12 SILKWORMS. 



twelfth century that, partly through the influence of the Crusades, 

 it spread to other parts of Europe. By Roger II., king of the two 

 Sicilies, some Greek weavers were, in 1130, forcibly carried to 

 Palermo, together with silkworms' eggs and mulberry trees, and 

 there they were compelled to carry on the manufacture for the 

 benefit of Sicily. Hence it gradually spread northward throughout 

 Italy, which at the present day is the chief silk-producing country 

 in Europe, and indeed, is second only to China throughout the 

 world. Florence early became a centre of the silk trade, and in 

 order to ensure success, each peasant in Tuscany was compelled 

 to plant at least five mulberry trees on the land he cultivated. 

 Venice also took a prominent position in the new industry, and 

 at the commencement of the fourteenth century, three thousand 

 people were there employed in it. 



Towards the close of the sixteenth century, silkworms were 

 introduced into France, by the exertions of the king, Henry IV. 

 Mulberry trees had for a long time been grown in France, the 

 first ones having been introduced from Italy nearly two hundred 

 and fifty years before, and the king argued that as his country pro- 

 duced mulberry trees, it might just as well be provided with 

 silkworms to feed upon them. He was much assisted in his scheme 

 by a celebrated agriculturist of the time, Olivier de Serres, who 

 was the first Frenchman to publish instructions as to the growing 

 of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. At the suggestion 

 of this man, the king imported from Italy twenty thousand young 

 mulberry trees, and large quantities of silkworms' eggs, and these 

 he caused to be distributed in those parts of France that seemed 

 most suitable for the undertaking. The experiment succeeded, 

 and the industry was fairly established. In consequence, however, 

 of the many political troubles of that unfortunate country, the 

 manufacture has had many ups and downs, and in addition to this, 

 the ravages of disease amongst the silkworms, a quarter of a cen- 

 tury ago, almost ruined it. It has, however, maintained its ground 

 notwithstanding all obstacles, and still flourishes, especially in the 

 south, where mulberry trees are grown, and the insect reared on 

 a very extensive scale. Lyons is the centre of the industry. 



In our own country we are now so familiar with silk that it is 

 extremely difficult to realise how modern an article of luxury it is, 

 and that less than three hundred years ago it was so rare a sub- 

 stance, that even royalty was compelled, on an emergency, to 

 borrow a simple article of dress made of that material, for none of 

 the kind could be found in the royal wardrobe. James I. when 

 King of Scotland, wishing to appear with all due pomp before so 

 exalted a personage as the English ambassador, was greatly 



