No. 124.J 221 



berry this belongs, it possesses rare qualities for the production of 

 silk of a superior quality. I had increased them to about 4,000, when 

 I hired them transplanted in the spring, and not being able to super- 

 intend the operation, they were slightly done, and a drought en- 

 sued, and I lost almost all of them. I have since increased them to 

 about 800, but being broken down last winter, they are small, and 

 my health has not been such as to permit me to give them that atten- 

 tion the last summer that they required. This tree, if multiplied and 

 introduced, cannot but be a valuable acquisition to the silk culturists 

 in the northern States. I respectfully request that the enclosed spe- 

 cimen of raw silk be exhibited to all the gentlemen composing the 

 Silk Convention, and particularly those of the norihern States. And 

 if the corresponding secretary of the American Institute will have 

 the goodness to inform me of the opinion of good judges of the 

 article, or how it compares with other specimens as to lustre, he will 

 receive my sincere thanks. Hoping and trusting that the American 

 Institute will continue to be eminently successful in promoting what- 

 ever is useful, I remain, yours, &c. 



Mrs. Harriet H. A. Dinsmore, Ripley, Ohio. — In compliance 

 with your request, that all silk growers, however small their opera- 

 tions, should reply to your Silk Circular, I would inform you that I 

 have fed silk-worms three summers, with very different success each 

 summer. The first year I fed two lots of worms, the first of which 

 (fed upon a mixture of multicaulis and white mulberry) wound up 

 in four weeks, producing very large firm cocoons. The next lot ap- 

 peared to do well until the fourth moulting, after which, many of 

 them became diseased and died. The residue spun thin cocoons. 

 The failure attributed, at the time, to bad eggs. 



The next summer's feeding was almost an entire failure. The pro- 

 duce from 40,000 or 50,000 w^orms, fed at different times, was less 

 than one bushel of cocoons, and those of an indifferent quality. At- 

 tributed principally to the unfavorableness of the season. While 

 feeding the largest lot of worms I was necessarily absent from home 

 a few days, during which they first showed symptoms of disease. On 

 my return I immediately removed them to clean shelves — gave them 

 more room, and sifted lime over them every morning until they were 

 quite white. They fed well and appeared healthy until time of wind- 

 ing, and I have no doubt would have spun well, had the weather 

 been dry as well as warm. li was rainy and very warm. Great 

 numbers of my worms became yellow, the skin would break upon 

 Ihe slightest touch, and a yellow^ liquid flow out. Others exhibited 

 a flabby appearance and soon died. The cocoonery was very offen- 

 sive, and I should have been entirely discouraged and abandoned the 

 business altogether, had not my neighbors been equally unsuccessful. 

 I consider unslaked lime a powerful disinfector of disease among 

 silk-worms, and very, I would say, absolutely, necessary to be used 

 in waira wet weather. 



The past season has been very favorable for feeding, and so far as 



