STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 153 



according to its grade. I atn unable to give very exact figures 

 with regard to prices and profits; but the whole years labor, leav- 

 ing out the reeling, could be finished within fifty days, so that if 

 the profits were not immense the labor would have been in propor- 

 tion. 



Now as a woman originated the industry, as women have hither- 

 to, in the old world, carried it on, American women can continue 

 the work. Women of means might establish filatures for reeling 

 and factories for the weaving of silk in towns and cities, and many 

 women and children who can perform only light labor can spend 

 their time pleasantly and profitably in rearing silk-worms. 



Col Stevens moved that a vote of thanks be tendered to Mrs. 

 Sargeant for her interesting and practical paper, and that, as in the 

 case of Miss Manning, we elect her an honorary life member, and 

 that she be invited to favor the society with reports of her con- 

 tinued experiments in silk worm culture. 



The motion was unanimously adopted. 



Samples of cocoons grown by Mrs. Sargeant were distributed 

 among the audience. 



A member asked, have we the mulberry that Mrs. Sargeant 

 speaks of as the proper food for the silk worm? 



Several answered, yes — the Russian Mulberry. 



R. Porter. Can the Russian mulberry be fruited in Minne- 

 sota? 



Col. Stevens. Yes, in three years. It grows readily from cut- 

 tings. 



Mr. Emery explained the habits of growth of the mulberry by a 

 diagram on the blackboard. It is now being planted in the North- 

 west by the million, and will supply an unlimited amount of food 

 for silk worms, as well as a really desirable fruit for family use. 



Secretary Gribbs then presented the following: 



BEPOPT OF DELEGATE TO THE AMEBIC AN 

 POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. President and Fellow Members : 



At the time of my appointment as delegate, on the 8th of August, 

 the Executive Committee had before them an estimate of four hun- 

 dred dollars as the probable maximum expense of the collection 



