82 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
year before making any decision as to its adaptability to this climate 
and its silk-growing qualities. 
During the last year an experiment was made on a rather extended 
scale as to the feasibility of feeding the common Chinese mulberry silk- 
worm (Bombyx mori) on the leaves of the Osage orange, (JMaclura 
aurantiaca,) 2 plant now plentiful in the Western States, where it is 
used for hedges, and is found growing wild in the Southwest, where it 
is known as Bois @arc. Mr. Samuel Cornaby, of Spanish Fork City, 
Utah Territory, writes the following letter: 
Having been engaged in silk enlture for three years past, T take the liberty of sub- - 
mitting to you a report of what i have done. In 1867 Mr. Albert K. Thurber, of 
this place, on his return from a visit to London, England, presented me with a few silk- 
worm eggs of the old French variety. They made sixteen cocoons, producing three 
female moths. The following year I raise’ five hundred worms, but not having suf- 
ficient mulberry leaves to feed them I fed pact of them ov Osage orange. They ate it 
with avidity ; ‘all did well, and made cocovuns of good size aud color. Last season 
(1869) I fed five thousand worms o Osage crange and they made five thousand eo- 
coous. This season I am feeding ten thousand worms on Osage orange and they are 
doing well. I would here remark that 1 have never found a diseased worm since I 
commenced raising silk. 
I have fed a portion of my worms each season on mulberry and a portion on Osage 
orange, and those fed on the latter have thrived and done as well as those fed on the 
former. I do not snppose Osage orange is preferable to mulberry to feed silk-worms, 
but it may be of importance to some to know that they will do well upon it. I have 
fed worms on the two kinds of feed in close proximity, and have known them to leave 
the mulberry and go to the Osage orange. The dryness of our climate and the absence 
of thuuder-storms during the feeding season, render Utab particularly adapted to the 
raising of silk, and perhaps it may be more favorable for feeding Osage orange than a 
moist climate. : ; ; . 
Not having sufficient knowledge of the quality of silk to test it, I sent some cocoons 
to Mr. Muller, of Nevada City, California, to be reeled and tested, and he reports that 
the silk is, to all appearances, strong and of excellent quality. I intend to make a 
business of silk culture as fast as circumstances will permit. 
These facts having been doubted by some who had been unsuccessful 
in raising the si!k-worm on Osage orange, a letter was addressed to Mr. 
Cornaby, requesting further particulars of bis experiment, and in his 
answer he reiterates his former statement and adds: 
If any additional testimony is necessary to confirm my statement, I can give the 
names of as miany responsible persons, under seal, as may be required, as the facts are 
quite familiar to all the inhabitants of this town, and the greater part of the connty. 
This season I have fed upward of ten thonsand worms on Osage orange, and they 
have all spun—ithe box of cocoons I sent you being an average sample of the crop. 
This is the third season I have fed and propagated the same wornis entirely on Osage 
orange, and they sliow no signs of deterioration ; on the contrary, it was remarked by 
many this season, who bad seen them during the past three years, that they looked 
larger and better than they had ever seen them before. That portion of my crop fed 
ov mulberry the past four years shows no perceptible difference, hatching out and spin- 
ning about the same time as those fed on Osage orange. 
I would like to have the relative qualities of the silk thus differently fed thoroughly 
tested, and wonld be pleased to forward specimens of each to any one who could do so. 
My worms hatched out this season on the 8th of May, and spun on the 19th of June, 
feediug forty-two days, this being seven days longer than previous seasons, owing to a 
cold storm that occurred in May, lasting about one week, rendering them almost inac- 
tive during that time; and I have used no artificial heat either at hatching or during 
the feeding time. 
I have paid particular attention to cleanliness and ventilation in my cocoonery, keep- 
ing the doors and windows almost constantly open, even during the night when the 
weather was favorable. I attribute my success mainly to our fine dry climate. We 
have no dews, and rain and thunder-storms are of rare occurrence during feeding season. 
A large blaek caterpillar with vellow longitudinal stripes, and having 
two black projecting processes or horns on the second segment of the body, 
and black prickles on all the other segments, Axnisota senatoria, (S. & A.,) 
is sometimes extremely abundant in Maryland, doing considerable injury 
to theoak. The eggs are deposited in clusters under leaves at the end of 
