History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

726
AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURES.
on account of its inferior quality, and because the
Mormons seldom use stimulants. In 1875 there were
only 544 acres in grapes, the total yield being about
1,700 tons, and the average a little more than three
tons per acre. 20
In 1883 nearly 700,000 bushels of potatoes were
raised from about 8,500 acres of land, the value of
market-garden produce for this year being less than
$G5,000. The small volume of business in these and
in orchard products is due to the fact that most of
the settlers raised their own fruit and vegetables.
Of experiments in the raising of cotton in southern
Utah between 1855 and 1859, mention has already
been made. 21 Of flax fibre there were raised in 1879
a few thousand pounds in Washington county, and of
flax straw about 1,170 tons in various counties.
That sericulture will eventually become a leading
feature in the industries of Utah seems almost beyond
a peradventure, as portions of the country are well
adapted to this industry, and nowhere else in the
United States can the labor of women and children be
obtained so cheaply and in such abundance. In 1868
a large cocoonery was built some four miles south of
Salt Lake City, 22 and about thirty acres planted in
mulberry-trees, but through mismanagement, and also
on account of the dampness of the building, which
was of adobe, the first experiments resulted in failure.
After some further efforts, a company was organized,
styled the Utah Silk Association, and incorporated
under the laws of the territory. 23 Ground was leased
20 Sloan, Utah, 11, says that grapes yield five tons to the acre, but this is
doubtless an exaggeration. For grape culture in Utah, see Ogclen Freeman,
Feb. 21, 1S79; for wine-making, see Sac. Union, Nov. 2, 1S61; for viticulture
at St George in 18S2, see Robinson's Sin/iers and Saints, 218.
21 See p. 599, note 74, this vol. A little cotton was raised until 1S64. See
Deseret News, Oct. 9, 1861; Sac. Union, March 4, 1862; Cal. Farmer, March
11, 1864; but after that date its culture seems to have been practically discontinued.
22 Experiments were made before this date. In the S. F. Bulletin, Aug.
21, 1S63, a correspondent states that he saw the first silk fabric made in Utah
—a small scarf—from silk raised at Centreville.
23 In 1880 William Jennings was j^resident, Eliza R. Snow vice-president,
A. M. Musser secretary, and Paul A. Schettler treasurer, the first three being