106 ON SERICICULTURE. 



England, but also to teach the art of reeling to others 

 inclined to diffuse this useful industry. With regard to the 

 other wild silk-worms, little remains to be said ; nothing 

 material having been done in 1870. 



1st. The Yama-3Iai has been introduced into New Zea- 

 land, Australia and America. (I learn that out of 1,600 

 eggs some Frenchmen in America reared 800 cocoons last 

 season.) In Great Britain, as before, success was most 

 variable ; some very good cocoons were sent to me from 

 Twickenham, which produced large vigorous moths, but on 

 the whole the season was too warm and dry. I am promised 

 valuable information from Japan regarding these insects and 

 their culture, but as yet it has not reached me. 



2nd. B. Pernyi—ihiB moth has also been introduced to 

 America and Australia; it is more easy to rear than B. 

 Yama-Ma'i, but does not produce so good a silk. It was 

 easily reared last season in many parts of Great Britain. 



3rd. B. Cecropia was not quite so vigorous as last year ; 

 it is easily reared, and a great favourite, because of the 

 beauty of the larva and imago. 



4th. B. Polyphemus has not yet been sent over in suffici- 

 ently large quantities to obtain a trial in Great Britain. 



5th. B. Cynthia^ introduced into Australia some years 

 ago, is now so abundant that unless kept down by birds it 

 would soon become a perfect pest. As yet no means of 

 reeling the silk of these cocoons in a cheap, simple and 

 efficient way has been made public, though several patents 

 have been taken out for this purpose and good silk has been 

 obtained. There are also several very promising schemes in 

 course of development for reeling the silk of the wild worms ; 

 one especially was brought under my notice last month : 

 should this or any other succeed, then those countries where 

 the wild silk-worms flourish in abundance, as B, Cynthia 



