SILK CULTURE. pis 
ties of the spring of 1869 caused the loss of a large portion of the first 
feeding in that year, and threw a temporary discouragement over the 
minds of beginners in silk culture, who had induiged sanguine expecta- 
tions from the prosperity of that industry in former years. 
Mr. J. N. Hoag, of Yolo, a prominent silk culturist, incited by the deep 
interest felt in the subject, published a resumé of his experience, during 
the season of 1869, in the Transactions of the State Agricultural Society, 
in which, alluding to the facts already stated, he showed that the mis- 
fortunes of the season were no just grounds for discouragement as to the 
future; that they would in fact become rather a benefit than otherwise, 
by creating, at this early stage of a vast prospective business, a better 
understanding of the modes of culture best adapted to California regions; 
and that a large proportion of the losses of the season was owing to 
needless and injurious precautionary measures, founded on the practice 
of European countries, where, by reason of less favorable climates, the 
artificial processes are resorted to. 
The errors committed by himself and other silk culturisis consisted 
in the excessive and ill-timed use of refrigerator boxes, and other means 
of retarding hatching till a late and more favorable period of the season. 
Too great use also was made of artificial heat at the period of hatching, 
in an unwise anxiety for exact regularity of temperature. Another cause 
of mischief was the excessive cutting back of mulberry trees, to supply 
demands for cuttings, resulting, through the aid of untavorable meteoro- 
logical conditions, in so large an absorption of water by the leaves as to 
render them unhealthy food for silk-worms. 
As an example of the special profits derivable from growing silk-worm 
eggs, he states that, in 1868, he fed the leaves from three and one-half 
acres covered with two-year-old Morus multicaulis trees, grown from cut- 
tings without transplanting, and cut back in the spring or winter close to 
the ground, the tops being used for cuttings, so that they furnished but 
little more than half the early foliage which they would have aftorded 
if they had been pruned only with a view to feeding purposes. The 
feeding was commenced June 1, and completed July 25. The following 
is a statement of receipts, expenses, and resulting profits: 
4867; ounces eggs, sold to H. and B., at $4 per ounce ...--.---------- vee eee $1,946 70 
Value of eggs sold to other parties, and eggs retained.....-...-----.------ 1,897 50 
tite ee MEMOCDONAUNOLO =o 5% <a cd ata seca carck o «ce Saki eas Apaeeanee scene 75 30 
PCM IPMBUD COURS eee e ener oss o-ba/s visiocia warns. dsisd od oma qrbad ade pee eee 3,919 50 
PREIRE SY EIDE CO oo on ge eid ms acies ave casino bacn eacmua deeds 472 00 
TOM we ites aes Ue = Ceca 2 idol e's wel ewes late ee 3, 447 50 
This result shows an average net profit per acre of $985, obtained on 
fifty-five days’ feeding. 
Mr. H. G. Ballou, of Yolo County, states that from one-tenth of an acre 
of two-year-old trees which were suffering greatly from neglect, and were 
very uneven in growth, he obtained 600 pounds of leaves, being at the 
rate of 6,000 pounds of leaves per acre. Procuring an additional supply 
. from another source, he used 1,500 pounds of leaves, equivalent to the 
foliage of one-quarter of an acre, with which he matured the worms from 
one ounce of eggs of the French variety, this crop of worms producing 
Sixty ounces of eggs, worth $240, and twelve pounds of perforated 
cocoons, worth $9, making a total of $249 as the gross product of one- 
quarter of an acre, or $996 per acre. . 
The profit on eggs and cocoons made by Mr. T. B. Flint, of Sacra- 
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