T'792. on stlk rearing in Scotland. 263 



periment can go, this afFords a very exhilirating prospect, io 

 many points of view. If one kind of food has been 

 noxious, merely because of an improper temperature, others 

 may be found which have been hurtful only from a simi- 

 lar cause ; so that it is not impofsible but we may at last 

 find that this delicate creature may be supported by a va- 

 riety of kinds of food. Few, however, could be more easily 

 obtained than lettuce •■, and this plant, when cabbaged, (the 

 cofs, or ice lettuce especially,) would pofsefs one quality 

 that the mulberry leaf never can pofsefs, from the want of 

 which many millions of worms die in those countries 

 where silk is now reared ; for it is observed, that when the 

 leaves are gathered wet, it is scarcely pofsible to preserve 

 the worms alive for any length of time ; so that during a 

 continuance of rainy weather many of them are unavoida- 

 bly cut oiF; but a lettuce, when cabbaged, resists moisture. 

 If gathered, even during rain, the heart of it is dry, so that, 

 if the outer leaves be thrown aside at that time, the worms 

 would be continued in perfect health. The expence, too, 

 of cultivating and gathering lettuce, would be so much 

 lefs than that of gathering mulberry leaves, as to occasion 

 a saving that would be much more than sufficient to coun- 

 terbalance the expence of heating the conservatory, as I 

 (hall prove below. 



But the great point to be now ascertained is, whether it 

 is a fact that worms fed en lettuce, if kept in a due tem- 

 ■ perature will continue in good health, in general, till they 

 fliall have perfected their cocoon. One experiment is too 

 little to establilh this fact with perfect certainty. I there- 

 fore now invite all persons who have an opportunity to 

 make the experimen,t in tlie ensuing season, to do it, and to 

 communicate the result to the public through the channel 

 of this Miscellany. If it (hall be found to answer, I ihall 

 then fliow in what manner proper places for rearing the 

 ivorms could be erected, at a very small expence, and kept 



