130 COMPLETE INSTRUCTION IN 



Just as the State Board was beginning to realize 

 satisfactory results from their work, and all 

 things seemed to point to a successful establishing 

 of the silk business in California under the as- 

 sisting care of the state government, the Governor- 

 elect refused to sign the bill passed by the legis- 

 lature for the promotion of the silk industry, and 

 thus it was that all efforts put forth to this end 

 were lost, or at least suspended indefinitely. 



As soon as this fact became known, a few ener- 

 getic women in the northern portion of the state 

 at once went to work and organized the Ladies 7 

 Silk-culture Society of California. They pub- 

 ished circulars and sent them to all parts of 

 the state where silk-culture had taken hold, and 

 advertised that they would purchase all cocoons 

 produced in the state; but the mails were slow 

 in reaching those rural districts, and those cir- 

 culars reached many sections after the mulberry 

 trees had been uprooted and had given place to 

 fruit trees or grain of some kind. 



There were no filatures in the state, except 

 those owned by the State Board, and kept in 

 operation from state funds. The refusing to 

 grant further state aid was therefore equivalent 

 to closing the market for cocoons. With what 

 stock remained on hand when the appropriation 

 failed, the Ladies' Association and the State 



