140 



FARMERS REGISTER. 



[No. 3 



have my doubts ui)on this point, ami think that 

 even one million of pounds much exaggerated, 

 for 1 crossed the sili< country in more than one 

 direction, and the quanlity of trees appeared in- 

 considerable for any such produce. But admitting 

 the authority, and stating that tl\e kmgdom does 

 produce to the amount of 8 or £900,000 sterling, 

 I must remark-, that the quantity is strangely in- 

 considerable, and seems to mark, that the ciiraale 

 has something in it vastly inferior to that of Italy, 

 lor the production oC this commodity; in which 

 country there are little principalities that give more 

 than the whole kingdom of France. Yet, to hu- 

 man feelings, there is no comparison between the 

 climate of France and that of Italy; the former 

 is better, beyond all question. But the spring 

 frosts (found in Italy also,) are what brin» the 

 greatest destruction on this culture, and will for- 

 ever retard its progress greatly in countries expos- 

 ed to them. In 1788, there was a general failure 

 in the south of France, yet across the Pyrenees, 

 in Catalonia, the crop was abundant, merely be- 

 cause the spring frosts did not pass those moun- 

 tains. 



In the districts and spots of the southern pro- 

 vinces, where the chmale has, from experience, 

 been found favorable to silk, there is no want of 

 exertion in following it; and about Loriol and 

 Montelimarf, i't is cultivated with more energy 

 than in any part of Lombardy ; yet at small dis- 

 tances there are no mulberries, though the propri- 

 etors are as rich and as industrious as where they 

 are (bund. The sama observation is to be made 

 every where, and seems to mark a great depen- 

 dence even on the locality of climate, if I may 

 hazard such an expression. Where the culture 

 succeeds well, it appears, from the preceding mi- 

 nutes, to be highly profitable, and to form one of 

 the most beneficial objeci-s that can attract the at 

 tention of the industrious. 



ESSAY ON THE PRODUCTION OF SILK, 



AND THE PECULIAR ADVANTAGES OF VIU- 

 GINIA FOR THE CULTURE. 



(By the Editor.) 



I. Sketch of the natural history of the silk' 

 loorm. 



The silk-worm, like all other insects which are 

 winged in their most perlect state, passes through 

 three diderent conditions of existence, three en 

 tirelydiHerenl kinds not only of outward ibrm, but 

 of instincts and of habits; and in each one oi' 

 these tbrms and conditions, the animal is as diil'er- 

 ent from either of the others, as a beast is differ- 

 ent from a bird, or either from a fish. These 

 transformations of insects are of such common oc- 

 currence, and so general, as scarcely to be noticed 

 ■by most persons ; and yet they are so wonderful, 

 that if they were rare, or the knowledge of them 

 depended upon the testimony of others, the facts 

 would not receive belief^ Small and humble as 

 these may be considered among the works of the 

 great creator of all things, there are none which 

 more strikingly display the wisdom of design, and 

 the wonderc! and beauty of his workmanship. 

 With variations of time, lijrm, and circumstance, 

 as numerous as are the difierent kinds of winged 



insects,. all of them agree m being subjected lo 

 these three successive changes : First, from (he 

 egg is hatched a a worm or maggot, winch mere- 

 ly devours voraciously its proper ibod, l()r its ap- 

 pointed time. Secondly, it becomes a chrysalis, 

 of contracted size, and of form and appearance 

 altogether unlike, cased in a close envelope, in 

 which it remains dormant, motionless, and appa- 

 rently lifeless, and without food or respiration, for 

 days, or months, or even lor years, according to ila 

 kind. Next, it bursts this envelope, and comes 

 forth a winged animal, which refuses its former 

 chosen food, and is incapable of existing in the 

 habits or condition of either of its previous forms. 

 Many of these last forms are among ttie most 

 beautiful and splendid of the animal kingdom; 

 and nothing but the imperfection of iauitian vision 

 prevents remarkable beauties being seen to deco- 

 rate the most common, and the least noticed, of 

 flying insects. With most classes, the llmctions 

 of their winiied state are so much the most im- 

 portant, that we scarcely notice their previous 

 states of existence ; while in others, and the moth 

 from the silk-worm is one, lilii in the winged state 

 lasts but a few days, and its only purpose is the 

 reproduction of the kind. 



The eggs of the silk-worm will hatch in the 

 natural temperature which usually Ibllows soon 

 after the putting forth of the leaves of the mulber- 

 ry trees, which eerve for its peculiar Ibod. Un- 

 less checked by too cold a temperature, or by 

 other unliivorable circumstances, and when sup- 

 plied plenlillilly with their proper Ibod, the worms- 

 increase rapidly in size. But as the skin does not 

 grow with the general developement of the ani- 

 mal, the body, in a few days becomes too large 

 for its covering. The worm then becomes slug- 

 gish, and its appetite is suspended ; by a curious 

 provision of nature, (comnr.on to many of the lower 

 orders of animals,) the distended skin bursts open, 

 and the before compressed worm comes forth, 

 again to expand in growth, until the same pro- 

 cess of release again becomes necessary. In this 

 manner, four successive moullings, as they are 

 called, are perlbrmed ; that is, four distinct skins 

 are cast off', in succession, as the worm out grows 

 them. The times of t>hese moultings are sur- 

 prisingly regular, under regular treatment, and 

 like circumstances. And even with the greatest 

 irregidarity of treatment, not injurious to the 

 health of the worms, these several moultings are 

 are finished in from 25 lo 3.5 days. The worm has 

 then increased to forty times lis first length, and to 

 nine thousand times its first bulk and weight. It 

 then ceases to eat ; and, lor the [jurpose of form- 

 ing a protecting cover for is a|)proaching dormant 

 state of existence, it begins to spin, from the reser- 

 voirs in its own bowels, the beautillil and delicate 

 yet strong silken thread, whicli is so highly prized 

 by man, and for lliesake of which, this feeble ani- 

 mal receives so much of his cure. After having 

 thrown out fi-om its mouth enough scattered 

 threads to fix its designed structure firmly to some 

 support, in the chosen position, the worm begins 

 and continues to spin, and to encircle itself with, 

 one unbroken filament, carried around its body, 

 and placed in successive layers, as regularly as 

 spools are filled by the most perfect machinery, 

 until the supply of material is exhausted, and the 

 little oval dormitory is complete and secure. The 

 work is then finished. In its close cell, the last 



