Foreign News: Worms’ Turn

The love life of the silkworm had become a matter of grave national concern in Japan. Before the war, Japan had controlled about 85% of the world’s silk market. Now she had to compete with U.S. nylon. Last week the patter of tiny feet in mating trays of Tokyo’s Imperial Sericulture Experiment Station bore witness to the frantic race between Japanese entomologists and U.S. chemists.

In their eagerness to outstrip their rivals, the Japs had dreamed up some strange mésalliances. Chinese and Japanese silkworms, once bitter enemies, were being urged to kiss and make up. Two Chinese strains had produced a promising cocoon called “Airplane No. 1” (developed for wartime parachutes but never used). But, like most silkworms, he was finicky. Out of the laboratory, he evinced a strong distaste for barnyard smells, changes in room temperature. U.S. Military Government silk experts were keeping a paternal eye on a new cloth developed by a farmer in Nagano prefecture, but the Nagano worm seemed unwilling to recognize the vital international issues at stake. With 30% to 60% of a job done, he would quit.

The Japs were counting on three new hybrid super-worms, all developed this year, to produce 20% of next year’s silk. Most successful love match has been between a male moth called “Tranquillity” and a female called “Long Security.” After three to five hours of blissful embrace last week, Long Security produced 500-600 eggs. Her partner’s ardor was then cooled by a night in a refrigeration room. Refreshed, he was introduced next day to a new Long Security, curled up for the morning’s work. He was then carried happily off to be ground up for oil. The offspring of this union is a formidable tyke, capable of producing silk evener in color, stronger and slightly sheerer (thinner) than Japan’s prewar best. In due course, the Japs hope to find him out on many an American limb.