82 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 



The author of the work entitled Nong-sang-lhong-kioue, 

 continues to quote some analagous facts, which he had 

 gathered from the history of the Emperors, from the years 

 of Thien-pao, (from 968 to 976,) of the dynasty of Song, 

 under which he lived, so as to show, that from the highest 

 antiquity, the Empress raised silk worms as an example to 

 the whole empire. 



In the work entitled Tsan-lun, or Considerations upon the 

 Silk Worm, we notice : 



" Every species of tree requires a particular soil, except 

 the mulberry tree alone, which grows every where ; and, 

 consequently, there is not a single place in the empire where 

 silk worms cannot be raised. 5 ' 



The book on worms says, in chapter Pin-fang, (compo- 

 sed about the year 1115, before Christ :) 



" A young girl takes her elegant basket and follows the 

 concealed paths, to gather mulberry leaves." 



By this passage it is seen that silk worms could be raised 

 in the country of Pin. 



OBSERVATION. 



The country of Pin corresponds with the territory of 

 which Si-gan-fou is now the capital, of the present province 

 of Chen-si, which is situated in the northwest of China. 

 [St. Julien.] 



In the ode of Tsang-tchong-tseu, of the same work, we 

 read : " Take care not to destroy our mulberry trees." 



This passage shows that silk worms could be raised in the 

 country of Tching. 



