APPENDIX. 



Short Historical Account of the Efforts of Silk Culture 

 in this Country, 



IN America the culture of the silk worm was introduc- 

 ed into Virginia in 1623 by James I. who himself corn- 

 posed a book of instructions on the subject, and caused 

 mulberry trees and silk worms' eggs to be sent to the 

 colony. He made great efforts to fi have it take place of the 

 tobacco in agricultural pursuits. Thirty years afterwards 

 it was enacted that every planter who should not have 

 raised at least ten mulberry trees for every hundred 

 acres of land in his possession, should be fined ten pounds 

 of tobacco. Five thousand pounds of tobacco were 

 promised to any one who should produce one thousand 

 pounds of wound silk in one year. In 1664, Mr Walk- 

 er, a member of the legislature, stated that he had sev- 

 enty thousand mulberry trees on his estate. In 1666, 

 all statutory provisions were repealed, because the busi- 

 ness was in so thriving a condition as no longer to re- 

 quire protection. The decline of silk business in that 

 state was probably owing to want of perseverance. The 

 new emigrants brought with them new views and habits ; 

 and as they brought their slaves, it became necessary 

 that an immediate annual profit should be realized. 

 Hence the culture of rice and indigo was introduced, 

 and on account of the immediate profit derived from 

 their culture, that of silk languished, which would have 

 required a steady perseverance for a course of years 



