120 CULTIVATION OF 



plant a certain number of Mulberry trees. It is well 

 known that the silk worm cannot be profitably prop- 

 agated in England, on account of the humidity of the 

 climate; and it was for this reason that he was desi- 

 rous of introducing the culture into the Colonies. 

 England, at the present day, manufactures large 

 quantities of the beautiful silk fabrics seen in our 

 markets ; but the raw material is not produced at 

 home, bfeing brought from France and Italy. 



At the period above mentioned, considerable quan- 

 tities of silk were cultivated, or produced, in the Uni- 

 ted Colonies, until the storm of war arose, and burst 

 like a tornado on the devoted head of America. Dur- 

 ing that period, in which the torch of civil war 

 flashed through our cities, like the flaming sword of 

 the angel at the gates of the garden of Eden, the 

 .spirit of individual enterprize was paralyzed; all 

 eyes were turned to, all hands united in, the defence 

 of the country ; and hence, it is not to be wondered 

 at, that the silk culture languished, and finally expir- 

 ed ; for the few who were exempt from the ranks, 

 were required to furnish subsistence for the army and 

 the people. 



At the conclusion of the long war, no more was 

 thought of silk, or the silk worm, with the exception 

 of the inhabitants of a few places in the New England 

 States, who have continued the culture, they and their 

 posterity, up to the present time. They labored too 

 under great disadvantage, having to climb trees from 



