Silks In The Future

Tlie tsilk breeders of Franco are, we are told, in a jio.-ition of the greutcst (JísU'Obü. A struiige disease, whieh has reippeared niuoug the wonus h-om time to t me - notably iu 1CS8 and 1710- has, siuco 1SÜÜ, ragommenced itá ravages, till the price of eed luis risen ten iold, uud tliu dtsmand for mulbeiy leaves lias so lallen off, llutt tlie planters ihj'oateo to cut down thu trues and uso thu landd for somo more profihiblo cultivatioa. The disease shows iuelf, according to a petiüou aua!) z d in the Cliiuri Telegrajt, jast as the wurm is about t begin thu couoon; so th:.t thu breeder hj.-. the truuble of reaiing for uottiiug, and luis lo purohase Hoed, is it w'ero in the darle. Jïipeated experituonts secui to prove tuut the ouly sji-'d whioh eiai bo trustd is that frinn Japun, and the b:eudors therefore pray the State to aid thciii by bnuginï Louiu ttitii' suii)lics in men ol-war. lt seenis probable that this i'iitjnusi will be granted, and also that the evil which bas spread tluough all silk groifing oouatrieB, axcopt Jupan, is uot temporary, but ma)' last as long as the poiato-rot and the odium. The reul obstucle to 8Ílk-growÍDg seems to be the ilow growth of the inulbwy. Tha wonns will live and ivork in most ouuu trie, but they wuut mulborry eaves, and nobody is willing to plant orchards which will not begii) to bear for five audtwenty yeura It would be no nialter of suiprise if silk in the next gencration becatne as eostly as uniler the Roman empire, and a ilk dress as complete u test of wealth as it was tvvo huudred yoars ago. -