fjz on silk worm^. O^t. 35,' 



by providence, whose culture we are solicitous 

 about ? The silk worm seeks no fhelter, and is a na- 

 tive of that climate where there is, in fact, hardly 

 any night. If I am mistaken in this idea, I have al- 

 ways been so strongly prejudiced by it, that I have 

 ever fancied those silk worms grew lefs rapidly that 

 were farthest removed from the windows, and have 

 therefore constantly kept moving the pans. I rather 

 think, too, that the silk worm owns no night ; for I ne- 

 ver could perceive that it slept in its worm state, un- 

 lefs that inertneis which is discoverable when it 

 parts with its fkin, be called sleep. Did you ever 

 remark the number of eyes the silk worm has ? 

 There appears to me to be many clusters of them. 

 Perhaps they may have been given it to enable it to 

 endure \h& perpetual day, which may be neceisary 

 to the completion of its labour ! If I could choose a 

 situation for them, it ihould certainly be a souther- 

 ly ojie. 



Your idea of a moveable canVas frame, to be 

 placed over the lettuce beds, is excellent, and I fhall 

 adopt it next year ; the lettuces are, however, eve» 

 in a dry season, full of moisture, especially those that 

 have cabbaged^ which are the sweetest and best. 



If ever you receive any eggs from the large worn* 

 which Sir William Jones has discovered, I Ihall 

 greatly thank you for a few of them y and certainly 

 these might be sent to us at any time ; for surely it 

 would not be difficult to find a person on board of a 

 fliip who would take care of a dozen ; and as many 

 lettucts, planted in a little wooden box, might be 

 kept growing against the time of their hatching. 



