No. 85.J 471 



Schaick, for his noble and liberal donation, and for his important 

 remarks on American Manufactures. 



The president then requested information concerning the treatment 

 of worms, houses for feeding in, and all other particulars ; remarking 

 that open feeding, or feeding in free air, seemed to be gaining friends. 



Mr. A. C. Van Epps -being particularly requested, gave an account 

 of his method, remarking as follows : 



I have done but little in raising silk. The present season has been 

 in fact the commencement. The two previous years were only an in- 

 troduction. The last season has been rather discouraging. But I 

 believe the causes are understood and may be avoided. I began feeding 

 in May. Within the last two years, I have collected trees from indi- 

 viduals who had engaged in the speculation, and thrown the business 

 in trees aside. I have in all about ten acres ; only about four how- 

 ever, in condition to feed from ; as they have been much neglected 

 for the last three or four years. One acre should produce more good 

 foliage than I collected this year from my entire lot. I raised about 

 three hundred pounds of cocoons. 



My first experiment was made in a very large building erected for 

 a cocoonery at great expense, but entirely destitute of means for 

 securing adequate ventilation. 



I now feed in an open shed or tent. It is covered with boards, and 

 the sides and ends are made of canvass attached, so as to roll up at 

 pleasure. I feed in this from the commencement. During the first 

 two weeks it is necessary to keep the canvass down most of the time ; 

 but after the third moulting, I keep them rolled up both night and 

 day. It was sometimes exceedingly cold, but I think it productive 

 of no serious injury. I believe this is now almost universally admit- 

 ted by growers. I had this season two hatchings, ten days apart. 

 The first fed through finely; but the second had just apparently begun 

 to enjoy their food when I was obliged to proclaim to them " short 

 allowances," owing to a failure in foliage. The result was, I collected 

 what I could find within ten miles. My worms lived some eight or ten 

 days beyond their appointed time, and left merely a token of respect. 



A Member. What kind of fixtures do you use for the worms to 

 wind in ? 



They wound in the branches from which they had eaten the foliage. 

 I fed them in part in Gill's ventilating cradle, and the remainder on 

 frames embracing all the advantages of the cradle as far as ventila- 

 tion is concerned, and more convenient in use. 



Would it not be a saving to give them other branches to wind in ? 



Some give them oak branches. They are exceedingly fond of these, 

 but it does not seem necessary, where the mulberry trees are of 

 any conisderable size, and properly used, as they answer every pur- 

 pose. The trees start up again immediately. Mine were cut down 

 the last of July, and when I left home, many of them were three feet 

 high. In order to adopt this method the trees should be on rich soil, 

 which I prefer decidedly. 



Will the gentleman explain the plan of his frames '? 



I suspend my frames by means of upright pieces attached to the 

 rafters, and coming down low enough for convenience in feeding. On 



