56 



SECTION XX. 



SUBSTITUTE FOR THE MULBERRY. 



IT seems to have been proved beyond dispute, by prac- 

 tical cultivators, that there is no substitute for the mul- 

 berry which can be profitably employed as the food for 

 silk-worms. 



Dr. Ludovico Bellardi of Turin, has shown that the 

 silk-worms which have been hatched prematurely, will 

 feed with avidity and prosper on the dried leaves of the 

 mulberry. These are gathered in fine weather in au- 

 tumn, and carefully dried on cloths in the sun. After 

 being reduced to a fine powder, it is preserved in a dry 

 place during winter. When used, it is slightly moist- 

 ened with water ; then being placed around the insects, 

 they speedily fall to feeding. 



Silk-worms have been raised, and in perfect health 

 have spun perfect cocoons, when fed only on lettuce 

 leaves. Miss Rhoades had indeed discovered that silk- 

 worms could not be safely fed on lettuce leaves for a 

 longer period than three weeks, as they generally be- 

 came sickly, and seldom spun their cocoons. The 

 cause she was led to ascribe to the coldness of the let- 

 tuce. General Mordaunt pursuing still further the ex- 

 periment, succeeded in hatching and rearing silk-worms 

 in a hot house, on the leaves of the lettuce alone. In this 

 case they flourished, producing cocoons of a most per- 

 fect quality. Head or cabbage lettuce resists the ac- 

 cess of rain or of moisture, and may always be found in 

 a dry state. 



Mademoiselle Coge, of Epinal, it is also stated has 

 used with the most perfect success, the leaves of the 

 scorzonera, (viper grass,) the cocoons thus produced be- 

 ing fine. 



