VISTAS IN SILK AND RAMIE 



to run an operating company. Roberts, a big, quick- 

 moving enthusiast over sixty, still had some business 

 problems to solve almost as intricate as the mechanical 

 problems of his engineer. 



Where in America do we get silk cocoons, was the 

 first question. It was answered by the third unusual man 

 who has helped this unique chemurgic project, Ernest 

 Minis. A highly successful young businessman who gave 

 his name to an office building in Abilene, Minis was 

 forced by an accident to retire. To keep going he be- 

 came manager of the Mineral Wells Chamber of Com- 

 merce. He brought a practical business touch to his 

 Chamber of Commerce job, which was a break for Rob- 

 erts, the silkworms, and his fellow citizens. 



Roberts, who had heard of the Syrian colony, came 

 down scouting for cocoons, and Minis not only found 

 him a building for his American Silk Corporation, but 

 he organized the Texas Silk Industries to provide the 

 reeling operations with a steady, adequate supply of 

 cocoons. All this might have been done by any smart 

 Chamber of Commerce as a good piece of development 

 work. But Minis followed through. He has become a 

 working expert in sericulture as well as a talking en- 

 thusiast on raw silk production. He helped select eighty 

 acres for an experimental mulberry plantation. "Jm> 

 Bob" Mosley rigged up a special tractor plow to open 

 a furrow, set out the young plants, and close the fur- 

 rows. A volunteer crew of soldiers* wives followed, 



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