No. 85.J 477 



silk throughout the United States. There was not a State where it 

 might not be profitably produced. It had already been grown as far 

 north as Maine. Prejudice would burn itself out in its own fires. 

 The object was not to supersede other branches of industry, but to 

 incorporate this among them ; thus saving to the country $20,000,000 

 annually — enough to keep the balance of trade in our favor. We 

 could make our own silk, as easily as we could raise our own corn 

 and potatoes ; and there was no more reason why we should send 

 abroad for the one than for the others. Mr. B. was for home indus- 

 try, (cheers,) and this, in no spirit of selfishness, but in the exercise 

 of feelings which were an ordinance of God. 



Mr. Barbour concluded by expressing his thanks to the American 

 Institute, for the interest it had manifested in the cause, under every 

 discouragement. Public prejudice was at length subsiding ; he did 

 not believe any body had cracked a joke over the mulberry specula- 

 tion within the last eighteen months. He would ask the Institute 

 still to foster this great interest, and he trusted that many friends 

 would be induced to imitate the example of Myndert Van Schaick, 

 who had that day made a donation of $1,000 to advance the cause. 



SECOND DAY— Oct. 10. 



The Convention met at 10 J o'clock, A. M. The President in the 

 chair. 



Verbal communications being in order, Mr. Barbour described Mr. 

 Paine's method of rearing silk worms. The building is two stories, 

 and the ends have been opened, so that half of each end can be open- 

 ed so as to admit the atmosphere freely. He has got, this year, 

 about 50 bushels of cocoons, making about J50 lbs. of reeled silk. 



There was a time, one Saturday, that the weather was such as to 

 render the worms torpid to such an extent that they were not fed. 

 I was there on Monday, when it was warm, and they were feeding, 

 as usual, in perfect health. They went on and spun well. This 

 shows one of the advantages of open feeding. Give your worms the 

 pure air of heaven. 



A Member. How was the roof covered 1 With shingles. 



Another Member. What kind of mulberry 1 The Alpine. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



Mr. Pierce. It is as easy to keep eggs as any thing else ; roll 

 them up and put them in a tin canister ; keep them in a cellar until 

 near spring ; then lay on ice and cover with straw, and they will keep 

 as long as the ice, and will not hatch under fifteen days after being 

 exposed. 



Mr. Barbour. Did you ever expose them to warmth in winter 1 

 Mr. P. I will tell you what a widow woman did near me. She 

 picked up some silk worms thrown away, which she took home; they 

 wound well — came out, and laid their eggs. Being ignorant of the 

 management of them, she put them in her clock, where they remained 

 all winter, a fire being kept up every day. They hatched out early in 



