i'j^t^ SILK-WOKM. 295 



rfs the firft embarkat'iQji could not be hatched ; the fecond hatched 

 on the paflage ; hut tlie third, which came in one of the ftore- 

 fhips in December Jafl:, has fucceeded, and not one of the 

 Worms have died of difeafe in this chmate, or till fuch time as 

 all their evolutions were accomplifhed. 



'• When I tell you that the Lady Governefs has direfted a 

 plantation of mulberry trees at the Female Afylum, and that 

 leveral of my friends are now employed in the care of fdk. 

 worms on different parts of the coall ; you will, I am fure, 

 think with me, that fo favourable an .opportunity of eftablilh- 

 ing a manufadure of public utility ftiould be expofed to as 

 little rilk as poffible ; efpecially when I likewife a/Ture you, that 

 1 have conftrufted the Piedmontefe reel, agreeable to the plan 

 in the French Encyqlopedie, which has coft the Company many 

 thoufands of pounds for defraying the expences of Italian artlfls 

 fcnt to Bengal. 



''•, The moft authentic accounts I have been able to procure, 

 ftate the contracts for filk at Goffimbuzar to amount yearly to 

 60 lacks of rupees, which is not half the value of 22,oco 

 bales, tlie former produce of that country ; indeed I have un- 

 derftood that Tippoo Sultan has lately fupplicd the interior 

 parts of the Peninfula with filk made at Seringapatam, yet. 

 the demand is ever confideraUe. 



" As my views have been uniformly directed to point out 

 the means of earning a fubfiftence, at all times, to the meaner 

 and lower clafles of tlie people, of a nature adapted to their 

 genius and difpofition, it will only be neceffary to reprefer.t 

 to you the mode in which this may be efFcfted. 



" I therefore recommend, that the Revenue Baard be in- 

 ftrufted to direft mulberry plantations at every village on the 

 coaft, which, if I am not much miilaken, may be done ?t 

 little or no expence, by means of the colleiSors and natevars 

 or natives who diredt the cultivation. 



" The ground for mulberry plantations fhould be a li'^ht, 

 friatle foil, capable of being watered in the hot fcafon, and 

 at the fame time fo high as not to be flooded in the wct 

 fiich as the banks of all the rivulets on the coail. 



^ As the ihfefts can fpeedily be multiplied and diftributed 

 whenever mulberry plantations are fiifficiently eftablifh'^d I 

 have caufed as many to be planted in luy own g'lrden and at 

 tlie Nopalry, as will fupply abundance of cutt'ugs for the 



