THE SILK INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 75, 22 December 1920, Page 9

THE SILK INDUSTRY

ESTABLISHMENT TO BE ATTEMPTED NEW VICTORIAN SCHEME For tho first time an organised attempt is now to be made to start, the silk industry in Victoria on a commercial scale, says tho Melbourne "Age." The persons interested in the enterprise are entering on the work with eager confidence, which, ivisoly directed, should convey them well on the road to success, if success is to be achieved by this industry in any circumstances in this country.' In a year or so it is hoped that experience will have shown liow far sericulture can be made a commercial success here. The present attempt ia tho outcome of an application made in 1918 to the Victorian State Government by Mr. S. Khyat, who then expressed his wish to undertake silkworm culture on a large scale at AYensleydale. near Beech Forest. The idea was then to p.Wt something like 1000 acres with imported white mulberry trees, and the assistance of the Stato Government was requested in the importation of some 25,000 of these trees, at an estimated _ cost of ,£l5O. But, for one thing, the time was inopportune, and on. this and other grounds the application was not entertained. But tho matter was ogam raised a fow months ago. Then the State Treasurer promised that on receipt of a deposit af the sum mentioned (J-150) from Mr. Khyat he would mako the necessary arrangements with the Agent-Gen-eral and the Department of Agriculture for the importation of tho required number of trees. There for the moment the matter rested. But it is now stated by tho secretary .of the Victorian tiencultural Association that the necessary deposit has been' placed in tho hands of the State Treasurer for. the importation of tho white mulberry trees, to establish the sericultural industry at Wonsleydale. It is expected that the trees will bo planted next spring, and durinjr the following year sufficient leaves should bo available for the production of tho first silk "cron." Silkworms can be obtained in abundant supply, and the secretary of the .Victorian Sericultural Association stated that, there was an assured market for all the true silk that can be produced. , • Tho cocoons will bo reeled by means of tho silk-winding machine that was purchased by the State Government years ago, at the instance of sericultural env thusiasts in this' State. This machine, which cost some X2OO to bring out, is installed at Burnley, but up to the present there lias been no occasjon for usin» it. A motor nnd boiler are needed to complete it. These would cost about ,£IOO. Tho silk-winding machine has never been properly tested, as there were not sufficient cocoons available. So the hand-winding machine, which also is fit Burnley, proved sufficient for all pjisfc needs, which chiefly run in the direction of instruction to students., Now, however, if the Wensleydale experiment proves to" be successful, work will bo found for the more elaborate machine, and there is really good ground for entertaining a hope that a new and attractive industry may bo added to the growing list of Australian activities. 1 he question „f silk, production here is by no means a new one. Various experiments in the past have definitely proved that the Commonwealth can provide a suitable climate and suitable conditions for the breeding of the silkworm j and tho production of "true silk. Tho latter, as is well known, is reeled off froni I the cocoons of the silkworm inoth, which feeds on mulberry leaves, and many vears past enthusiasts in tho eastern | States have cultivated these worms ju a small way, and have made attempts to have, tho industry started.. For the past half-century we have had amongst us scriculturua'l enthusiasts, but though their spasmodic outbreaks successive Governments to make a variety of unsubstantial promises—tlu-y were all willing to "look into the matter -but 110 practical progress was made, and in many- instances the enthusiasts degenerated into faddists, of whom in the final stn"c no'one took any notice.. As long ago as 1894 the New South Wales Government paid.serious attention. .0 the question, iwued various booklets dealing with the matter, and made an' attempt to instruct. the public in the art of roaring silkwonv.s for profit. It lifuL then been definitely proved that tho cocoons could be produced here. Indeed, long beforo that time, in 18SG at tho Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London, the exhibits includod a mulberry-ted silkworm cocoon reared "by a resident of Aow South Wiliest. The revival of pub ic interest in the matter later was largely duo to the action of a uumlwr of Italian immiirrnnts. These were survivors of tin illfated expedition, led by the Marquis de Kay, to New Britain. They settled near the Richmond Kiver, in the northenst of New South Wales, and, as many of them had had experience of sericulture in Italv, made a serious attempt to establish'tho silk industry. Probably, however, other occupations proved more,attractive alter a time. _ Ever since then sericultural. associations, eomposod of enthusiasts, have existed in Victoria and New South.Wales, and from time to time the Victorian Government has secured silkworms from abroad fo<- tho Victorian ser.cuUurists. Quite icccntlv the suggestion was made t.liat senoultiire might offer a suitable occupation for returned soldiers, and the Commonwealth authorities made inquiries into tho matter, but decided that the prospects were hardly good enough. A vast amount of silk for the world's markets is produced, of. course, by cheap labour, and in addition artificial silk is bccomin<* more popular. Aevei'ilieless, true silk will always be in demand, and, provided that tile producers are enthusiastic enough to'give tho necessary cnTe and attention to tho business, there does not seem to be any reason why silk should not '■ )0 produced here profitably. Ihc Wensleydale experiment should go to prove the matter one way or the other. It is intercnting to lioto. too, that during tuo last few months interest ill the question has lyen manifested in Western Australia, and both the Victorian Government and the Commmiwealth authorities have received inquiries from that State as to the possibilities of the production of true silk, or Assam silk. The latter silk is generally known as wild sun, and is produced from the cocoons of a different species of moth, winch feeds on ' tli'o leaves of the castor oil plant, nnd breeds far more rapidly than _the true I silk molh. The development of the industry ill Victoria will therefore 1» watched with general interest.