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An association wa3 formed in 18S0, which was called the American 
Women’s Silk-culture Association, with a membership of 100' 
women and 50 race. To all these ladies the practical knowledge of 
silk-culture was unknown ; bat by the engagement of some practical 
silk culturist, they soon learned sufficient to educate the farmers of 
that country. An appeal was made by that association to the 
Government for a grant to enable them to go into the country and 
expand silk-culture education. The Government granted §5000, 
which was repeated yearly, and greatly assisted the Association. 
In 18SS a bill was parsed fora Government grant of 8150,000 to aid 
and foster the silk industry in the States, combined with a protec¬ 
tive tariff, which gave great stimulus and tnarvellpus results. In 
1SS0 the total number of hands employed was 12,599, and in 1890 
80,000. Goods produced, in I&S0, §30,000,000, and in 1890, 
$09,000,000. In 1880, $4,000,990 were paid in wages, and in 1890 
double that amount; being an increase of more than 100 per cent, 
in 10 ycats, with 3S5 mills of the most superior class. 
;Propagation of Mulberry Trees. 
The first thing to do in the introduction of silk-culture into a new 
country is to propagate the mulberry trees. Mulberry trees are 
grown by steds, by cuttings, and by layers or suckers, and are 
hardy trees, and grow and prosper well, especially in the Aus¬ 
tralian colonies. I have been informed that the mulberry will 
grow in Australia in three years what it will take five years in 
Europe. Any good land adapted for fruit trees is suitable for mul¬ 
berries. Hillside laud, sloping towards the east, south east or 
south, and protected on the north and north-west by plantations, 
buildings, etc., and in dry, sandy, loamy soil, are the conditions 
suitable to grow mulberries ; a cold, damp, or heavy soil will not 
answer. Mulberry trees can be planted for ornamenting and 
shading purposes — around bouses, yards, all along roads and streets, 
parks, gardens, etc. 
I he cultivation of mulberries is carried out in different ways. 
The system generally used in Europe is as follows :—The trees are 
planted at a distance of about 30ft. apart, and the stalk of the 
trees kept at about seven feet high, and no branches are a 1 lowed to 
grow on the stalls below the seven feet. In planting the trees at 
30ft. apart, it will enable the owner to utilize the land to grow 
other crops, such as potatoes, wheat, maize, oats, hemp, vegetables, 
etc. ; but if the land is utilized for mulberry trees ouly, the trees 
are generally planted at about 12ft. apart, and grown up to about a- 
three-feet stalk. Iu ease of auy mulberry trees growing crooked, 
they must be trained up straight by applying a pole tied to the 
stalk. The trees are also planted for hedges. The plants are 
usually grown by seed, and in the second year transplanted one 
foot apart, with a stalk about 18in. high, and in two years after¬ 
wards the IeaveB can be utilized to feed the silk-worms. Hedges are 
formed principally with wild trees of the rose-leaf variety. The 
trees require manuring, except i n rich, new soil, and where the land 
is manured, for the under-crop; they will not damage the new 
growing crop the same as other trees, on account of the leaves being 
taken off in spring-time, when the crop is m full growth, and 
