No. 85. J 507 



Amount of capital invested, $300 



Amount of cocoons prior to 1844, 223 



Amount in 1844, 164 



Cost of the same for 1844, . . . , $22 .75 



Value of the same, not known. 



Has one-half acre of Alpine, and one acre of multicaulis ; prefers 

 the latter. 



Has had bad luck in/eeding more than one crop in a season. In- 

 tends to adopt the one crop system hereafter. 



Has formerly fed in a close building, with disease and loss, but now 

 feeds in his orchard in^n open building, and is highly pleased and 

 satisfied. His cocoons have been manufactured in his family into 

 sewings, twist, shawls, &c., and meet with a ready sale. 



(We would not wish to discourage, in any manner, this commend- 

 able industry ; but it would be a hundred-fold better for the cause, 

 and for all engaged in it, could every culturist find a good market for 

 his cocoons as soon as completed. It is pre-eminently a business of 

 experience, and it cannot be expected that it will be carried to any 

 very great perfection, when manufactured in such small parcels, as it 

 must of necessity be in this way. Many of the specimens received 

 evince a degree of skill and perfection which could hardly be antici- 

 pated under such a divided attention. A. C. V. E.) 



Francis D. Wait, CantwelPs Bridge, Delaware. — In compliance 

 with the circular of the American Institute, I will give a detail of my 

 experience in the culture of silk, which commenced in 1838. For 

 two or three years did not accomplish much. In 1840, '2 and '3, 

 raised 1451 pounds of cocoons. I have 4^ acres of trees, numbering 

 about 32,000 multicaulis ; have $1200 capital invested ; cocoons 

 raised this year, 620 pounds, on which the bounty was $94 ; or suffi- 

 cient to cover all expenses. 



I made last year 50 lbs. sewings and twist. Fed this year mostly 

 in Gill's cradles, under a tent, but not so successful as heretofore. I 

 did not obtain more than 50 lbs. of cocoons from an ounce of eggs ; 

 before, nearly or quite 100. The weather has been very cold the 

 fore part of June; the thermometer sometimes down to 48° in the 

 morning, and could not feed until 11 o'clock ; hence our feeding was 

 protracted to forty days. Temperature should never be under 70° 

 if it can be avoided. Must have artificial heat. It lessens the expense, 

 for without it the feeding is protracted ten or twelve days. This 

 depends upon the season of course ; for sometimes you can do with- 

 out artificial heat, and at others you cannot; therefore it is always 

 best to have it at command. I should therefore recommend a tight 

 shed with a cellar containing a furnace. The sides and end of the 

 shed might be made of pannel doors or windows, hung like black- 

 smiths' windows ; reaching down to the sill. I am now getting my 

 cocoons reeled ; some days nearly a pound. This fall I shall have 

 to plow up my trees and replant in the spring. In consequence of 

 hard usage, some of them are dead, and dying, and otherwise defec- 

 tive. My trees are now three feet apart in the row, and the rows 



