■',79-' en silk worms. l8l 



be in many cases helped by art, and even in some 

 cases improved by adopting practices directly con- 

 trary to it. If bees were left without hives, which 

 nature provides for them only in a very imperfect 

 manner, the whole race of them in Europe would 

 quickly be exterminated ; and though cattle were 

 doubtlefs intended by nature to ran abroad in the 

 open air, and calves to enjoy th'e benefit of light ; 

 yet it is well known that neither of them fatten so 

 well in these circumstances, as if they be confined in 

 total darknefs, and there fed abundantly. 



The mortality among the worms, during this wet 

 season, is exactly what might have been expected. 

 Had the lettuce, however, beerr kept under a move- 

 able cover from rain for a daj or two before using, 

 especially if open to the sun at the same time, 

 which, in a proper exposure, may be in some mea-- 

 sure effected, this evil would have been obviated. 

 Since the receipt of mifs Rhodes's letter, I have 

 been favoured with the following communication 

 from another lady, who is exceedingly accurate in 

 her observations, and who ig, from motives of phi- 

 lanthropy, extremely anxious to forward this under- 

 taking. It tends to fiiow that by great attention it; 

 might be pcfsible, in some cases, to obtain even frelh' 

 dry mulberry leaves during a rainy season, w ere the 

 superintendants of silk works extremely attentive ; 

 though on a large scale, where many persons are ein- 

 ployed, this would be a matter of considerable dif- 

 ficulty. 



" Mifs had got a dozen mulberry plants last 



year, but not being sufficiently advanced to be of 

 much use, Ihe sent to . .. . i i - for her general 



