148 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



that the Silk Association should send some one along with a Government official 

 and should again examine and test everything relating to the cost and quality of 

 the silk produced, and so prepare the way for its being carried out on aniuch larger 

 scale by British and native capital. The time for the silk crop is close at hand, 

 arid, from its commencement in the first or second week in February, only requires 

 from 30 to 40 days to complete it, so that either Mr. M. or some other expert 

 appointed by Government, might easily devote a month to testing the results. 



A considerable portion of the mulberry plantations are now in fair bearing, and 

 surround the rearing houses, and we are provided with seed of the first quality, 

 beingthe produce of Italian and French breeds, reared on the estate, so that there 

 should be and can be no difficulty in testing everything. For this I have patiently 

 worked year after year, and at last the time has come. I have said, give me 

 fulcrum, and I can move the sericultural world. Give me labour sufficiently 

 trained ; seed free from disease ; plantations of sufficient age ; and rearing houses 

 adapted for the purpose (and without this it is all labour in vain); and then there 

 can be no difficulty in obtaining the most positive, accurate, and undeuiable result. 



There are certain things of great importance that we have already tested and 

 proved. First, that disease, when the worms are properly fed and attended to, is 

 unknown to us ; second, that the seed of the Italian and French Bo?nbyx mnri 

 reared in the Dun, gives just as good cocoons as in Europe, and, so far, does not 

 appear to degenerate. Last year we compared the two, and found that the cocoons 

 raised from our own seed were quite as good as those from importedEuropean seed. 

 We have therefore ceased to import any, and rely altogether upon our own ; and 

 last year, Mr. Farrant, the manger, to whom much of our success is due, in a 

 small experimental way raised four crops of the ordinary polyvoltine Bengal sort 

 without so much as losing a worm. Such have been the results of intelligent and 

 careful cultivation, and I am perfectly satisfied that disease, about which we hear 

 so much, is only another name for ignorance, neglect, dirt and rearing houses 

 altogether unsuited for the purpose. 



I am not proposing to write a treatise on sericulture (I must leave that to those 

 who have more time at their disposal) ; but the whole art and mystery may be 

 expressed and enforced in three or four simple rules. First, sound seed ; seconds 

 air, space, and cleanliness ; third, regular feeding; fourth, suitable rearing houses. 

 And where do you find these conditions in the native cottage ? I have never seen 

 anything of the kind ; they may exist, but I again say, I have never seen them. 

 Air, space and cleanliness the worms must have, or disease is certain. Then comes 

 regular feeding, and at night, if possible, as we find that the worms are healthier, 

 spin sooner, and make much finer cocoons, with night feeding. 



Mr. Bose, Secretary of the Gurdaspur Board, is right, when he says (and he has 

 evidently taken infinite pains) : "My own impression is that the prevalence of 

 disease was far more owing to the want of care, the negligence and generel ignor- 

 ance which prevail amongst rearers than anything else." At last, the Government 

 officials are beginning to find out what I have long since discovered, that it is 

 impossible to rear silk-worms in dirt accompanied with neglect. And he says ; — 

 ' They never care to make the rearing houses airy, and to keep them clean." 

 Under such conditions it is clear sericulture is utterly impossible. Give what 



