D.—No. 3

6

PAPERS RESPECTING SERICULTURE

Enclosure in No. 4. Sericulture. Paper read at the Monthly Meeting of the Association for the Promotion of Science and Industry, Nelson, New Zealand (Sir D. Monro in the Chair), on Wednesday, 2nd March, 1870, by Mr. T. C. Batchelor. Mr. President, — At your request I have undertaken to read this evening a short paper on sericulture, and to give the particulars of my limited experience in the culture of the mulberry tree and treatment of the silkworm in this Province. I should be glad to have seen the subject in hands more capable of doing it justice, and for the shortcomings of my present paper I must claim your indulgence, and that of the members of the Society now present. The task I have set myself is, —1. To briefly consider sericulture economically, as affecting the material wealth of the people who follow the pursuit; 2. The peculiar adaptability of the climate and soil of New Zealand, and particularly of this Province, to the growth of the mulberry tree and the health of the silkworm; 3. The process by which so important a branch of industry might be most readily introduced here, and silk made become one of our most valuable productions; and, lastly, to state my own personal experience during the short time I have given attention to sericulture. Every person at all conversant with the statistics of commerce, or who may have travelled in southern Franco or Italy, cannot fail to be aware that in these countries silk-growing has for centuries been the staple industry of many thousand families. The produce of France, in 1853, was about 530,000 lbs. of raw silk, of the value of one million British money. Owing to a destructive disease, called " pebrine," which has since prevailed both in France and Italy, the production of silk in these countries has of late years diminished—in France to the extent of four-fifths, and the price of raw silk in consequence has advanced at least 80 per cent. The effect of this diminished supply in these two great silk-producing countries has been most disastrous to the manufactures both of England and France. At the end of 1861 there were 711 silk factories at work in Great Britain, giving employment to 52,429 hands, whereas at the close of 1868 there were only 591 factories at work, employing 41.617 hands. In France the manufacture of silk is suffering a like depression, the trade being sustained by importations from distant countries, instead of depending upon supplies grown at home. The disease which now destroys the silkworm in countries where it had flourished for many centuries appears to baffle scientific inquiry. Whether proceeding from the atmosphere or the soil, it clearly points to the necessity of cultivating the worm in countries untainted with the blight which appears to have settled on this industry in the countries spoken of. Something of the same kind has occurred in parts of Europe to the vine, as in the spots where the manufacture of wine once flourished, the produce of the grape has diminished to an alarming extent. Scientific investigation may in time find remedies for these evils, but meanwhile it is the duty, as it is the interest, of countries unaffected with disease, to make efforts to furnish the required supply of both silk and wine. The short supply of raw silk in England has led to the formation of a Silk Supply Association, and a report of the proceedings of the first meeting of this body, held in London on the 18th February, 1869, was sent by Lord Granville to every British Colony having a climate suitable for the growth of the mulberry tree, and was published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 14th of August last. The object of this Association was thus stated: — 1. To stimulate the production of silk, by cottage cultivation and otherwise, in every country where the mulberry tree is capable of giving food to silkworms. 2. To encourage the introduction and exchange of the eggs of the best kind of silkworm in silk-producing countries. 3. To offer practical suggestions and encouragement to the producers of silk, for improving the quality and securing a better classification, and ensuring greater care in reeling of the silk. 4. To promote the cultivation of silk in the various silk-producing countries in India where the production of silk has not recently increased, and in other districts of India wdiere the cultivation of the silkworm has almost ceased, but which are known to possess special advantages, by the growth of the mulberry tree, and the habits of tho people for its propagation. 5. To promote the exportation of cocoons from countries not wrell able to reel them. 6. To communicate with the Foreign, Colonial, and Indian Departments of Her Majesty's Government, and to obtain the aid of the English Bepresentatives in the British colonies, and Consular Agents in all foreign countries, to promote and extend the cultivation of silk. Amongst other important facts, it was stated at this meeting, that " whilst the imports of raw silk have decreased 40 per cent., the price has increased in some cases more than 100 per cent. ;" and, " that one acre of ground planted with a good mulberry tree, if the land is in a suitable situation, will provide £100 worth of silk." An article for which the demand is practically unlimited, which can be produced with labour that need not, as I shall presently show, seriously interfere with the ordinary avocations of our rural population, and which would bring such profitable returns, is surely worthy the attention of all who desire the welfare of our country. The primary consideration which governs the production of silk, is suitability of climate and soil for the white mulberry tree, as, wherever this tree will flourish, there the growth of silk can be made productive. Although the mulberry tree grows in a wide range of country, it thrives best in temperate climates, and prefers a dry and light soil, sheltered from cold winds. It would be difficult to imagine a climate better calculated for the mulberry than the Province of Nelson ; and of my own personal knowledge I can say, the tree may be propagated here with great readiness, and, if properly attended to, will grow very luxuriantly. Unlike some countries otherwise well suited for the growth of silk, there would be no danger in New Zealand of the food of the worm being scorched up in the middle of the season by blighting winds, and the whole crop of silk if not destroyed, be seriously injured. While humidity of the atmosphere is unfavourable to the silkworm, and a somewhat dry climate is most favourable to