— i6 — 



its amount of exportation is yearly advancing, that of 1913 reaching the figure of 200,000 .ocxdjJ'^/, 

 of which 70 per cent, was sent to America. Compared with the sum ten years ago, its increase is 

 by twice and a half and that twenty years ago, six times as much. To-day, Japan and China are 

 the two largest silk-producing countries and in the greatness of export, Japan heads all other nations 

 of the world. The silk industry is so widespread in Japan that there is no place where it is not 

 followed ; but its largest centres are Nagano, Gumma, Saitama, Aichi and Fukushima Prefectures. 

 Of late, the method of raising silkworm achieved a marked progress and cocoons are harvested two 

 or three times a year; at times more than thrice. As sericulture can be conducted on a small scale, 

 it is a suitable and profitable subsidiary occupation and is undertaken by 30 per cent, of the farming 

 people. 



In former times, the reeling of cocoons was performed manually by the wives and daughters of 

 farmers ; but to-day, mechanical reeling has come into its own ; and 70 per cent, of the total 

 production of raw silk is turned out by machinery. The rest is done as a domestic occupation 

 of farm women. 



Below is given a table for showing the progress of the silk industry. 



1897 1902 1907 191 2 



kokii. 



Output of Cocoons 2,120,000 2,549,000 3,457,000 4,452,000 



lean. 



Output of Raw Silk 1,537,000 2,558,000 3,228,000 4.728,000 



