, Eggs of the silkworm, b, c, caterpillars in a young state, d, the same full grown. 

 e, cocoon of silk. /, chrysalis, g, perfect moth. 



CHAPTER II. 



HISTORY OF THE SILK-WORM.* 



FROM time immemorial silk has been a valuable article of 

 commerce, and a favorite material for dress ; the archives 

 of China speak of its existence five thousand years ago, but 

 we are unable to discover the precise period of its earliest 

 appropriation to the uses of man. The Chinese are sup- 

 posed to have discovered the art of preparing it 2700 years 

 before the Christian era, when the empress Si-ling-chi is 

 said to have observed the labours of the silk-worms on wild 

 mulberry- trees, and applied their silk to use. From China 

 the art passed to Persia, India, Arabia, and the whole of 



* Principal authority: 'Cabinet Cyclopaedia,' No. 22, Silk Manu- 

 facture. Also ' British Cyclopaedia,' Article " Silkworm." 



C 



