STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 221 



Turkestan, two million dollars; Islands of the Levant, five million dol- 

 lars; Spain and Portugal, three million two hundred thousand dollars; 

 Persia, six million dollars; Syria, two million dollars; Germany, one 

 million four hundred thousand dollars; Africa, two hundred and fifty 

 thousand dollars; America, one hundred thousand dollars. By which we 

 see that we stand last in the list of this great industry of two hundred and 

 twenty-five million dollars. The last few years the production of Europe 

 has declined, on account of the malady, while that of Asia has increased. 

 And yet the Asiatic silks are not as valuable as the European or Cali- 

 fornia silks. 



A century ago the Levant, Persia, Italy and Spain produced five- 

 sixths of the silk manufactured in France. In seventeen hundred and 

 eighty-nine, France produced one million pounds of raw silk, and manu- 

 factured three million five hundred thousand dollars worth of silk 

 goods In eighteen hundred and twelve, five million dollars; importing 

 six million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of silk. In 

 eighteen hundred and twenty, ten million dollars; manufactured, twenty 

 million dollars. In eighteen hundred and thirty-nine Lyons employed 

 one hundred and seventy thousand workmen, manufacturing forty-six 

 million three hundred thousand dollars worth of silks. In eighteen 

 hundred and fifty France grew twenty-eight million dollars worth of silk, 

 manufacturing fifty million dollars worth, importing twenty-two million 

 dollars worth and producing seventy-five million dollars worth of silk goods 

 therefrom. In eighteen hundred and fifty-five she sold one huudred and 

 six million five hundred thousand dollars worth of silk goods; exported 

 seventy-one million dollars worth ; employed five hundred thousand 

 persons in silk manufacture. In eighteen hundred and sixty France 

 manufactured one huudred and forty million dollars worth of silk goods, 

 exporting one hundred and ten million dollars worth. The United 

 States purchased from France, in eighteen hundred and fifty-nine, twenty- 

 seven million six hundred thousand dollars worth of silk goods ; in 

 eighteen hundred and sixty, twenty million eight hundred thousand 

 dollars. The importations thereafter were checked by the rebellion. 



These figures and facts are suggestive of the brilliant future before 

 California, in this branch or department of wealth. With her incompar- 

 ably superior«elimate and great area to grow silk — from the Coast Range 

 to the very tops of the Sierras — from San Diego to Oregon — she can 

 fully compete with an}- country; at least raise silk enough for our own 

 consumption — from forty to sixty million dollars worth annually — which 

 would be far more valuable than her gold fields; healthier, if not more 

 pleasant and moral, and quite enough to enrich and amply reward all 

 engaged. 



The product and manufacture of Great Britain are given as follows: 

 In eighteen hundred and twenty-five, England had twenty-five thousand 

 silk looms; in eighteen hundred and fifty-five, one hundred and ten thou- 

 sand, consuming five million five hundred thousand pounds of silk, pro- 

 ducing forty-five million dollars worth of silk goods; in eighteen hun- 

 dred and sixty, her silk manufactures were ninety million dollars, con- 

 suming nine million four hundred and twenty thousand four hundred 

 and seventeen pounds of silk, and in eighteen hundred and sixty -two, 

 consuming; nine million seven hundred and six thousand two hundred 

 and two pounds; in eighteen hundred and sixty-six, five million two hun- 

 dred and sevent3 7 -three thousand seven hundred and sixty-seven pounds. 

 Italy produced, in eighteen hundred and fifty-five, sixty million dollars 

 worth of silk. Spain produced, in eighteen hundred and forty-two, 



