36 



less than 7s. to 9s. per lb. Notwithstanding a long depres- 

 sion in the silk trade, which has caused mulberry silk to 

 decrease in value, Tusser silk has steadily increased to its 

 present rates. I attribute this remarkable change in the 

 value of Tusser silk partly to the fact of the discovery of 

 the successful application of colour by dyeing and printing 

 to this silk, hitherto so intractable and dye-resisting, and 

 partly to the immense improvements which have taken 

 place in its manufacture and applications. 



Owing to my successful experiment in Italy in 1876 for 

 the Government of India, showing the susceptibility of even 

 so coarse a fibre as Tusser being reeled into yarn of 52 

 deniers, the idea has since been carried out in practice by 

 the Italian manufacturers to some extent, and cocoons have 

 been imported and reeled and thrown there. The present 

 price of improved reeled Tussar in Italy is now 3^ to 4 

 times the j)rice of ordinary native-reeled. I have lately 

 been receiving samples of beautifully reeled silk from thence, 

 and marked at the following prices : — 



deniers. s. d. 



Organzine 40-44 - 21 11 per lb. No. 2 Sample 



Tram - 40 -44 - 18 2 „ „ 3 



Raw - 20-22 - 14 7 „ „ 1 



I consider these prices above the intrinsic value of Tusser 

 silk ; but if better arrangements were made for collecting 

 the cocoons in India, the silk might be purchased at much 

 lower prices, and lower still if the improved reeling 

 appliances of Italy could be taken to India, where labour 

 is so much cheaper and time of so much less value. 



These excessive prices are still more remarkable at a time 

 when the best silks of commerce are extraordinarily low in 

 price. 



The uses of Tusser silk are rapidly increasing. My 

 spinners tell me that such arc their orders for Tusser schappe, 

 i.e., spun Tusser silk, that, large as their mill now is, they 

 would increase it threefold could they obtain an adequate 

 supply of raw material. They have recently bought 

 25,000 lbs. to 30.000 lbs. of Tusser waste, and would contract 

 for 30.000 lbs. more if supply were available. The price 

 they are now paying is 2s. per lb. either for cocoons or 

 waste. They have even been carding and spinning reeled 

 Tusser silk which they bought when Tusser raws were 

 low. 



One of the most important uses to which Tusser silk 

 has yet been applied is in the manufacture, first accom- 



