December, 1912.] 



465 



SILK CULTURE. 



CASTOR AS A BY-PRODUCT IN SERICULTURE. 



A large quantity of castor oil and cake is imported into Ceylon and 

 the demand for castor cake as a manurial agent is yearly increasing. The 

 castor plant grows wild in almost all the parts of the Island. Would it 

 not be worth while cultivating the plant, if not as a crop by itself at least 

 in connection with the rearing of the eri silk-worm ? 



The rearing of the eri silk- worm is eminently adapted to be a cottage 

 industry in Ceylon (as in India), and the Silk Farm at Peradeniya which 

 is subsidised by the Ceylon Agricultural Society is making every effort 

 to demonstrate this. 



The Imperial Entomologist for India referring to this subject writes :— 

 " The rearing of the eri worm is very simple and can be done on a large 

 or small scale when once it has been seen. The production of thread and 

 cloth offers no difficulty to people accustomed to spinning and weaving 

 cotton and where there is a demand for light remunerative work such 

 as can be done by women and children, and where castor is available. 

 The rearing, spinning and weaving of this silk offer many advantages. 

 The industry is thus capable of wide extension as a minor or home industry 

 where castor grows abundantly. The cultivator can thereby expect to 

 derive an extra income by providing work for his family during recess 

 between agricultural operations and he will be utilising his castor crop 

 for the production of a bye product." 



It was in 1905 that sericulture was first taken up by the Ceylon 

 Agricultural Society and the Peradeniya Silk Farm started. The rearing 

 of the eri worm which, owing to the fact that it necessitated no destruction 

 of life as in the case of the mulberry worm, appealed strongly to the 

 school children and a large number of schools took it up at the instance 

 of the Superintendent of School Gardens. With a view to encourage the 

 rearing, the Ceylon Agricultural Society deputed an officer to purchase 

 the cocoons and a large quantity was in this way collected by the Society. 

 But the want of a ready market at the time proved a serious check on 

 the industry. The combination of silk-worm rearing with castor-growing 

 as a double enterprise should prove a remunerative industry for the 

 villager. 



At the Pusa College the two are carried on together and it is a 

 matter of surprise to see how little boys are trained to attend to all 

 details from the rearing of the worms to the weaving of cloth. 



If castor-cultivation were to be taken up in Ceylon it would not 

 only supply the demand for castor cake and oil but also foster a home 

 industry for women and children in our villages. We give below a 

 statement showing expenditure and income from an acre of castor when 

 grown for seed and silk production. This estimate, which is drawn up 

 by the Imperial Entomologist for India, would have to be slightly modified 

 to suit local conditions : — 

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