282 



[September, 1612. 



management of the Salvation Army) forwarded by the Secretary :— 

 "The samples of silk, which are the subject of this report, were forward 

 ed to the Imperial Institute by the Secretary of the Ceylon Agricultural 

 Society with letter No. 71, dated January 9, 1912. 



" The samples, which were stated to have been produced and reeled at 

 the Peradeniya Silk Farm, were as follows :— 



'(1) Product of the Mysore Silktvorm.— This sample weighed f oz. and 

 consisted of a skein of silk of pale fawn colour with a grayish tinge. The 

 silk was clean, but of unsatisfactory colour. 



"(2) Product of a Hybrid between Mysore and Bengal Silkworm.— 

 This sample weighed f oz. and consisted of a skein of golden-yellow silk 

 with a high lustre resembling that ot Italian silk, but rather dirty 

 and specky. 



" The silks were examined with the following results :— 



Table. No. 1, No. 2. 



Moisture ... 9 3 per cent. ... 9 9 per cent. 



Loss in weight on de- 

 gumming with a 1 per 261 per cent. ... 21 '9 pel cent, 

 cent, soap solution 



Colour and lustre after 



degumming ...Pure white and highly 



lustrous ...Cream-coloured and 



highly lustrous 

 17 and 19 deniers. Aver- Irregular; 15 to 20 de- 

 age, 18 deniers (inter- niers. Average, 17'5 

 national) deniers (international) 



"The samples were submitted to a firm of spinners, who described 

 them as marketable silks and valued No. 1 at about 12s. to 13s per lb., 

 with East Indian Surdah silk at lis. 3d. to ll.s. 9d. per lb. 



" The spinners expressed their willingness to carry out practical trials 

 with large saoiples of these silks in order that their value may be 

 accurately ascertained, About 5 lb. or 10 lb. of each variety should there- 

 fore be forwarded to the Imperial Institute fcr submission to the firm." 



On inquiry how the values given in Professor Dunstan's report com- 

 pare with Indian prices, Brigadier Measures of the Salvation Army 

 wrote : " We are now getting in India about 13s. id. for our Mysore silk. 

 About a year ago this was fetching only 10s. Now merchants have got 

 to know it, and it is hoped soon to get still better prices." 



The Peradeniya Silk Farm exhibits and demonstrations at the All- 

 Ceylon Exhibition in July were among the most interesting features, 

 and attracted large crowds daily. 



The Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army in forwarding a 

 sample of thread made of the silk spun by the muga woim (Antheraea 

 asaaiaa), writes: "The worm likes a damp climate and feeds on various 

 kinds of laurel including the cinnamon. It might therefore do very 

 well in Ceylon. I should appreciate your opinion. Commissioner Booth- 

 Tucker tells me he has 300 maunds of cocoons (say 24 000 lb ) for reeling 

 purposes. Seeing we have so much cinnamon in Ceylon and there is no 

 market of the leaves, it might be easier to get some to start with the 



