The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3013, 23 March 1867, Page 4

The Daily Southern Cross.

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SATURDAY. MAROff 23.

The Acclimatisation Society of Auckland has a great and a patriotic work before it, to stock our fields and woods with the useful animals and birds of other countries, and our rivers with fish. It has likewise a duty to perform in reference to the introduction of new plants and insects with a view to profit and pleasure. A great deal has been done no doubt in this direction by private enterprise ; but the time has come for associated action. England herself owes nearly everything she possesses in the shape of vegetables, fruit, and flowers to successful acclimatisation. The Australian colonies, comparatively rich in everything that can minister to enjoyment or the appetite, have taken the lead in the work of acclimatisation. Amongst the many beneficial results of this movement is the creation of new industries. For instance, the ailantine silkworm (bombyx cynthia) has been successfully acclimated in Queensland, and the prospect of a large 'silk trade is by no means remote, neither is it confined to that colony alone. The following article on this highly important subject,is taken from a recent number of the Australasian, and we recommend it to the serious attention of tbe Executive Committee of the Acclimatisation Society. "We do so for this reason, that an opportunity presents itself of making the experiment of acclimating the ailanthus silkworm in the grounds of the Society in the Government Domain, and so contributing at once to the wealth of the province. It will be seen that this silkworm has been successfully introduced from Japan to Prance, and from France it has been acclimated in Great Britain. The advantages of this silkworm over the more delicate kinds will be apparent, and the ease with j which they may be reared and extended is an additional recommendation. The ailanthus tree, if it does not already exist here, may be readily imported ; and the eggs of the silkworm can be brought here without difficulty. "We trust, therefore, that the committee of the Acclimatisation Society will take this subject into consideration at their first meeting. The ailanthus tree may be obtained to order in Melbourne in any quantities. The growth of silk has been successfully introduced by the Californians, and the Japanese variety of worms thereproduced two crops of cocoons in the season. "We will advert to this point, however, before we conclude. In the meantime, we desire to draw special attention to the following article from the Australasian : —

AILANTINE SILK. At the lait meeting of the council of the Victorian Acclimatisation Society, a letter was read from the seoretary of the sister society in Queensland, announcing the successful introduction of the ailanthu3 silkworm, that the insects were in fall vitality and flourishing, and that there would soon be an ample supply for the other colonies. Most of our readers will be inolined to lay, what is the ailanthus and its silkworm, and what does its successful introduction matter) We think that it matters a good deal, and therefore wish to sty a few words about the tree and the tissue to be produced from it. It is not for the first time that the thing has come before the notice of that section of the Australian public which is alive to the necessity of increasing the resources of the country. Three years ago Mrs. Davenport, tbe wife of the accomplished gentleman, the Hon. W. S. Davenport, who has done so much towards introducing new ideas among the agriculturists of South Australia, succeeded in transporting the eggs safe and Bound across the difficult trial of the line, but the few which hatched out came to nothing, and the experiment for a time came to a stand-still. The second attempt, however, as we have said, has been thoroughly successful. It is rather remarkable how very rapidly the experiments, successful or unsuccessful, have been pushed. It is just ten years ago since the ailanthus was first brought into France from Japan. At that time a dreadful disease, amounting to a plague, was decimating the silkworms. The silk trade is to the South of France of more consequence than gold-mining to Victoria, the value of the one being to the other as 4 to 3, and, considering the difference of the manner of living of the inhabitants, it is in its economical results as 3 to 1, If the silk-growing came to a stop, above four millions of Frenchmen would! have been thrown out of employment. It was therefore urgently necessary to find a substitute. Several j innovations were tried, but the only one which has held its ground has been the ailanthus. It was found (the tree that is) to be so hardy, so easy of growth,' thriving so readily on very indifferent soil — where, in fact, little else would grow — that an ailanthus plantation became the fashion. The insect it was found gave as little trouble as the tree. It did not want to be looked after, because it looked after itself. So, as we have said, it rooted itself in France pretty firmly, and is steadily spreading ; while Lady Dorothy Neville has transplanted it into England, successfully, she says, though we considerably disbelieve in the success of any silk growing, coarse or fine, under the damp variable skies of the mother country. ailanthus tree requires little notice. All that is to be said of it is in its praise. It is a showy vigorous tree, -which,-if it were good for nothing else, is always ornamental. It grows in Australia with great facility, and is obtainable in any quantities. A considerable number are, or were, to be found at Sydney on the South Head Koad, andabout Melbourne it can be obtained to order in any quantities. Left to itself it grows intoarathershortandbushy tree,_butforsilk. growing it is best cut closely down -into a hedge. •It makes a first-rate one for keeping out stook, and by keeping it in this'form the' insect feeding on it is most easily managed. . . The ailantine Bilk\ro*m (bombyx cynthia) is as hard; as the tree that it feeds on. . It produces two broods every year, while the common silkworm has only one. The process of rearing it, if such it may be called, as it rears itself, is very simple. The egg commonly hatches out from the eighth to the twelfth day, at a temperature of from 75° to 80° Fahr. During the first week of its short life it is but itept indoors, in trays or boxes, like the common

