Spiders That Make Silk.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue XXIV, 15 December 1900, Page 1120

Spiders That Make Silk.

The spider lias now become the real competitor to the silk worm. One of the most unique industries of modern times has been lately fully developed in Antananarivo, the capital of thar wonderful island Madagascar — with the spider as the princ pal lab urer - the skilled high-class mechanic. Spider silk has for years been a chimera of naturalists. Practical meii laughed, and said that it would be a great thing, but they never took the idea as a serious one or as f asil le. The Madagascar spider tl at spins is called the Helebe. The fe nale only does the work, and she is so ferocious t hat if a male liatqiens to co ne anywhere near her while she is spinning

she quits work and turns to kill him instantly. Then she calls her female .comrades together and they devour him. Take others of their sex, these industrious spiders will work only under the most favour bl - < i cmnstances. and when they are f illy sup plied with such food as is mos. pleasing to their palate. This too. is said to prevent them from eating each other, when they imagine through jealousy some spider has failed to show some other spider the re uisite amount of court, sy, o h s shirked her share of labour. They are kept under the great mango trees in the Royal Gardens in Madagascar's capital when they are in trainin ’. Such care must be taken o' them

that they can only be employed to good financial advantage in the highest priced clothes. The silk of these spiders is equal to gold in its purity. It has such strength and elasticity that it can be used to make such cloth as shall defy competition. Either on the day the spinning is to be done, or the day previous, the spiders are brought down from the country in wicker baskets by the Malagsy women. Unless fhev are carefully kept apart cn the ourney they will tight to the death. They are then placed in separate wooden boxes in groups of twelve to twenty-four. Each compart i ent is shaped like a guillotine. The spiders are held down bv two pieces of wood shaped like half-mcons. T. e women who have t! em in charge are very light-fingered. They stroke them as they work away. The spiders toil "ith great industry until they .fall

exhausted, when they are taken out of their compartments and replaced by other fresher spiders. The greatest care is required not to injure them. A healthy spider will spin four thousand yards of thread before it dies.