No. 124. J 205 



blanches. In the end, however, we could hardly say bushels. Not sa- 

 tisfied with this, Mr. Morris of Burlington, sent me a few ounces of 

 eggs in no better condition (as they proved) than the first. (They were 

 not saved by himself as I supposed.) And the result was as at first. 

 I visited a silk grower in the country, and got from him a few choice 

 cocoons, from which I saved, perhaps, one sixth of an ounce of eggs. 

 These I fed during the present season with perfect success, and have 

 saved over two lbs. of eggs. No appearance of sickness was visible this 

 season. The worms grew very large, and the cocoons exceeded in 

 beauty and quality, any I have ever seen. The first year was attended 

 with several hundred dollars expense, and this with none. The first 

 season I fed in a large two-story cocoonery — containing about 60 large 

 window^s (cost $1,600), which aflforded almost the sole means of ven- 

 tilation, and rendered the room so light, as to make it impossible to feed 

 near the outside of the frames. These were filled, at first, with lath 

 about one inch apart, for spinning in, and covered. The feeding was 

 done on the top of the shelf — I took off the cover and removed 3 out of 

 4 of the lath. This formed the frame on which I fed after the 4th 

 moulting. But of this year I say nothing more, as I look upon it only 

 as a school, and a most perfect piece of folly — for had I taken 5 oz., at 

 first, of the same eggs, and fed in the open air, (where I now think 

 feeding should always be done, except perhaps a tent, to protect from 

 sun and rain), I should have done much better with one-twelfth part 

 the expense and a better result. This year I fed in a small barn — saw- 

 ed oflT the boards part of the way round, and with the doors open most 

 of the time. The worms were as well supplied with air, as they would 

 have been on the tree. I fed on frames, somewhat resembling those of 

 J. B. Tillinghast — only more open. I placed a quantity of eggs on 

 the trees, which hatched and grew finely until the third moulting, w'hen 

 . a cloud of birds were seen for some days hovering about the orchard, 

 and destroyed all. I had the pleasure, however, of feeding a little w^hile 

 with nature — and between the 2d and 3d moultings, I actually gained 

 on her, as mine went through in three and a half, and those on the 

 trees in five days. 



I have never had any other personal experience — have fed the Mam- 

 moth White Pea-nut this season, and having such good success, of 

 course, I prefer this vaiiety. During both yeais' feeding, I have used 

 for the most past, the multicaulis — occasionally feeding with the white 

 — as the branches form such a good place for spinning. 1 shall use 

 multicaulis in my future feeding — shall plant them in the best soil, 

 about 5 feet apart — and cultivate them with as much care as a crop of 

 corn. I should commence feeding in April, if leaves could be procured 

 so early — for I should be very unwilling to retard the hatching process 

 of the egg. A friend of mine has been feeding a few worms for three 

 or four years past with entire failures — or results similar to my first year. 

 This season, he extended an awning in front of a shed in which he 

 fed, and placed in it one of Mr. Gill's cradles, but he was so afraid the 

 " poor creatures" would be " too much exposed," he boarded the sides 

 up to the awning, and thus completely destroyed the experiment. Per- 

 sonal experience, in this business, teaches a dear lesson — but it seems 

 that some of us will profit by no other. I don't think he had any more 



