202 (Senatk 



year, 27 lbs.; fourth year, 34 lbs.; cocoons of the first crop 240 to 

 the lb.; secoiul, 312 to the lb.; this year, not yet through. lesti- 

 mate the expense at ten cents a pound. Trees not injured by the 

 winter after the first year. The building I use for a cocoonery is 

 about IS by 24 feet, posts 8 feet, and as open as our common barns, 

 the floor very open, no floor over head, but well shingled, with the 

 windows at the sides and ends that wtre always kept partly open. I 

 conclude it to be about as open a shelter as the tent of Mr. Gill, of 

 Ohio. I make no use of artificial heat or lime in any age of the 

 worms, but rely on cleanliness ; never feed with wet leaves, and my 

 worms are always healthy. My shelves for feeding are of the most 

 simple construction, rough boards placed on hanging ladders, secured 

 from ants, and covered with newspapers. I have just gathered one 

 crop of cocoons, and find them to be very nice. 1 saved some for 

 seed which I counted ; they were 260 tn the pound. I reeled one 

 singly to ascertain the length of thread one worm spins. I reeled 

 off 680 yards before the thread broke. I should judge there was 150 

 yards left. The crop of worms I have gathered were hatched the 

 28th of June, and it was 36 days before they began to rise to spin, 

 which I attributed to the coldness of the season. Perha})s artificial 

 heat for the coldest of the weather would have quickened them five or 

 six days, but there could have been no more gain, except there was 

 more silk from the same quantity of leaves. I have two other crops 

 (Aug. 20,) yet to spin, which appear to be very healthy. Tocon- 

 clude, it is my opinion that a tent which will keep the worms dry, in 

 our climate, is a sufficient shelter for the worms ; and if our cheap fac- 

 tory cottons will answer for such tents, the saving, in comparison 

 to building, will be very great indeed. 



Mr. Smith, Guernsey Co., Ohio. — Has made the past season 70 

 bushels good cocoons. He decidedly prefers Mr. Gill's system of 

 shed or tent, and cradle feeding. 



John Zane, Martinville, Ohio, has fed this season 57 bushels of 

 cocoons, all pea nuts ; thinks very highly of Mr. Gill's shed and 

 cradle, — is confident that this system reduces expenses one-half, and 

 increases the quantity and the quality of the crop. 



John McSummy, JWian/^eim, Lancaster Co., Penn., says: — Your con- 

 vention was unknown to me until this day, too late for me to attend. 

 I am sorry, as I have over 100 lbs. of well reeled silk (from 10 to 20 

 fibres) of this year's crop, which I should like to take on to New- 

 York to sell, besides attend the convention. I have more yet to reel. 



