if the Syrian Silk-Plant. 153 



flew eyes, thefe muft be lopped off from the old flock either 

 in autumn, when the milky juice in the plant has dried up, 

 or in the fpring, before it again flows ; and are to be cut into 

 pieces of from four to fix inches in length, but care muft be 

 taken that they have a fufficient number of eyes. A frefh 

 incifion muft be made in the root before and behind, and 

 they are then to be planted in the ground, to the depth 

 of four or five inches, in an oblique polition, with the eyes 

 or buds ftanding upright. Thofe planted in autumn will 

 produce feeds the next fummer, and thofe planted in fpring 

 will bear the fecond fummeF. 



In regard to the further care which this plant requires, the 

 following obfervations deferve attention : — It thrives in al* 

 moft every kind of foil, and even the moft ftony, without all 

 further care : but, in order to be brought to perfection, it re- 

 quires a tender fandy foil ; which, however, muft not be too 

 >poor and drv, and which ought to have as much fun as pof- 

 fible. In fuch foil, when properly nurtured, it produces the 

 longeft, fineft, and moft beautiful filk. 



The ground, before it is planted, muft be dug up to a good 

 depth, and well dunged. It muft alfo be well weeded, and 

 kept exceedingly clean. After the crop has been collected, 

 the Items muft be cut clofe to the ground ; and the plants 

 which have died muft be replaced by young ones. Towards 

 winter they muft be covered with a little dung, which Gught 

 to be fpread in the fpring. A fufficient fpace alfo muft be 

 left between the plants. They ought to be planted in rows, 

 and at the diftance of one foot and a half, or rather two feet, 

 from each other. 



Of the ftems which fhoot up, only the beft (perhaps 

 about one half) fhould be left ftanding; the reft, as foon as 

 the flowers appear, fhould be cut, and placed in fand or 

 earth, to dry up the milky juice that flows from them. Even 

 of the prime plants, it will be proper to fuffer four or five of 

 the loweft bunches of flowers to come to maturity. By fol- 

 lowing thefe cautions, the filk obtained will be of a fuperior 

 quality. The increale is very great. In the year 1785, Mr. 

 Schneider began with fix plants, and in 1793 nac ^ a planta- 

 tion which contained 30,000. The firft crop produced eight, 

 ' Vol. VIII. X the 



