93 



" The experiment we have made has been satisfactory 

 enough. 



" In the scouring we have had to lose about 3 per cent, 

 more than with the ordinary cocoons, in order to obtain a 

 material well prepared for combing. Notwithstanding this, 

 and although the cocoons are comparatively light in colour, 

 this material has retained a terreous tint rather objection- 

 able, which leads us to fear that some difficulty might be 

 met with when dyeing certain shades. 



" In the combing we have obtained the usual yield. 



" The threads are long and shiny, in spite of their little 

 fineness due to the origin of the cocoons, and their elasticity 

 (" souplesse ") is sufficient to allow of their being easy to spin. 



" The price of cocoons being most variable, it is not 

 possible to state the value of these cocoons. 



" We think that this value must be about 30 % (thirty 

 per cent.) below that of the silk- worm house cocoons. That 

 difference is accounted for by the loss in scouring, the 

 colour of the material and its want of fineness. 



" Good European seed, yielding about 80 % of silky 

 matter for working into silk and 20 % chrysalis and other 

 waste, is worth on an average 10 francs. 



" Good light Tussah cocoons, yielding about the same 

 quantity of silky matter, would almost surely find buyers at 

 30 % less, say 7 francs. 



"Large quantities of Japanese cocoons are brought to 

 Marseilles, and sold at prices not exceeding 2 or 3 francs ; 

 the price of 7 francs must be amply remunerative to make 

 it advantageous to send such cocoons to Europe." 



It results from this report that the importation of bitten 

 Tussah cocoons is very likely to prove successful. The 

 threads obtained by Messieurs Franck pere et fils and 

 Martelin are very fine, and would surely be used in the 

 manufacture of mixed fabrics, silk and schappes, and cotton 

 and schappes (waste silk threads). 



The importation of smothered cocoons might perhaps be 

 less advantageous ; the Indians have a superiority over us 

 on account of the low price of labour, which enables them to 

 reel the silk very slowly and to turn it to the best possible 

 account. 



The value of the cocoons appears to us to be too low to 

 incur considerable expenses of shipping, on account of the 

 size and weight of the cocoons, of which the chrysalis forms 

 a by no means inconsiderable part. 



Such is, messieurs, the answer I propose to give to the 



