102 THE CALIFORNIA 



raising silk cocoons, we would have no market for them ; 

 but that objection does not exist anymore, as every per- 

 son can now see that we have a market at home. Tak- 

 ing all these things combined, we may consider the 

 culture of silk established all over the State, because 

 it requires but a comparatively small capital to go into 

 the business. It is a business that can be undertaken 

 by any one. No farm onght to have less than five,, 

 ten, or more acres planted to mulberry trees. The 

 building needed to raise the worms will be an excellent 

 farm building, to be used for storing anything during 

 the fall, winter and spring, as the worms need it only 

 in June. 



As I have already stated, the culture of silk is 

 the only business in which we do not fear competition, 

 and the more we can engage in it the better, as our 

 market for the article is the whole wide world. As 

 the business is so well adapted to our State, it cannot 

 remain any longer a secret. Every one must become 

 acquainted with it, and I consider it a duty to tell and 

 show all we know about it. I think it is the duty of all 

 who become acquainted with it to teach it to their 

 neighbors, as, in doing so, everybody, in a few years, 

 will become familiar with a pleasant and enriching pur- 

 suit. One merit of it is, that it can be done by ladies, 

 and young and aged persons. In France it is a part 

 of the education of young ladies. They each receive 

 a small lot of silkworms and are required to tend and 

 feed them, thus learning what may become very use- 

 ful to them in after life. I hope that we will soon be 



