XV 



were adapted to the machinery now in use in Europe, and therefore it 

 would be better to allow native industry to collect the produce and fabricate 

 the silks in the countries where produeod. " With regard to my experiments 

 with the B. Mori," Dr. Wallace further remarked, " they go to indicate 

 that a good profit may be expected from the production of grain. It is 

 well known that for years past the silk-producing countries of Southern 

 Europe have been unable to produce healthy grain — /. e. eggs free from 

 disease — for the next season's crop ; they have therefore gone elsewhere for 

 sound grain, and have even sent as much as a million pounds sterling in 

 one year to Japan for this purpose; but the grain of Japan no longer 

 serves their purpose. The temptation of high prices drew from Japan at 

 first all their best stock, and that which is now left is in consequence much 

 deteriorated ; disease has also visited even Jaj^an, so that Japanese gi'ain 

 cannot be relied upon. Otlier countries, therefore, are now contributing 

 their supplies, notably North and South America, Switzerland, Northern 

 Germany, Cashmere, Australia, &g. ; but Australia labours under a serious 

 disadvantage, — although she can produce magnificent cocoons and a most 

 healthy grain, yet the different seasons of different hemispheres prevent 

 the Australian grain produced in December and January from obtaining 

 the necessary rest and hyemation which would ensure a proper incubation. 

 The fine and temperate climate of England gives us a great advantage in 

 producing healthy grain. It is notorious that our climate during the last 

 fifty years has altered, being hotter and drier than formerly, at least in the 

 months during which silk-worm culture is carried on, viz. July, August and 

 September. I have found no difficulty in carrying out my education at 

 Colchester, and have produced a very healthy grain. I have planted about 

 two acres of land with mulberry trees, and as these grow up my experiments 

 will be further developed. 1 oz. of grain will, if propei'ly cultivated, 

 produce from 80 to 100 oz., and the retail price of an ounce of good grain 

 is 21s., consequently if 1 oz. only produced 50 oz., which were disposed of 

 at 10s. per oz., there would be a large margin of profit. I have sent my 

 grain to North and South America, Italy and elsewhere, and it has been 

 pronounced very good and free from disease. At the present time, when 

 low prices and bad harvests press very heavily upon agriculturists, I think 

 that the subject of sericiculture, from the grain-producing point, ought to 

 be seriously considered. As to the production of cocoons, this might be 

 done; but as giain production pays so much better, I would advise that to 

 this most serious atlenlioii should be paid." 



Mr. Meldola exhibited, on the part of Sir John Lubbock, specimens of 

 three species of moths belonging to the family Boinhycida', wit!) eggs, 

 cocoons and larvae, sent from South Australia, together with some notes on 

 their life-histories, by Mr. George Francis, of Adelaide. These moths, the 

 larvse of which are suited to feed on the native gum-trees, were respectively 



