THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



23 



We have just received the program 

 of the Eastern New York Beekeepers' 

 Union Convention, but as this numlier 

 will be out too late to reach the bee- 

 keepers in time, we omit it. 



Will every beekeeper in New Eng- 

 land who wishes to see a New Eng- 

 land beekeepers' association oi'ganized, 

 and who will attend a meeting ap- 

 pointed for such a purpose, kindly 

 send his address at once to the "Apicui- 

 turist" office. 



SOUTH EASTERN MICH. BEEKEEPERS' 

 ASSOCIATIOX. 



The annual meeting of this Associa- 

 tion will be held at Adrian, in Plym- 

 outh church chapel, Jan. 23, 1884. 



H. D. Cutting, Pres't. 

 H. C. MUrkham, Secy. 



LETTEB BOX. 



6054 Vine St., Philadelphia, Pa. 

 My Dear Sir : 



I would like to call the 

 attention of the thousands of " bee 

 raising " readers of your valuable jour- 

 nal, the " American Apiculturist, " to 

 another and somewhat less known 

 and understood industry, " Silk Cul- 

 ture. " This latter named industry is 

 very easily learned. It needs none but 

 the women and girls of families to 

 carry it on. The work is light, pleas- 

 ant, healthy, intensely interesting, and 

 profitable. The cost of starting is 

 very light, the principal expense being 

 for the eggs or seed. Fixtures are 

 easily and cheaply made at home, and 

 the whole time of raising a crop of 

 silk, should not exceed six weeks. It 

 should be remembered that 1 do not 

 advocate this as a means of " making 

 a living," for who could expect this 

 from the short time it takes to accom- 

 plish the results, but I do claim, that 

 even the children of the families hav- 



ing access to the food, can materially 

 add to their incomes by engaging in 

 this fascinating work. One huly cor- 

 respondent of mine, somewhat celebra- 

 ted for the honey she raises, not only 

 raises the silkworms too, but reels 

 the silk from her cocoons, dyes it, and 

 makes it into sewing silk. I have 

 some samples she sent me, and " it is 

 good enough for any one to use. " 

 Another correspondent, a gentleman 

 this time, who is also noted for the 

 honey he raises, sent me some cocoons 

 produced by his "silk womns" which 

 are some of the finest specimens I have 

 ever seen. I reeled some of his silk for 

 him and it is very fine and beautiful. 

 This gentleman says, "onr climate is 

 admirably adapted to the growth, both 

 of the trees and worms, and with an 

 abundance of cheap labor, I do not see 

 why we should not succeed. " In an- 

 other letter he says, speaking of his 

 silk raising, " it is a fascinating study 

 and h;is the advantage of my specialty, 

 honey and bee-culture, in that the silk 

 loorm won't bite. " Now what he says 

 is true of almost every state in the 

 Union. The soil and climate, temper- 

 ature, etc., in nearly all parts of the 

 country are peculiarly adapted to the 

 raising of both the silkworm and its 

 food, while tlie " mulberry " and the 

 "Osage orange" abound all over the 

 land. I would call the attention of 

 bee-raisers "everywhere" to this new 

 industry, and will be pleased to give 

 any required information on the sub- 

 ject. All communications addressed to 

 me, "with stamp enclosed for reply," 

 will be p-romptly answered, and I will 

 be most happy to assist the "mothers 

 and daughters, " whose attention may 

 be called to this, in gaining an insight 

 into this new and valuable Work. 



Believing Mr. Editor, that you too 

 can say something to your many 

 friends, in favor of this new industry, 

 and of combining it profitably with 

 your own favorite work of bee-cnlture, 

 I send you this, trusting it may inter- 

 est some of them. 



Very respectfully your friend, 



Nellie Lincoln Rossiter, 

 Practical Silk Culturist. 



Miss Rossiter has kindly sent us a 

 little box of the silk and cocoons and 

 they far surpass our anticipation, they 

 are so beautiful, and we take pleasure 

 in bringing to the notice of our read- 

 ers this new industry which perhaps 



