OF SILK. 35 



they are faid to be much more ex]iert than 

 the Europeans ; and this is not unUkely, 

 they having been in poflefllon of the art 

 perhaps almoll as early as the flood. 



If large crops of mulberry-trees were 

 raifed by fowing the berries immediately 

 when they became ripe, (I mean in our 

 American colonies, for it mufl be where 

 they are of quick growth) fuch crops 

 might, on the enfuing fpring, make a 

 good and early provifion for the worms 

 while they were in their firft age, and re- 

 quired but a fmall quantity of food ; the 

 whole young crop might fucceffively be 

 reaped for the ufe of the worms, and the 

 fmall Hems and roots might have fufficient 

 flrength to throw out young fhoots, v/hich 

 perhaps might be again reaped for a fecond 

 brood of filkworms. I mention thefe 

 methods rather as hints and mementos of 

 trials which may be made, than as pofi- 

 tive precepts, one intention of this treatife 

 being all along, to urge perfons to fuch ex- 

 periments as may breed filkworms to more 

 advantage than by the common praclice. 



I fhall here by the way mention a method 



of haftening the growth of feed fown early 



in fpring, in fuch climates where the wea- 



D 2 they 



