The Silk Industry.

Manawatu Herald, 7 December 1897, Page 3

The Silk Industry.

(Concluded.)

The bashes, which may consist of titree or any shrubby bosh of that description, are stood at the ends of the trayain such fashion that their tops interlace overhead, and form an arch, but, if it is preferred, Davril ladders may be used instead. These ladders, which are not nearly so complicated- as their names seem 3to imply, are made to fit the tray 3 and are composed of laths, nailed aoross two supports, so arranged a3 to form a sort of triangular space into which the worms may crawl to spin. Directions for making them are given on the wall-sheet.

The utmost attention is necessary at this period if the cocoons are to be of the best, and though, as a rule, the worm may ba tru3ted to climb on the bush or ladder, still sometimes they have to bo placed near it, or even on it. Ir, takes three days to complete the cooon, which must be left on the bush about five days longer to season it. Thon the coooons may be taken down and steamed over boiling water, or dried in a slow oven to kill the chrysalis. They are afterwards spread out to dry, and are then ready to puck for the market. From an ouuce of eggs from 80! b. to 1201 b. of cocooasmiy be expected, and cocoons of good quality and size should weigh 250 to the pound eight days after the cocoon was commenced. From tbe time the eggs were put to batch till the cocoon is taken from the bash ready to dry and pack in a bag for market will be at the earliest 43 days, at the most 45 days. ooooon3 are worth " dry," that is, with the chrysalis inside dead and dried to a powder, from 2s 6d to Ss 6d a pound, according to the quality of the silk. By drying they are reduced to about a third of their original weight when-" green," but it mii3t be remembered that the bast dried and lightest cocoons always fetch the best price. An ounce of silkworm " seed " will produce from 251 b. to 401 b. of dry cocoons, and at tho rate of 33 a pound it will be worth from £3 14s to £6. The " feed " can be bought from the Silk Company at £1 the ounce and, for a beginner, at lea^t, it is far-best to buy the "seed." As a rule it is not wise, certainly at first, to attempt reeling tha silk. Ib is far simpler to sell the cocoona as soon as they are dried.

At present the price of " seed " seems rather high ; doubtless in time that will remedy itself, but by way of encouraging the industry the Silk Company are prepared to sell small lots at 2s the 1,000, or in October the Silk Association will give small experimental lots free of charge. Anyone who has a white mulberry tree might well take advantage of this offer. It would give a girl some idea of the work needed before she risked anything in a larger venture.