The Report Royal Commission on Agriculture 1926 Bangalore

Abstract

Extent and distribution of the industry.—Mysore is admirably, fitted by Sbil, climate and local conditions for silk production. The industry is- at present practised over about a third of the area of the State, to the south of a line joining Chintamani, Sidlaghatta, Chikballapur, Kunigal, Mandya.and Nanjangud, and is slowly spreading northwards. The sericulture of Koliegal Taluk (Madras Presidency) is a continuation and organic part of the Mysore system. There is practically no part of the Slate where'climatic conditions not admit of -extension of the industry * the only limiting factor seems to be economic. The total area under mulberry is about 50;000 acres, the value •of silk produced is over a crore of rupees, 'and the industry in its various branches supports about 200,000 families. Mysore has a distinct race of silk-worm. which is polivoltine, and spins a greenish cocoon yielding a beautifully lustrous silk of excellent natural' quality. The Mysore worm is hardy and highly resistant to disease, but is slow in arriving at maturity and a poor producer of silk in proportion to the food consumed as compared with univoltine and bivoltine races. It is however one of the best polivoltine worms in existence.