HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 279 
is strongly tempted to start a commercial silk reel as soon as a supply 
of cocoons can be had. 
The Cuarrman. Do you suppose the labor unions would allow it? 
Mr. Howarp. I do not know. There would be no competition. It 
would be the sole industry of the kind in the country. 
The Cuarrman. How long would they stay at 25 cents a day? It 
would not take them ten days to find out that they could get more - 
wages at something else. 
Mr. Howarp. At all events, the man says he is prepared, as soon 
as we can get commercial cocoons; and he says the people are here 
now, in the vicinity of New York city. 
The CHarrman. And willing to work at 25 cents a day? 
Mr. Howarp. Yes, sir. 
Mr. Bowrz. Why? 
Mr. Howarp. Probably because they can not get any other work. 
Mr. Apams. Probably they do not know enough to go on a farm, 
i Mr Burieson. Maybe they are. not willing to undertake hard 
abor? 
The Cuarrman. They are willing, if paid for it. 
Mr. Howarp. There is a firm of Italian bankers in San Francisco 
known as Barbaro & Rossi, who have started a colony known as the 
Asti Colony; and they also say they are willing to start an 
establishment. 
Mr. Bowrs. Do you know how much silk we import into this 
country ¢ 
Mr. Howarp. I had the figures, but I can not just tell you now. 
Mr. Bowrr. Can you give me an idea? 
Mr. Howarp. My impression is that it is three or four hundred 
million dollars. 
The Cuarrman. Manufactured silk? 
Mr. Howarp. No; raw silk. 
Mr. Apams. I think, Doctor, you are mistaken. 
Mr. Howarp. That was merely my impression, sir. 
Mr. Apams. Our total imports are nearly eight or nine hundred 
millions. 
Mr. Howarp. The silk manufacturers import all their raw silk. 
Mr. Buriteson. Have you made a calculation of what a girl or 
woman can make, per day or month, growing silk in the cocooneries? 
Mr. Howarp. If she is expert and has plenty of eggs she can make 
in six weeks about $45 or $50. 
Mr. Bowrs. And that does not take all her time? 
Mr. Howarp. Toward the end of the life of the worm it takes all 
her time, but it is only six weeks in a year. 
Mr. Bowir. I got the impression from you that it was a sort of side 
line, or side issue. 
Mr. Howarp. Members of the family do it. 
Mr. Grarr. How many employees have you in the silk work? 
Mr. Howarp. We have at the present one silk-cultural adviser, 
Miss Skerry, who has studied in the laboratories of Europe, at $1,800 
ayear. Then, we have three persons engaged in reeling at the Depart- 
ment. Now, two of them get $20 a month each, and one gets $50. 
We have had, this summer, two expert French women, whose expenses 
we paid, and who are paid $50 a month each. 
