^ 53 [ 175 ] 



M. Bonafous* says, that the leaves of the paper mulberry tree agree 

 perfectly well with silkworms in their fifth age. The character of this 

 writer, and his great personal experience, entitle him to full confidence, 

 and there can be no reason to doubt that the worms to which he gave 

 these leaves eat them without injury; nevertheless, other silkworms 

 were less fortunate. M. Deslongchampst says, '' that, of 100 silkworms 

 to which he gave nothing but the leaves of the paper mulberry tree, 

 92 died; and the remaining eight, which survived the rest thirty -six 

 days, would also certainly have died, if, at this time, he had not sub- 

 stituted the leaves of the white mulberry. This new food enabled them 

 to live twenty and twenty-two days longer, and to spin their cocoons: 

 but these were so small that eight of them did not weigh more than two 

 ordinary cocoons." From the above statement, it appears that M. D. 

 gave the leaves of the paper mulberry to young worms; whereas Mr. 

 B. confines their use to the fifth age — a time when they have ac- 

 quired their full growth, and tlieir appetite is voracious. This va- 

 riation in the treatment may readily account for the different re- 

 sults of the two cultivators. I The experiment with the paper 

 mulberry leaves, in the fifth age, is worth trying with 50 or 

 100 worms; and, if made, it is requested that the result may be commu- 

 nicated to the public. 



The black mulberry tree having been mentioned as suitable for the 

 Southern States, it may be proper to say something on the subject 

 The leaves of this tree, it appears, are preferred in Spain, § where 

 superior silk is made. They are said to be much more nutritious than 

 those of the white mulberry; but a late practical writer j| denies this 

 position: for, in the year 1823, he fed some silkworms on the leaves 

 of both these trees; and the cocoons of 100 of them which had eaten 

 the black, weighed from two to three grains less, than others of another 

 100 worms which fed on the white. Mr. Nysten also sa3^s, that it is 

 late in attaining its full growth, and difficult to propagate, either by 

 grafting or by sowing the seeds. The leaves also come out full ten 

 days later than the white. This is a serious objection, as early food 

 for the worms is of primary importance: finally, the black is compar- 

 atively a tender plant. For these reasons, it cannot compete with 

 the native red, or the foreign white mulberry tree. 



* De rEducation des Vers a Sole, p. 11. Paris, 1824. 



t Essai, &.C. p. 91. 



i Judge Bry, of Washita, says he tried to force his silkworms to eat the leaves of 

 the paper mulberry, by strjving them, and tlien ofTeriug the le.ives: they bit them, 

 aad ti.en left off eating-. He believes they would have perished for food, had he 

 not given them the leaves of the native mulberry, on wlkich they fed with avidity. 



<^ Townsend's Travels in Spain. Swinburne's do. 



I' Deslongchamps, p. 8. 



