-5^8 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



one department in which a great deal of microscopic work is done in a very 

 practical way. This is silk raising. The scientist of immortal fame, Pasteur, 

 has exerted his influence far beyond the limits of his native country, and though 

 he himself, as far as I know, has not accumulated riches, he has been to many 

 the guiding star to the Golconda, if not of jewels, yet of equally precious silk. 

 The discovery of Pebrina, Mycosis and other diseases of the silkworm, and espe- 

 cially the exposition of the fact that the germs of these diseases can be detected 

 in the bowels of the moth, have pointed out a way how to raise sound eggs, from 

 which a strong and healthy breed may be expected, provided proper care is 

 taken in rearing them. 



This was a new field for microscopists. France soon became the center of a 

 lucrative trade in silkworm eggs, which were soon imported into Turkey. They 

 were brought in round pasteboard boxes. 10.5 cm. in diameter, and '2.5 cm. high, 

 perforated with rows of little holes to allow for the necessary respiration of the 

 sleeping germs, and containing about '25 gm. of eggs. Fifteen years ago such a 

 box used to sell for about six to eight dollars, but this did not last very long. The 

 Imperial Turkish Government quickly recognized the promising future of this 

 new discovery and, to utilize it, a school for silkworm culture (se'ri culture) was 

 founded at Broussa (at the base of the Asiatic Olympus). Here in a year's course 

 all that is known about the various diseases of the silkworm, their diagnosis, 

 their treatment and more especially their prevention, is taught or explained by 

 aid of the microscope. For their prevention hygienic principles are laid down 

 and are always crowned with success if strictly followed. Study is connected 

 with practical work in the nurseries as well as in the mulberry plantations. 

 Prizes are awarded to those students who show marked ability and progress, 

 microscopes being mostly used for that purpose. This institution is now send- 

 ing out annually 30 students, the number being limited by law. There are alone 

 in Broussa about 400 graduates of this school and their assistants, constantly 

 busy with their microscopes, and the whole number of instruments in use in this 

 line in the whole country may be about 4000. The chief centers are Broussa 

 with its environments, Beyrout with the Lebanon, Amassia, Smyrna, Harpoot 

 and Antioch. Secondary places are numerous. 



The evolution of the whole business has been astounding. Mulberry plan- 

 tations had been low in value on account of the gradual deterioration of the silk 

 business, but now they represent 4 to 5 times their value at 1876. The produc- 

 tion of raw coccoons was about that time in Amassia only 10,00n Ko. a year, 

 now it averages 130,<i00 Ko., and in the district of Broussa it rose from 300,000 

 to 5,000,000 Ko. a year. (It should be remembered that onl\- one-ninth of this 

 quantity will be finally put into use as finished silk, as the pupa in the coccoon 

 constitutes the main bulk of its weight, and the coccoon itself is moist while 

 fresh.) The annual output of the whole country is now about 600,000 Ko. of 

 silk, corresponding to about 5,400,000 of fresh coccoons, but as there is a 

 great deal used up for home manufacture, the total is probably '20 to 25 per cent, 

 more. 



Besides the direct raising of silk there is much business carried on in the 

 sale of the eggs (called vulgarly silk-seed), of which one to one and a half million 



