SERICULTURE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 582, 10 February 1882, Page 2

SERICULTURE.

At the present time, when Mr Federli's presence has made all take such an interest iii sericiculture, some extracts from a paper read before the South Australian Chamber of Manufactures, by Mr George Francis, will no doubt be read with pleasure by many. Mr Francis says :—

" The history of silk production dates back to very high antiquity ; according to theChine.se about 2 6UU to 3.000 yeans boJ'oro the Christian era. It first took its rise in the north of China ; the necessities of the people in a great measure, and the luxuries in part, causing its development. A fanciful story is told of its origin having arisen through a beautiful princess, who, being in love with a youth not of true blue-blood, was immured in a pavilion surrounded by delightful gardens. Wanting occupation to solace her weary hours, she amused herself by unravelling with I er delicate lingers the filmy fibres of the cocoons of the caterpillars that fed on the mulberry trees, with which she and her maidens wove wonderful and beautiful cloths. Finding how strong as well as light and heautiful were the threads they spun, with the ingenuity of the sex she applied them to the production of cords, with which, having made a ladder of ropes, she escaped to the arms of her lover ; and having been so befriended by the produce of ihits little insect, declared the bonds of matrimony to be like silken cords—strong to bind whilst they were light and delicious to bear. The Chinese for silk is ' se. . In ancient times the Chinese were called 1 Seres,' and China ' Serica, , hence ' sericiculture.' During the early times of the j Greeks ai d iiomans little or nothing" was i known of the real nature of silk. It was known to be an eastern product, and was imported by the Persians overland by caravans, which were 240 or 250 days in |

makiiiif tie journey; henre silk fabrics' were of great value, ami were sold for their weight in cold. It was supposed to he the produce of a tree like cotton, or a sort of wool combed from the leaves, and it was nor. till the latter part of the Roman Empire that Pausaimsgave a true account. He stated that the Seres had a spinning insect which they reared in houses, and that the insect produced a fine thread which it spun, winding it about its feet. The Roman and Greek ladies used to unravel the coarse fabrics imported by the Persians, and respirming the threads, made more elegant and delicate goods, with which the rohps of the Emperors and vestments of the Priests were made. In the third century, Patnphila, in the Island of Kos, is said to have been the first to erect machinery for the manufacture of the thread and fabrics. About the sixth century some monks went to the east through Persia and returning to Constantinople gave information that they had seen the silk-producing insect. The Emperor Justinian ordered them to make

another journey to piocure some of these

valuable creatures, which they succeeded in doing by secreting some ova in their staffs. They also learnt all that was required to rear them and respecting the trees they fed on, and ultimately successfully established the insects ar Constantinople, from which place they have spread all over Southern Europe and the other

shores of the Mediterranean in Western

Asia and Africa. The trade in silk was a monopoly for the Greeks of the Lower Empire for many years. In the twelfth century the art was introduced into Sicily, by Roger the second of that country, from Thebes. It then spread rapidly from Italy to France, where it was first estab-

lished at Tc.rs, and then again at Lyons, where it has continued to flourish.

Various cities in Italy have in their time been celebrated for their silk productions, and at one time Florence is said to have

produced 400 bales of raw silk annually, worth a million of gold (I .suppose ounces). The Moors are said to have introduced the insect into Spain during the ninth century, where the art has continued to llouritih. Many beautiful fabrics are still produced

there, remarkable for their extreme finish

and softness. Attempts have been made at times to introduce the silkworm into the British Isles, but hitherto unsuccessfully, owing to the humidity of the climate. The silkworm is a sluggish contented insect in all its stages—a very valuable property for domestication. Like all of its class it passes through three distinct forms: —Ist. the larva or caterpillar, subdivided into five ages—lst age, 4 or 10 days, according to variety ; 2nd, 3 or 4 days ; 3rd, 5 or 7 days ; 4th, 5 or 6 days ; sth, 7 or Bor 10 days=2s or 27 days—4o days. These ages are prolonged by low temperature and insufficient or poor quality of food to 32 or 48 days. At the end of these periods the caterpillar, ceasing to eat, commences to spin its cocoon—a hollow egg-shaped ball of silk, held together by a glue exuded by the insect at the same time as the silk fibre, in which it passes into the grub chrysalis or pupa stat<\ losing its head and legs, and becoming of a brown color. It remains thus protected from its living enemies and variations of temperature for 12 or 18 days, according to variety. These times may be prolonged by a low temperature one day and two days, according to variety, but as far as I have observed cannot be hastened.by a hipjh temperature. On the above days at early sunrise, or a little before, the insect emerges from the cocoon as a moth, having cast its chrysalis skin and softened the end of the cocoon next to its head by a fluid of very remarkable wetting and penetrating powers. It then pushes the loosened iibres aside with its legs until it has made an opening large enough to get its head out; then by spasmodic jerks

pushes its way through, and appears a

damp creature with limp flaccid wings, which as they dry assume their right place and position. It is now a matured insect, and fulfils its destiny by propagating , its species, when it dies a mere bladder of wind, on the 38th to 40th and 64th to 66th day, according to variety. The various species of caterpillars, producing some moths and some butterflies, all pass through these three great stages, but only a few produce the cocoon oi' silk, other devices for the protection of the chrysalis being adopted. The silkworm has a hard horny head, furnished on each side with small compound c} 7 es of seven lenses, only to be seen with a magnifier. Its mouth is vertical, furnished with two serrated jaws, by which it cuts the leaves it, feeds on. On each side of the mouth at the under

pint of the head are two orifices called 'spinnaretH,' from which issue the silken fibre at all stages of larva life. They have six dorsel scaley legs just behind the head, eight abdominal membranous legs, and two anal legs, each of the latter armed

with strong hooks that enable them to

hold on to objects very tiyhtly. These insects do not breathe through the mouth,

but through holes in tin: sides, of which there are nine on each side, marked by a black spot —namely, one each side in thorax just behind the head, one each side in each of the eight abdominal rings. The terminal ana! ring and others of the thorax are without these breathing-holes. The insect is an inhabitant of trees, likes a mild temperature of 70dg. to 84dg. Fab., and a, clear, bright, bracing atmosphere, not overloaded with moisture, and not too dry. It is very cleanly in its habits, having no smell and ejecting only solids, which fall from it and leave no trace behind. In the domestication of this insect, the greater the departure from these natural conditions the greater likelihood of disease.

(To be continual.)