SILK AND OTHER NEW INDUSTRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue XXI, 2 April 1884, Page 3

SILK AND OTHER NEW INDUSTRIES.

TO THE EDITOR. , I See,—-Not having had* an opportunity to speak at this meeting-held at til© Institute iu furtherance of the introduction '■ of subtropical industries' in thia country, I herewith take the liberty of addressing thi3 letter to yon. I hope yon will be kind enough'to find room for it in your valuable paper, bfting aware* that - whenever ' this • subject cams before the . public yon invariably advocated, it, and always had an encouraging wordfor the promoters. My remarks will be chiefly about silk culture—being the .subject I am most familiar with. 1 am " not ; going ; 'to trouble you .with statistics. It ia "generally known that millions of people in Europe and elsewhere- get thoir living by. these industries, or benefit to some degree ty them. In fact, they are of vital importance to'entire - nations. Only lately thesilk industry has been successfully started in America. It is already, firmly established in spite of 'the gre»t difficulties the Americana had to cbntend with. They have now millions.of trees,' hundreds of establishments, and give - employment ~ to. many tens of thousands of people.' Why should it not be possible to introduce tbciie subtropical industries in New Zealand ? Soil and climate are admirably well adapted for this purpose. The; cocoons shown by Mr. Federli, although reared in (which ib not by far such a suitable place as Auokland would be), are of very good quality indeed, and if reared in large quantities, will realiiea remunerative price. ' The silkworm eggß, which he produced, seem to have given great satisfaction. It will not be difficult to 2nd a ready market in Europe for cocoons and grainß.- I profit by this occaaior. to say a few words, about Mr. Federi. think great credit, is due to him for his untiring zeal and unsparing ' efforts to introduce these industries, and to disseminate knowledge about them. Mr, Federli is of opinion that the ; time. for experiments ' is ; pasaetf, and something'practical should be'done. " I quite agree with him. All know ;now that it can be done if taken up serioualy, and entrusted to competent men. The only question seems to me now is—Who is going-to "find the necessary money? Mr. Federli says he is sent by the Government here to bring the matter:in a practical shape before'the public*. He proposed" that there -, should be four farms' established/ that on each farm there should be placed a family imported from the South * of Europe, thoroughly - experienced, bringing with them true specimens' ofthe plants it was intended to raise, Are these proposals of the. Government, or merely suggestions on the part of Ml% Federli? .'ls the Government .willing to asaiat ua in the matter, and if so, to what extent? If the Government is not prepared to provide funds, is it likely that a company might be formed ?. These are practical, questions which should be answered. -Ii greatly; rejarce that--the public seem now inclined to take the thing up', if proposed in a practical shape. The oofnmittea whioh has been appointed will no dqnbt, soon be able to do so. It will be of great advantage if the committee endeavours to get more and correot information on the subject. This is very much needed. Some very remarkable statements have been made. One authority states the.profite for the first year at £28 per aere, another at £SO. to £100 per aore,. a third at £100 to £120 per acre, a fourth at -as much as £218 -per acre. A .One man sayß an ounce of eggs will give £2,000 worms; another gets 40,000 worms.-' Two years ago a company was started witty £1000 capital. In'the same year a.gentleman proposed to start' one. with no less than £150,0C0. The opinion about the : existing ' number of mulberry trees and their/yield:of leaves is equally yawing. yon think, Sir, the public must have felt puzzled when they' read Buch amazing'statements ?.. No wonder the matter'has not been taken up before.:- Those that did make trials somehow all got the wrong kind of tree, or something else was,wrong.. I trust the 'committee' will be the means of getting.the right sort of tree and of giving the public preoiae information. The present movement has many sympatipsgrs; in the Old World, but before we are able to ahowwhst we can do, and prove that it will be a safe investment, we cannot expeot them to take part in it.. It is for the people of New tQ start ~tlje,'matter, becanse the whole colony will greatly benefit by these sub-tropical industries. Every day we hear complaints ihatfarming does not pay in .New Zealand. - Well, now there is anepportunity to. establish-industries "whioh will- be v6ry profi table if started oh a proper scale, with. suffioient means, and put in the hands of competent men. Somebody; told me the other day, "You will never be able to succeed, because people ont here ore too prejudiced about the matter.- They will not touch it because their-forefathers never did." I have too high an opinion about the people' of New Zealand to believe this assertion to be true. lam convinced ere long these industries will flourish in' Now Zealand. They will be a source of immense wealth, and a real blessing to the colony.- . Apologising ior trespassing'to such ah extent,—l am, &c. t

G. A. SOHOOE. Auoldand, 26bh March, 18S1.