THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, 81 



the 25th of July it wiis fully completed and the eo-gs all made. On the 7th 

 of August I had my money from Hentseh & Berton, and could have sold the 

 entire product to them. 



But it subsequently turned out that Messrs. Ilentsch and B*-ton lost 

 Sl.OOO by the operation, and that no other such liberal men were to be 

 found who would take such risks. 



Mr. Thos. A. Garey, of Los Angelos, gave similarl}^ encouraging results 

 of one of his year's doings in silk-culture, having netted $2,700 from one 

 acre, from eggs and mulberry cuttings. Many other similar cases might be 

 given. Indeed, whenever protits were made they were not legitimately from 

 the cocoons, which seem to have found no sale at all; but from eggs and 

 mulberry cuttings. This was owing to the fact that no reeding establish- 

 ments had been erected and there was consequently no market for the raw 

 cocoons, while none of the raisers seem to have attempted the reeling of 

 their own silk. But the demand for California eggs never had become an 

 established one, and ceased entirel}^ when the Franco-Prussian war broke 

 out. This war had the effect to depress and almost destro}^ the spirit of en- 

 terprise which had pi-evailed a few years previous. It even left the Jap- 

 anese egg trade in a bad condition, so that some lots were shipped to San 

 Francisco at a time when the Californians had a surjilus of their own. O.ne 

 lot of 130,000 cartoons left a record that w^ill not encourage further consign- 

 ments. In the center of the lot the heat hatched the worms, and they had 

 to be reviewed and repacked when thej^ arrived. After some use of the tel- 

 egraph ])arties in Xew York were found who risked the shipment overland 

 to be sent thence to Europe; but the eggs were all ruined, and ever}" cent 

 invested was sunk. 



For these various reasons there is great despondency in silk circles in 

 California at present, and the business has very generall}" been pronounced 

 a failure. The Santa Clara Agriculturist says it has given less practical sat- 

 isfaction and poorer grand results than almost any other industry undertaken 

 on the Pacific coast. 



At pi-esent there are lots of mulberry trees in nursery, with no demand ; 

 and the premium offered has failed of its intended object to promote the in- 

 terest, because a bounty was also offered for cocoons ; and there has been no 

 effort to produce reeled silk, not a single hank having thus far resulted- 

 There has been more speculation than work. 



The whole question of the success of silk-culture in that State, and in- 

 deed in any part of the country dei^ends, therefore, on the ability to reel the 

 silk and thus furnish a market for the cocoons ; and State aid and encour- 

 agement should be directed to this end. It always has been a serious ques- 

 tion whether or not in producing reeled silk we can compete Avith the cheap 

 labor of southern Europe and of China and Japan. If by superior intelli- 

 gence and the advantage of climate the Californians can produce reeled silk 

 — and I sincerely believe they can — so as to furnish it at home at the same 

 rates that it can be imported from abroad, they will succeed, and silk-cul- 

 ture will become one of the prominent industries of the country. If they 

 cannot, it will be a signal failure. 

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