Silk Culture in California.
By Editor
IN our very brief report of the New Orleans Exposition we remarked that we were not before aware that silk culture was so largely carried on in the United States as appeared from the exhibits. It has not been as largely pursued as it should be, and as it easily may be. The exposition affords proof of the possibilities in this direction; and it appears to us that California presents very desirable conditions for this enterprise. We have before us a short appeal from the "Ladies' Silk Culture Society of California," in which is shown the very large number of unemployed women and children in the country, and that silk culture would afford them all light, easy, and profitable employment, if they could be induced and encouraged to enter in it. It says that last year $400,000 worth of raw silk was produced in the United States, while we send abroad $30,000,000 for the same article. This shows the demand for silk, and that the producer will be sure of a home market. The appeal says that "several children under twelve years of age in California have raised silk worms, and have been successful. In an Oakland school, last year, a janitor, during leisure hours, and without interfering with any of his regular daily duties, raised ninety pounds of cocoons, and afforded an excellent opportunity to three hundred young ladies to observe and study the habits of silk worms and the manner of raising them, as object lessons." Why not turn California capital more toward silk and less toward wine? Here is an industry that has "millions in it," and it will add no sorrow. See Prov. 23:29-35. There is no actual value in wine, but much grief; yet our State points to its production with pride. We are not good political and social economists. The culture of silk ought to receive immediate attention from philanthropists, and work be placed before the thousands of unemployed women and children, who, by this means, may be enabled to support themselves and be a benefit to the State.