silkworm, and fed with the ailanthu. leaf, and no other, at .bout wren a.m. and four p.m. Thai, the only time when it gives any trouble. A. it i,. unlike the common rilkwonn, remarkably rertlest, the trays riwrald be kept coTered, with air-holes in the tops and sides. After the first week, so prodigioosly rapid is its growth, it can be unceremoniously turned loose upon the ailanthus hedges, and requires no further care. Eain and storm have no effect upon it. It sticks so firmly to the leaf that it is impossible to wash it off, and it gives some trouble to remove it with the finger, la its infant stage its chief enemies are spiders, after* wards lizards and birds. A very simple remedy against the two last is to stretch a netting over the hedge, the first cost being the only consideration. At the end of about the fourth week the worms beam SJST' c hed g es «c speedily loaded with h^^a&SZS**** "* ** Nothing, it will be seen, can be simpler than the nf nlniLi nil w PrOC^ S . «**«* very little either ?a SS £ trouble, and if it turnout a failure next to nothing has been loat. This is its atrong point as compared with ordinary silk-growing, which it is undeniable involves a considerable expense and ft very great amount of care and attention, though only for a penod of sir weeks. In a new. country, like Australia, where labour is of necessity dear and bad, the rock upon which sericulture of the ordinary kind is likely to split ia not only the carelessness but the roughness and slovenliness of the work. With the ailanthus silk this risk is at once removed. On the otherhand, it must be borne in mind that the produce is very inferior in point of quality. As far as strength goes there is nothing to desire. A dress of ailantine silk is everlasting. It is of this species of silk that the dresses of the middle and lower classes of the Chinese are formed. Speaking rather at a guess, we should say that if the current price of French and Italian silk be, as it is, about 255. per lb., that from the ailanthus will be worth from Bs. to 12s. per lb. This Bs. or 125. , however, it must be borne in mind, will be, at least two-thirds of it, sheer profit, for the tree will grow where next to nothing else will grow, and the insect takes care of itself. We made reference above to the success- . fill introduction of the silkworm in California. For a length of time past we read thtf" occasional reports of the experiments made by L. Prevost, of San Jose", which appeared in the San Francisco papers, with the greatest attention. In spite of repeated failures and disappointments, he persevered, and has been' at last successful. (It may here be remarked that the main drawback was the clumsy treatment to which the silkworms, were exposed by those to whom they were entrusted by L. Prevost.) Silk may now be regarded as a product of California, just as wine is. What has been done in other places, may be accomplished here by our settlers in an equally, favourable climate. The following is an extract from the report of the Board of Directors of the State Agricultural Society of California, held on the 29th January last, referring to this subject. It contains much valuable information, and many useful hints, which the colonists of Auckland, and the executive of the Acclimatisation Society, would do well tg profit by. The reporter of theCalifornian' State Agricultural Society says : —

SILK. This Board has, in its reports and otherwise, for a number of years past, urged upon the people the opinion that we had the soil, climate, and other cu> cumstances necessary to render the culture of silk in our State a matter worthy at least of a general and careful trial. L. Prevost, of San Jos<s, having been engaged in experimenting with the different departments of the business for several years, is confident that we have one of the best countries in the world for its production ; that in consequence of the favourableness of our climate during the summer season, the absence of explosive electricity, of damp* ness either in the air or in the leaves used for food, very much less labour is required to attend the worms than in other countries where silk culture is prosecuted as a business. These circumstances, together with a mode of cultivating the mulberry trees and feeding the worms by cutting the branches back near the ground and plaoing them on the feed tables, instead of allowing the trees to grow high and picking the leaves one by one, as is done inmost countries, we are satisfied are circumstances so much in our favour that they will enable us to compete with other countries where labour is much cheaper than it is with us. Adopting this view of the subject, our last Legislature very wisely passed an Act offering » liberal bounty for the production of mulberry trees and silk cocoons, to be continued a sufficient length of time to put the business beyond a peradventure, and establish it as one of the successnil industries of the State. At our last Fair there were a large number of cocoons, raised by some dozen different persons in various portions of the State, all of a very fine quality ; and in connection with this fact we: would state that in every case where experiments hava been made under anything like favourable circumstances, the worms have proved very strong and healthy, and nearly every one hatched hag successfully spun a fine full-sized cocoop. From the Japanese variety of worms, in; many instances two crops of cocoons were produoed, one .in June and July, and the second in August and September. Prevost, as an experiment, was successful in producing three crops. Two may be depended on at a certainty, giving the worms and trees proper attention and care. We have no positive means of knowing how much silk California uses annually, or how much it cost* to furnish it, but some idea may be formed in the premue* when we state that the annual income of France from exports of her silks is said to be over $78,000,000, and that the United States contributes of this sum over $22,000,000. California usei he? full share of these imported goods, and contribute* her share of gold to pay for them, besides importing a large amount from China and other countries. lam happy to be able to record the fact that in view of these considerations, and encouraged by the liberal action of the Legislature and the success which has already attended the production of the mulberry trees and silk cocoons, gentlemen well acquainted with the silk manufacturing business have already purchased and imported all the necei- | sary machinery for a very extensive factory, and are now engaged in putting the same up at San Josg, in this State. Thus we are already supplied with a home market for our cocoons, and it is hoped that our farmers will turn their attention to the supply ing of that market, and not allow the manufacturers to import the raw material to keep their machinery running. Let the business be taken hold of in a oareful and safe manner, with no anticipation of making a fortune in a hurry. Begin by degrees, so as to learn by experience and incur no losses. The mulberry tree is one of the very easiest cultivated, growing as readily from the slip or cutting as the grapevine or willow, and on our rich bottom aadtule lands throwing up a tree from the cutting in » single season to the height of from six to twelveieet. It is alio easily cultivated from the seed, which can be obtained from our seed stores. If our people will judiciously enter into this business, it is believed that at no distant day California witl not only supply her own people with home-raißed and home-manufactured silks, bnt be able also to secure a portion of that $22,000,000 which is now being contributed by the people of the United Statei in support of the silk industries of France.