tj2 MOKTS AI.BA. 



ihem now views and habits. As thoy broiiirht with ihoni ih^ir slaves, it brcamf 

 necessary that an immodiato n^tiirii should hi* ri-alizi'd. Hciico the culture of 

 rice, indigo, and tohaoco. I'roni whi(d an ininicdiatc j)ro(it could be derived, took 

 precedence to that of silk, which would have required a steady perseverance for 

 u course of years. 



In the earliest infancy of the settlement of (jJeorgia, in the year 171^2, a piece 

 of ground belonging to government, was allt)tted as a nursery plantation for white 

 mulberry-trees, and the attention of some of the settlers was soon engaged in 

 rearing silkworms, "^riic trustees of the colony not only transmitted mulberry- 

 trees, but the seeds of this tree, and silkworms' eggs. And this branch of rural 

 economy was considered to be nearly brought to perfection, and was of so much 

 national importance, that the public seal of the colony represented silkworms in 

 the various stages of their growth ; and liad for its inscription, " Non sibi sed 

 aliis."' In the year 17:^0, a quantity of raw silk was raised in that colony, and 

 was manufactured at Derby, in lOngland, by Sir Thomas Lombe, into a piece of 

 stuff, which he presented to the queen. The culture of silk gradually, though 

 slowly increased, both in Georgia and Carolina; and as it was desirable on the 

 part of Britain to be enabled to draw supplies from its colonies, rather than be 

 dependent upon foreign states for a material of continual and increasing demand 

 for its manufacturers, an act of parliament was passed in 1749, for encouraging 

 the growth of colonial silk, under the provision of which, all that was certified to 

 be the productions of Georgia and Carolina, was exempted from the payment of 

 duty on importation into the port of London. Encouraged by the increasing 

 growth of raw silk in these colonies, which induced a belief, that, by the adop- 

 tion of more judicious plans, an abundant supply might be drawn from them, 

 sutlicient to answer all the demands of the English manufacturers, a boimty was 

 offered for the production of silk, and a man named Ortolengi, from Italy, was 

 engaged, at a suitable salary, to proceed to Georgia, and instruct the colonists in 

 the Italian mode of management. Although, for a time, hopes were entertained 

 that the Georgians might find in this pursuit a valuable branch of industry; yet, 

 in consequence of one or two unfavourable seasons, and still more from the 

 quality of the silk, in most instances, proving very indifferent, its culture soon 

 began to decline, and the reduction of the bounty became a signal for its aban- 

 donment by the planters. A few years, however, before the war of independence, 

 considerable quantities of raw material began to be raised, which was said to be 

 equal, in some cases, to the best Piedmont silk, and worked with less waste than 

 the Chinese article. In the year 1766, more than twenty thousand pounds of raw 

 silk were imported into England from Georgia. After the revolution, this branch 

 of business gradually declined, and by the end of the last century, the production 

 of silk was wholly discontinued, as an article of commerce, not only in Georgia, 

 but in all the states of the union, except Connecticut. 



The rearing of silkworms had also been an object of interest in Carolina as 

 early as the year 1732. It was undertaken by the small farmers, many of whom 

 produced from forty to fifty pounds of silk in a season. The endeavours to 

 increase and perfect its production in this colony were long persevered in. In 

 April, 1764, Rev. Mr. Gilbert formed a settlement of French protestants in the 

 township of Hillsborough, called New Bourdeaux, where, among other branches 

 of rural industry, he attended to the rearing of silkworms. In the year 1765, he 

 raised six hundred and thirty pounds of cocoons on the plantation of Mr. David 

 Manigauld, called " Silk Hope." In 1766, the House of Assembly of this prov- 

 mce voted the sum of one thousand pounds currency towards establishing a silk 

 filature in Charleston, under the direction of Mr. Gilbert. In 1771, M. Louis de 

 St. Pierre, of New Bourdeaux, made a representation to the government, that, at 

 the expense of his whole fortune, he had brought to perfection Hie art of making 



