CH. V.] HISTORY OF SILK, ETC. 93 



trees having died, and many having in the first yeai 

 of their transplantation put forth shoots twenty 

 inches in length. A small but complete building 

 for rearing silkworms was adopted on the plan of 

 Count Dandolo, and every thing seemed to promise 

 that success which should attend judicious plans 

 and well-directed energy. The experiment was 

 also repeated on a mor* limited scale in England. 

 Between 70,000 and 80,000 mulberry-trees were 

 planted on nineteen acres of fine rich soil, situated 

 near Slough. The trees flourished here as well as 

 in Ireland; but the attempt to rear silkworms in the 

 United Kingdom has been ultimately abandoned by 

 the company. Its managers now turn the whole of 

 their attention to an establishment in the Island of 

 Malta, where the growth of the trees is said to be 

 more rapid by at least one third than in Italy. 



The great desideratum with us is plantations of 

 mulberry. This tree accommodates itself to almost 

 any soil, although it is finer and more vigorous in 

 some than in others. If planted in elevated spots, 

 and exposed to dry, light winds, the leaves yield a 

 food very favourable to the production of an abundant 

 supply of the best silk. If, on the other hand, the 

 soil be too dry, and the exposure too warm, the 

 mulberry-tree speedily languishes, producing a small 

 yellow leaf, an improper and inadequate food for 

 the supply of the worm. According to the best 

 judges, the gentle slope of a calcareous hill, on 

 which there is a sufficiency of earth, and where the 

 clefts of the rock permit the roots to insinuate 

 themselves so as to be protected from humidity, 

 while they are kept fresh, affords the best soil for 

 the mulberry-tree. A deeper or moister soil, though 

 very favourable to the growth of the plant, causes 

 the production of a watery leaf, which, it is found 

 from experiments, tends to make the silk less 

 abundant and less fine. Within these twenty years 

 the Russian government have encouraged mulberry 



