200 AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY. 



comparatively insignificant, and received but little attention. As 

 far as has been discoverable, however, in late years, the Japan 

 silk-raiser has to meet all the diseases common to the silkworm 

 in European countries. His foe, Hoshii, is our Muscardine, his 

 Fushi-kaiko appears to be what is known among us as Schlaffsucht 

 and in his Koshari may be recognised the somewhat less frequent 

 but equally feared Pebrine, or Corpuscula disease. As the course 

 of this fatal Pebrine epidemic in Europe has had a most power- 

 ful reaction upon silk culture in Japan, a few more particular 

 details may be given here. In the years 1845-6 there appeared 

 in three of our most important industries — the culture of the 

 potato, grape, and silkworm — diseases which were so peculiar in 

 their character, and so widely extending, that they exercised a 

 powerful and lasting influence upon our social life, particularly upon 

 trade and manufactures. Chemistry speedily furnished successful 

 remedies for the grape disease, and the potato disease after a long 

 period disappeared as gradually as it came. But the mortality 

 among silkworms reached at this time, viz., between 1 860-1 870, its 

 highest point, and continued with greater persistence and severity. 

 Its nature difi"ered essentially from all the diseases hitherto known 

 to silk culture. It was known as Pebrine, Spot or Corpuscula 

 disease. 



It appeared first in the French districts along the Mediterranean, 

 spreading from the banks of the Herault, like the grape disease, 

 along the waterways, over the valleys of the Clain, the Boivre, the 

 Durance and Rhone with still greater rapidity, till in 1851 all the 

 silk- raising Departments of France were infected. In the year 1854 

 it was first noticed in Italy, and its worst ravages occurred in 1856, 

 when in many places the silk harvest fell off 25 per cent. A 

 calamity which bore so heavily on the national welfare of France, 

 Italy, and other countries, naturally excited the attention of 

 governments and scientists. Numerous remedies were proposed 

 and tried, but none succeeded. Silk-raisers betook themselves to 

 the East, the lower Danube, to Greece and Asia Minor, in order 

 to check the evil by the introduction of other and apparently 

 healthier species. But it seemed as if they carried the disease east- 

 ward with thtm, for it spread more and more widely, till it showed 

 itself in the Crimea, in Trans-Caucasus and Persia, and at last even 

 in India and China. Only one country, and that Japan, remained 

 unvisited by the pestilence, and towards Japan all eyes were turned 

 for the longed-for deliverance. A new industry, the export of silk- 

 worm eggs, was thus developed in this country; one which soon 

 assumed significant size, and had a powerful effect upon Japanese 

 silk-culture at home. Before following this further, a few observa- 

 tions on the disease itself are in place. The existence of the Cor- 

 puscula disease shows itself at the outset in a noticeable dwarfing 

 of the growth of some of the worms. These diminutive worms 

 manifest little appetite, and crawl lazily and slowly about. The 



