94 COMPLETE INSTRUCTION IN 



SILK IN JAPAN. 



It is not generally known when silk was first 

 introduced into Japan. But since early in the 

 fifth century of the Christian era the people of 

 Japan have been enthusiastic workers in the 

 production and manufacture of silk. It is 

 recorded of them, that the government at one 

 time had to enact restraining laws, lest other 

 branches of industry be wholly neglected. The 

 further planting of the mulberry was forbidden, 

 and the use of silk goods was confined to certain 

 classes of society. 



A kindly, patient, intelligent people, the 

 Japanese seem especially adapted to manage the 

 silkworm. And no people ever reaped more 

 substantial reward for their manipulation of this 

 business than they did, when the terrible silk- 

 worm disease almost wiped out the entire silk 

 industry in Europe and Asia, some years ago. 

 At that time one of the largest ocean steamers, 

 the Delhi, was chartered to convey from Japan, 

 to Europe, a full cargo of silk-eggs, the insured 

 value of which was over half a million pounds 

 sterling ($2,500,000). 



For some years Japan exported annually 

 $4,701,400 worth of eggs alone, besides large 



