258 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



worms become diseased and the moths are feeble, producing eggs which 

 are worthless for hatching. This unfavorable climatology has compelled 

 the silk growers of Europe to send to China and Japan for eggs, and it 

 is known to mc that over thirty thousand dollars worth of such eggs 

 have passed through San Francisco, en route from those countries to 

 Europe, the present season. Our success in this enterprise in this State 

 is attracting the attention of experienced silk growers and manufactur- 

 ers of the old countries. Two gentlemen, experienced, scientific, and 

 practical silk growers, on their way back from China, where they had 

 been to buy a large quantit}' of silkworms' eggs, recently came to see 

 me, to get information about silk in California. I told them all the facts, 

 showed them the cocoons', and where I raised them, and also the mul- 

 beny trees. Being gentlemen who understood the silk business per- 

 fectly, the}" agreed with me that wc have the best silk country in the 

 world, and Avere so pleased at learning this fact that they are going to 

 return here next summer with the necessary capital to buy one hundred 

 acres of land each, to raise silkworms' eggs and silk on a large scale. 

 These gentlemen are the representatives of the two largest silk houses in 

 Europe, and are now on their way back to France. From them I learned 

 a very important fact, namel}^, that our climate is so superior for silk cul- 

 ture, that, by selecting our very best cocoons for eggs, year after 3-ear — 

 for our own use — we could after a few years obtain cocoons that would 

 beat ever3Hhing known, for size and quality; that is to say, a superior 

 article. In this opinion I fully concur. The coming of these gentlemen 

 from France will probably induce other silk growers to come also, which 

 would be a great benefit to the State. 



Among the many orders I have received from Europe for eggs, is one 

 from Italy for one hundred pounds. I also had an order from Mexico 

 for five hundred ounces. 



The best variety of the mulberry is the white — (i/bras alha.') The 

 Chinese (or Morus multkauh's,) is verj' good, however, especially Avhen 

 the worms are 3'oung, as its leaf is tender. Any light, saudj', loamy 

 soil will grow the mulbeny to perfection. The eggs require to be kept 

 in a drj", cool place, from one season to another. They readily hatch in 

 a temperature of eighty degrees, after which a mean of sixty degrees is 

 the most favorable for them to feed, go through their several moiiltings, 

 spin the cocoon, emerge from the chr3'salis into the complete moth, and 

 perform the last function, which is to lay the eggs for successive exist- 

 ence. Shelter will be required, chiefl3' to keep the worms from being 

 devoured by birds, and the feet of the tables on which they are fed will 

 need be stood in vessels containing water, to keep the ants from gaining 

 access, as these insects are equall3' with the birds destructive of the silk- 

 worm. 



The worm will spin its cocoon in about thirty-two or thirty-four days 

 after hatching, ancl in this countr3" we can easily secure two crops — one 

 in Ma}" and the other in Juh*. For the purpose of raising eggs, the best 

 shaped and hardest cocoons must be selected, from which the millers will 

 CQicrge in twelve or fifteen da3's; and as soon as the3' make their appear- 

 ance the males and females are kept together from ten a. m. till four p. m., 

 w^hen the males are thrown awa}". The female then immediately' begins 

 laying her eggs, which will number about three hundred to each moth 

 Three hundred and sixty cocoons weigh about one and a half pounds; 

 an ounce of eggs will produce one hundred and sixt3"-five pounds of 

 cocoons; eleven or twelve ounces of good cocoons will give one ounce 

 of fine silk; twenty-eight ounces of selected cocoons produce two ounces 

 of eggs. 



