30 THE CALIFORNIA 



which is also very important to our State, as it would 

 save her many millions of dollars for imported silk. 

 Please tell me why should we send all that money 

 away, when we can keep it here, in raising our own 

 silk? 



Since my arrival in California, it has always been my 

 opinion that we were in the best country in the world ! 

 But the first attempt I made, the season before last, 

 has surpassed all my expectations. The finest and best 

 silk has been exhibited all over the State, and thousands 

 have seen it ; but many think that silk cannot be raised 

 in California, to any advantage, on account of the price 

 of labor. That question I consider solved, and I wish 

 to say a few words to prove it. 



The first silk ever produced in California was in 1860. 

 I obtained it, assisted by my friend, Mr. Muller. We 

 have proceeded according to the system adopted in 

 Europe for the silk culture ; but this is too much work for 

 California to compete with other countries where the 

 price of labor is not so high. What have we, then, to 

 do, to avoid such an obstacle ? To simplify that work 

 and to reduce it to less than half of what it is there. 

 And I have turned all my attention toward that point, 

 knowing that it was the only way to insure the success 

 of silk culture in California. Then, in reflecting on all 

 the advantages of our soil and fine climate, so well 

 adapted for the silk culture, and combining all my 

 observations, and all the remarks I could get on the 

 nature of the worms, I found what I will call The Cal- 

 ifornia Silk Culture. It is entirely different from the 



