242 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



well known apiarist, who has bees in many portions of the State, that 

 from the first of May to the last of July — the time when bees, in the 

 ordinary seasons, increase most rapidly and add the greatest amount of 

 good honey to their stores — his bees in all his apiaries actually depopu- 

 lated at least one-third in numbers, and did not gather more than half 

 the usual amount of honey, and that of an inferior quality. Upon 

 inquiry, I find that the experience of bee keepers throughout the State 

 this season has been similar to that of Harbison. 



The foregoing facts, it would seem, were sufficient to prove our posi- 

 tion, viz: the exceptional character of the past season, and the delete- 

 rious influence of the same upon the lives and prosperity of that class 

 of insects under consideration. 



We have one other fact, however, to mention, and one that will be 

 recognized by all lovers of nature, upon a moment's reflection. We 

 refer to the unusual scarcity of butterflies during the last spring and 

 early summer. It is usual for these insects, at certain periods in each 

 season in this State, to fill the air and to swarm about the flower gar- 

 dens and places where water flows over the ground from pumps or 

 springs. Their almost total absence the past season was very remark- 

 able, and when it is remembered that the larvae of these insects live 

 upon the leaves of different varieties of vegetables, shrubs and trees, 

 and undergo transformations and changes similar to those through 

 which the silkworm passes, the significance of the fact will be seen by 

 all, and its bearing upon the subject of the silk industry will be readily 

 appreciated. 



The above facts are suggestive and present questions for the considera- 

 tion of naturalists and entomologists. Why did the bees depopulate? 

 Were the secretions of the flowers too scanty to prevent starvation, or 

 did those secretions contain vicious or poisonous ingredients ? To what 

 is to be attributed this peculiar effect of the atmosphere on growing 

 vegetation, its humidity, or its electrical condition? In what manner 

 does explosive electricity injuriously affect insect life — directly, by the 

 concussion of air, or indirectly, by poisoning or changing the juices of 

 the plants upon which those insects feed? 



I have mentioned the foregoing facts for the purpose of calling the 

 attention of silk culturists to them, thus early in the history of this 

 important industiy ; but I am well convinced that had there been no 

 artificial causes for the loss of worms, the silk business, with proper 

 precautions, could have been made as great a success this season as here- 

 tofore, which I will endeavor to show hereafter. 



ARTIFICIAL CAUSES. 



Before commencing this branch of my subject, it is proper to remark 

 that while it will be shown that artificial causes led to the loss of silk- 

 worms in nearly every instance in which such loss occurred the past 

 spring, yet it is believed, and will be assented to by all, that the pecu- 

 liar unfavorableness of the weather, referred to above, assisted and 

 aggravated those causes, and rendered them much more destructive than 

 they would have been with ordinary good weather. 



One of the first requisites to success in feeding silkworms in any 

 climate or country is. that the eggs to be used must be the product of 

 healthy worms or moths. No people understand this better than the 

 European silk culturists, who pay from six to ten millions of dollars 



