Of the places subject to Hangchow, Huchow this year reports the best. silk crop. The crop in general is described ight-tenths." Recently the market, price has been $41 per 100 ounces; at which price dealers in cocoons could make ood profit. But the heavy thunderstorm on Bist May did considerable damage to racoons in various places; and it is predicted that the second crop will fall below the mark. Hence the price of silk is advancing. Further, some fanatical Buddhists have recently scattered far and wide exhortations to silk-worm breeders, stating that a Buddha has become incarnate. who bids them not sell cocoons to the foreign market. The reason given is that the foreign method is to roast the cocoon till dry, (instead of thrusting in boiling water) causing bitter pain to countless silk-worms! It is further predicted that those who persist in selling to the foreign market. will lose, and meet with merited punishment from, heaven. One would think ibis Buddha a consersa-{ive among the deities, who desires to keep the cocoons from' foreign markets in hopes of the price of silk in China remaining low. It would be fitting for those who are mored by these exhortations to get the most economical siken robe possible for presentation to this Buddha, when they go to pay their vows to him!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.