120 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
dry cocoons were consumed in the production of 263 pounds of reeled 
silk and 814 pounds of waste (frisons). Of these quantities, 556 
pounds were cocoons of first quality and produced 143 pounds of 
reeled silk and 41 pounds of waste; and 501 pounds of second-grade 
cocoons produced 120 pounds of reeled silk and 40? pounds of waste. 
We began the consumption of the crop of 1887 on the 15th of 
August, and have until the present time been principally occupied 
in the consumption of second-grade cocoons. It will be seen from 
the above figures that the rendition of the second-quality cocoons of 
1886 averaged 4,271 pounds, or that 23.4 per cent. of the cocoons con- 
sumed were recovered in reeled silk and 8.1 per cent. in waste. It 
may be added that the limits of weekly rendition of these cocoons 
were 4.051 pounds, or 24.7 per cent., and 4.558 pounds, or 21.7 per 
cent. The second-grade cocoons of the crop of 1887 have given far 
better results than those of the previous crop, the average rendition 
having been 4.016 pounds of cocoons per pound of reeled silk, or 
24.9 per cent., and the limits 3.895, or 25 per cent., and 4.152, or 24 
per cent. The more uniform results obtained this year are due to 
the more thorough mixing of the cocoons of the various lots em- 
ployed. 
Very few first-grade cocoons of the crop of 1887 have been hand- 
led, but from those few we have been able to determine that the 
average results for the year will, with the first grade, as with the 
second, probably be better than were the best results for the previous 
crop. It will be possible to give figures substantiating this outlook 
only at the end of the year. It may, in general, be said that the co- 
coons received at the filature are better packed and show a greater 
degree of care on the part of the raisers than did those purchased a 
year ago. 
PRODUCTION AND PURCHASE OF COCOONS. 
The silk-growers of the United States are so few and are spread: 
over so great an extent of country that it is impossible to collect 
any accurate statistics of the quantities of eggs which they incubate, 
or of the quantity of cocoons which they produce. The Department 
is therefore obliged to draw its conclusions as to the annual crop 
from the purchases made in the different filatures. The only pur- 
chasing stations of which the Department has any information are 
its own, at Washington; that of the Women’s. Silk Culture Asso- 
ciation, at Philadelphia ; that of the Kansas State Silk Station, at 
Peabody ; and that of the State Board of Silk Culture, at San Fran- 
cisco. The first two purchase from almost all the States east of the 
Rocky Mountains; the Kansas station from that State and the 
neighboring ones, and the California board from the Pacific slope. 
So far as they have been reported to us the purchases of dry cocoons 
have this year been as follows : 
Pounds 
EVWAS TAIT LOMA: fein ore eoteficie olaile Widis Slee a AS eae rel pee late oud te Tatle cota) olete ere leleie sr ekete cls eeneraemes 2, 213 
Died iat ebale 2.2 Seisthateia. aic:sieie tacle oabe SG Whore [s ete eres rele Aero ete Mieke ics See ee 2, 196 
Era diy gies iio 2 aeons pens Wis eed cl aia le ME ahs yas eeu GBGe masa eye operate lo lac olei sees etch ei rrr 
Total purchases east of the Rocky Mountains’ .* 2.50... cs0h oc eee 6,174 
The purchases from the same area in 1886 were 5,115 pounds. The 
California board has not yet furnished us with statistics of its pur- 
ehases. 
