104 COMPLETE INSTRUCTION IN" 



6. To undertake all such studies and experi- 

 ments as might be useful to sericulture. 



7. To give the greatest possible publicity to all 

 matters connected with the sericultural industry 

 in the kingdom of Italy. 



This station has done inestimable service for 

 sericulture, it having granted (within a few years) 

 250 diplomas to pupils, who at once were given 

 places in sericultural observatories, where their 

 knowledge was freely spread among silk-growers. 



In all countries where the silk business has 

 succeeded, the government has lent its aid, as 

 well as its encouragement in various ways. 



Florence, Italy, early became interested in the 

 silk business. The government, seeing this, in 

 order to insure its continued success, made a law, 

 that every peasant in the province of Tuscany 

 should plant at least five mulberry trees on the 

 land he cultivated. 



While Italy very largely produces cocoons and 

 reeled silk, her manufactured silks are not up to 

 the standard of other silk-producing countries of 

 Europe; yet she annually exports about fifty mil- 

 lion dollars' worth of silk goods of various 

 grades. 



Of the silk-eggs used in Italy, about ninety-six 

 per cent are brought from Japan. These eggs 

 cost sixty thousand dollars per ton, and the aver- 

 age import is seventy to eighty tons per annum. 



