286 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



tion. The production of wool, and its manufacture into articles suited 

 to the wants of a frontier population, is rapidly assuming importance 

 among the industrial employments in the Pacific States, and the time is 

 not far distant when the export of woollen fabrics will be a large item in 

 their favor. 



SILK CULTURE IN THE PACIFIC STATES. 



Before the writer commenced the preparation of this paper, he ob- 

 tained a promise for the histor}- of his experiments from a gentleman, a 

 native of France, who had been engaged in silk culture in that country, 

 tind has, during the past five years, devoted a large share of his attention 

 to the same occupation in California. Indeed, he wrote, in repl.y to my 

 request for full particulars of his operations in silk culture during these 

 five 3-ears of his experiment, that he had prepared a long letter upon 

 the subject for my use, M-hich embodied a brief but full history of his 

 experience with silk culture in this State, but upon reflection he had 

 conchKled not to publish anything on the subject for at least five years — 

 not, as he stated, because he was dubious on the subject, or had thus far 

 met with such doubtful success as to discourage, in the least, its further 

 l^rosecution ; on the contrary, his most sanguine expectations had been 

 more than realized. I quote a sentence from this letter, in Avhich he 

 savs : " I have made the culture of silk in California a iri'and success, 

 but, except 3-ourself and a few others, nobody believes it. I shall now, 

 for a few j'ears, keep my information to myself and get the benefit, and 

 prove, at last, that as we have cotton growing States, we, also, shall 

 have silk growing States." 



It may be well to state that this gentleman is as yet the only silk- 

 grower in California, and as he is receiving orders from France for all 

 the eggs of the moths he can raise, his threatened silence upon the sub- 

 ject for the next five years is probably accounted for. It was my expec- 

 tation that his promised article would have comprised all I intended to 

 publish in this paper. His reticence, however, necessarily' compels me 

 to the alternative of passing in silence one of the most interesting of the 

 textile fabrics, or of trusting to meniorj' for whatever facts connected 

 with silk culture which came under my observation when, at various 

 times, I have been, through the courtesy of this gentleman, permitted to 

 inspect his cocoonery, and heard from his lips many particulars concern- 

 ing his management of the silkworm. Eegretting that the valuable 

 information in his power to contribute to the public good concerning one 

 of the great industries should be withheld from publication, the writer 

 trusts that when this impatient son of Gaul shall have become mollified 

 by a more credulous public, and many shall become as enthusiastic on 

 the subject of silk culture as he is, it may be his pleasure to communicate 

 to the department of Agriculture the desired information. The writer 

 trusts that, however great his poverty in personal exijerience as a silk- 

 grower, he may be able to state some facts in regard to the adaptation 

 of this industry to the Pacific Coast which may serve to direct attention 

 to this subject. 



INTRODUCTION OF THE SILKWORM OF RECENT DATE IN CALIFORNIA. 



In searching the old mission orchards, we nowhere find the mulberry 

 tree among the rich collection of the fruit bearing species. This absence 

 may be taken as conclusive evidence that silk culture formed no part of 



