354 



ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF ANIMALS 



of a moth. It lives on mulberry leaves and makes a cocoon from 

 which the silk is wound. Chinese silkworms are now raised to a 

 slight extent in southern California ; but China, Japan, Italy, and 



France, because of cheap labor, 

 are more successful silk-raising 

 countries. But the manufac- 

 ture of silk goods, from im- 

 ported raw silk, is one of our 

 great industries. 



There are in this country 

 also more than 1000 woolen 

 mills, with nearly 200,000 wage 

 earners. They produce yearly 

 woolen and worsted goods val- 

 ued at about $900,000,000. 

 These mills use both domestic 

 and imported wool. Nearly 

 40,000,000 sheep are kept in 

 this country. 

 Goat's hair, especially that of the Angora and the Cashmere goat, 

 camel's hair, and alpaca are much used in the clothing industries. 

 Furs. — The furs of many domesticated and wild animals, espe- 

 cially the carnivora, are of much economic importance. The 



Silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves. 



Black fox, one of the most valuable fur-bearing animals. 



Alaskan fur seal fisheries, which once amounted to millions of 

 dollars annually, have almost ceased because of over-killing, only 



