26 
As regards the commercial value of the article, an eminent 
silk broker writes as follows : — 
“ It is a carded cocoon, the waste silk is the outer covering 
of the cocoon and appears of tolerable fine fibre, but is bad 
in color and not of a good merchantable appearance, if in 
quantity worth perhaps Is. 6d. per lb. all round.” 
“Enquiries of a similar nature have been made from time 
to time by customers in the East, where silk does not form 
one of the staples of the country, and among other places, 
from Natal, but we do not find that any good can arise 
from efforts made to produce silk in any quantity; it is 
probably the most difficult of all known staples to establish 
in a new land.” 
