UNIT 1

History of Seri-Culture
Structure
1.1 Introduction
1.2 History
1.3 Silk Road
1.4 Silk Production
1.5 Employment Details and Schemes

Introduction
Sericulture is an agro based Industry , the term which demotes
Production of Silk through silk worm rearing or in other words commercial
production of Silk through silkworm rearing. Sericulture is a labour intensive
agro industry ideally eradicate un employment. Further improves their
economic standards of rural poor. “ Silk” the queen of textiles has a great
importance ever before pre Vedic era. The term ‘Silk’ was mentioned in
Rig-Veda, Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is estimated that one of mulberry
and its allied activates can provided employment to people either directly
or indirectly. Sericulture improves frequent returns throughout the year
with relatively less expenditure common in puts.
2 Sericulture

1.2 History
Today there are more that 29 Countries in the world are practicing
Sericulture; Historical evidence shows that, silk was discovered in china
and later the industry spread to other parts of the world. The earlier reference
to silk was found in the chronicles of Chou – King (220BC).The discovery
of silk is legend that during 2500BC, one day in the garden. She saw some
tiny insects feeding on some kind of leaves. Few days later she found the
worms to have grown very big, and the curious queen continued to observe
the process till the cocoons were spun by the worms. After the formation of
cocoons the queen collected them and preserved till moths have evolved.
One day accidentally she dropped some cocoons into hot tea cup, when she
tried to remove them from the cup, a fine lustrous yarn came out of the
cocoons. Historical evidence reveals that sericulture was practiced in the
China long back and preserved the secrete for more than 3000 years and
the Chinese maintained the monopoly about 3000 years and they built a
prosperous silk trade with the rest of world. The Chinese emperor ruled
that, revealing of worm eggs or mulberry seed was bound to meet the very
severe punishment. However 500 years later there is a reference in mulberry
cultivation in ‘Seminyojutu ’ Such as mulberry layings, seed lings. During
this period only mulberry cultivation technique appeared to have been taken
up very seriously.
1.2.1 History of sericulture in India
According to western historians, mulberry cultivations Spread to
Indian about 140 BC from china Through Tibet. The mulberry cultivation
and Silk industry first began in the areas Flanking the rivers Brahmaputra
and Ganges the Aryans discovered the Silk worm in Sub Himalayan
regions ever though mulberry cultivation may have come to India from
china.
The silk from Kashmir became very famous in the beginning of
christen era. This may be the fact that, the Arabs obtained the silk worm
eggs and mulberry seeds from India during the early days of christen era.
Silk from Kashmir and Bengal was exported to the European markets
during the 14th and 15th century, from 1761 to 1785 the export of Bengal
silk to the European markets. East India Company started to modernize the
silk wo rm rearing and silk reeling techniques.
In 1771, the Chinese Silk was introduced with the object of the quality of
Cocoons. Between 1717 and 1775 the Haitian methods of rearing was
introduced by East India. The attempt to replace indigenous breeds of Silk
Paper - I Mulberry Cultivation 3
worm by the new varieties of mulberry plant without scientific study
eventually is the whole industry to chaos.
During the 19th century the disease called ‘PEBRINE’ wiped out
the whole industry in France, this was happened in Bengal too. LOUIS
PASTEURS’ (1870) discovery of the method of mother moth examination
could control pebrine disease. A silk conference was called for by the British
Govt. in 1942 at Delhi. The Government launched an ambitious project
called ‘Silk Expansion scheme’. In 1948 the Country was divided in to
India and Pakistan. As result some silk Producing areas have gone to Pakistan
and East Bengal. During 4th century AD, when the sericulture industry
established in India and central Asia, raw silk and silk goods were exported
to Persia and Rome. In 553 AD, Sericulture was spread to Constantinople.
Gradually, Sericulture industry developed in venation Republic and was
able to meet the entire demand of silk in European by eleventh century.
During 19th century when the silk industry was at peak in France, the epidemic
of pebrine wiped out the sericulture industry not only in France but also in
Europe and Middle East.
1.2.3 Central Silk Board (CSB)
In 1948 an Act was passed by the Indian constituted assembly to set
up a ‘Body Corporate’ for developing the Silk Industry on modern lives.
As a result CSB Came into Existence in 1949.
1.3 SilkRoad
According to western Historians, mulberry cultivation spread to
Indian about 140 BC from china through Tibet. “The fabulous Silk from
China and India were carried to European countries all along the 6000 mile
long road moving through Bagdad, Tashkent, Damascus and Istanbul. The
6000 miles long lengthy road is historically called the “Silk Road”.
1.4 Silk Production
Today there are more than 29 Countries in the world practicing
Sericulture and producing different kinds of silk. India stands second in silk
production next to china. Production of silk directly depends up on the area
under mulberry cultivation. Today Karnataka stands first in silk Production
as well as in the area under mulberry cultivation A.P Stands 2nd in production
of raw silk.
1.5 Employment details and Schemes
As said above sericulture is an agro industry, where mulberry is a
field based on agriculture activity, Silk worm rearing, Silk reeling, Silk
4 Sericulture
twisting and silk weaving are the industrial in nature. It has a great
opportunity to establish under Self- employment schemes as per the
economic standard viz. one can take up (i) 1/2 acre mulberry cultivations
and silk worm rearing (ii) 2 basin silk reeling unit ( iii) 6 basin silk reeling
(iv)12 basins (v) 24 basins (vi) 48 basin silk reeling units (vii) 60 spindle
twisting unit, 120 spindle twisting units 240,360, 720 twisting unit (viii)
silk trading (ix) silk export (x) silk dying, like wise a good range of activities.
Opportunities in the industry:
CSB offers different training courses to the candidates sponsored
by various state Government. STC, PGDS training courses are offered by
Central Sericulture Research and Training Institute, Mysore. These course
are open to employees of state sericulture department, NGO’s, Private
organizations, unemployed youth / reelers / weavers. Thus a wide range of
opportunities are open in sericulture industry.
Highlights review:
Sericulture is the term which denotes production of silk through
silk worm rearing.
 Sericulture is an agro industry of silk.
The fabulous silk from China and India were carried to European
countries along the 6000 mile long road passing through called ‘ the Silk
road’.
Industry is one of the in come generating activity not only for the
rural formers but also to the educated youth.
Short Questions:
1. What is ‘silk road’?
2. What are CSB and CSR & TI?
3. What sericulture?

Essay Questions
1. Write about history of sericulture?