51 [ 175 ] 



leaves of the seedling mulberry tree, were more healthy, vigorous, 

 and less subject to diseases, than those which are fed upon the leaves 

 of the grafted trees. * 



On the proportion of leaves to an acre or more of trees, and to silk 

 produced from them. Cautions on picking leaves. 



It is impossible to ascertain with any degree of tolerable accuracy, 

 the quantity of leaves which an acre, or even a single mulberry tree 

 will produce, owing to the operation of one or more of the numerous 

 causes influencing their production: such as the particular species of 

 trees; the greater or less care taken of them, in their early stages of 

 growth; their position, and distance from one another, when planted 

 out; the soil, and especially bad or injudicious pruning, or total ne- 

 glect of this necessary measure. The estimates are, accordingly, very 

 various, Mr. Fitch says, that one acre of full grown trees, set one 

 and a half rods apart, will produce 40 lbs. of silk. One tree yielded 

 food for worms, which gave four pounds of silk. Mr. 'I'ufts confirms 

 this calculation, but does not state the distance at which the trees 

 stood from one another. Mr. Storrs says, that "a full grown tree 

 will feed 6,000 worms, which will produce one and a half pounds of silk. 

 An acre of trees will produce 60 lbs of raw silk in one season." Mr. 

 R. Falley, now of Ohio, had 18 lbs, of silk from about 100 trees, part 

 of which were young, in Massachusetts. In the year 1789, nearly 

 four pounds were produced from seven trees, and one pound from 

 eight trees, eight years old from the seed.t According to Dandolo, 

 it is a certain fact, that, if silkworms are well managed, 21 lbs. of 

 mulberry leaves will be sufficient to obtain a pound and a half of co- 

 coons. Twenty pounds four ounces, will feed worms enough to pro- 

 duce a pound and a half of cocoons. In Dalmatia, he obtained one 

 pound and a half of cocoons from 15 lbs. of leaves, which yielded one 

 pound and a half of silk: ninety-seven pounds eigbt ounces of leaves, 

 will produce seven and a half pounds of cocoons. Miss Rhodes could 

 scarcely support 10,000 worms on the leaves of twelve large trees in 

 England.^ According to Lambruschini, 100 pounds of clean leaves 

 will feed worms which will produce six pounds of silk.§ Dandolo 

 has prescribed the proportions of leaves v/hich v/ill be required for 

 five ounces, and one ounce of silkworms in their'progrcssive stages, 

 and lays down the weight of wood which will yield certain quantities 

 of cocoons, produced by different species of the insect: as he writes 

 from ample experience, his directions and conclusions may be safely 

 relied on. [See chapter 13.] He recommends that the trees, when 

 transplanted, be not stripped for three years, and to thin and prune the 

 branches in the fourth year. In the fifth year, they may be stripped 

 without danger; but he advises cultivators to permit a tree to rest one 

 year after being stripped, in order to recover from tiie loss of its leaves. 



* A Stephenson: Trans. Soc. Arts, I.ond. vol. 43. 



\ Columbiati Mag. Pliilad. Vol. 4, p. 61. 



t Trans. Soc. Arts, London, vol. A, p. 153. 



<♦ Mena. Soc. Georgophiles, of Florence, vol. 4, p. 411. 



