have hardly ever received all the care due to them, and have frequently been submitted to inferior and very unsuitable food, and through it all he has reproduced them every year. This fact is a most important one and enables me to state that this climate is one of the most suitable in the world for the production of silk and grain. The question of the growth of the mulberry tree is settled by tbe fact that Mr Abbot has a mulberry tree (morus alba) planted some years back which is in -splendid condition and looks very hardy. '■As you will percieve in the attached copies of correspondence with Mr Spencer, of T-turanga, I have received from him K> ounces of cou.-jcn-i (oii-oliiiiij,irou\ which 1 have now motba laying egga, and these probably will hutch again in a fortnight making ihe second crop this kchkoii. The mollis' look very healthy and the grain very promising, being of a good and even

size which is considered one of the best proofs of a healthy condition of the moths. Nearly every one who has expressed their wish to promote the industry by personal lii.i! has asked me, ' Well, and where is the maiket for our work ?' To show that there is scope and market even at the present time for at least some of the raw material in the colony, I have asked the Kaiapoi Wollen Factory to try to work some of the floss silk with which I have provided them from cocoons which I have. They were most willing to comply with my request and proposed that 1 should procure more for them that they might be able to weave some material with the silk in it to show at the forthcoming Exhibition in March next. I wired to Mr Spencer of Tauranga asking him to send me some floss silk and he replied that he will send me all the cocoons ho has, so I shall be able to comply with tbe request of the Kaiapoi Factory. " Yesterday some gentlemen, among whom were the Mayor and President of the Industrial Association of Christchurch, called at my house with the purpose to see the different stages of the silkworms and witness their manipulation, and also with the object to have a clear idea if the industry will combine suitably with the habits of our colonists. They felt much interested, as they had the opportunity to see from the old grain the silkworm through to reproducing tbe new grain, which is a rare opportunity. I also showed them the process of reeling the silk from the cocoons on a small machine which I had made fer the purpose at the cost of 18s 6d. These gentlemen, as the President of the Industrial Association will coniuiiicate to the Hon the Minister of Lands, were of opinion that the industry should have the freest support, and they expressed their opinion that to obtain a success it is indispensable that a central establishment be erected where cultivations of silkworms go on, and where people can witnes it as in a and where they can bring their cocoons and grain for inspection. For this purpose abont four acres of ground would be required to plant say two thousand mulberry trees from three to five years old, from which to obtain leaves for the establishment, and cuttings for a nursery for distribution. I think that a building for the purpose, residence included for the manager, would not exceed £500.

" As I am rather pushed for time I must beg to finish this report with the next mail. Yours, etc.,

" G. Federli."