PRODUCTION AND COWIERCE.—The silk production of Europe nnay be approximately estimated at 9 million lb. yearly, while Asia affords an additional 11 million lb. for export to European markots. The chief contributors to this enormous total of 20 raillion lb. are as follows :—China, 8 million lb. ; Italy, 6-1 ; France, 11; Japan, 11; Turkey, 11 ; India, 1 ; Persia, Georgia, ezc., Some remarks upon the silk industry of each of these countries will now be given in the order just stated.
China.—The total silk production of China is officially stated at about 23,232,000 lb. annually, of which, some 16,588,000 lb. is afforded by cultivated mulberry worms (Bontbyx mom), 1,364,000 lb. hy wild worms on mulberry and other trees (B. mori, B. atlas, Ste.), 660,000 lb. is ,raised from the nilanthus worm (B. cynthia), and 4,620,000 lb. from oak-feeding worms (B. Pernyi and B. mylitta). It will be oonvenient to consider each province under the head of its treaty port.
1. Newchwang.—The raw silk grown for export in Sheng-k-ing is entirely from B. Pernyi [Fauteuil fed on the leaves of Quercus mongolica [robur]. The silk regions of this province are two :—A tract of 80 x 150 miles lying E. of the Liao River, the home of B. Pernyi ; and a large portion of Liaohei, scantily produeing B. cynthia. In the former, one valley affords 12,000 cub. ft. of cocoons, and the yield throughout the district could be increased tenfold by planting the hill sides with oak-shrubs. As reeled by the natives, the silk contains 20 per cent. of gum, and the excess of soda used to remove it decreases the value of the fibre for export ; but properly reeled, it boils white, takes any dye, and can be used for tram. Native reeling gives 1 lb. silk from 10 cocoons. In water-reeling, the cocoons are placed in an iron pot with crude, strong, native soda, and covered with water ; when the gluten has dissolved, the threads of 8-10 cocoons are caught up together and reeled off. By the dry-reeling system, the cocoons are first boiled in strong alkaline solution, and then reeled from a table at uso doppio. The chrysalids are killed by steaming 2500 at a time in small baskets. The silk of spring cocoons is much less in quantity than from autumn,
but much whiter and finer in quality. A black silk is produced near Kaichow by B. Pernyi, where it devours the petiole, ribs, and veins of the oak-leaves. The cocoons of the district give an average of 500 metres of silk, a weight of 0.432 grm., and a " title " of 7440 deniers. Scarcely any disease known among the hardy worms of Manchuria, and they have been recommended for restoring the worn-out European race. They are fed only on Q. mongolica when obtainable, but failing this, on Q. custaneTfolia and Q. dentata. These trees are all pruned back to 5-6 ft. high. The exports of raw silk from Newchwang in 1879 were 60 piculs (of 1331 lb.) of wild.
2. Tientsin.—Silk-culture in Chihli, Shansi, and Honan is of small importance. Chihli annually produces about 300 piculs of cultivated and 700 of wild silk ; of the former, about A is yellow and 7.6,5 white. Shansi only yields about 700 pietas of raw silk yearly, 500 being wild. Honan yearly affords about 6000 piculs of white and 1000 of yellow cultivated silk, and 3000 of wild.
3. Chefoo.—The annual production by worms fed on mulberry-leaves is about 80 piculs of white and 1024 of yellow raw silk ; that of worms fed on ailanthus, about 6 piculs ; that of worms (2 kinds) fed on oak-leaves, 7125 pleats of wild raw ; that of wild mulberry-feeding worms, 15 piculs. The exports from Chefoo in 1879 were 1000 piculs of yellow, 750 of waste, and 500 of raw silk.
4. Ichang.—The average yearly production of raw silk from mulberry-feeding worms is 2000 piculs in Hupeh, 10,000 in Szechuen, and 400-500 in Kweichow ; by wild worms frequenting mul berry-trees, about 1000 piculs in Kweichow. The exports from Ichang in 1879 were 750 piculs of yellow Szechuen and 18 of white ditto.
5. Hankow.—The total raw silk grown in Hupeh is estimated at 6000 piculs annually, and in Szechuen at 15,000, of which only about 4-0 is white. The exports from Hankow in 1379 were 7000 piculs of raw Szechuen, 125 of white, 425 of cocoons, and 150 of refuse.