228 [Senate 



tend to advance the business, and lead to results, not only of indi- 

 vidual benefit, but of general good to this country. 



There are a number of my neigiibors engaged iu this business, and 

 their success has been generally about the same as mine. We have 

 always reeled and made our cocoons into sewings, and sold it to the 

 country merchants in exchange for goods. We have this year reeled 

 our silk for sale, and think we are making an article that will sell 

 for cash in market. If sa, it will be very encouraging to us, as it 

 is very tedious to make sewings by hand. 



In 1840, we made 67 lbs. cocoons, 



1841, " 51 " 



1842, " 130 " 



1843, " 143 '^ 



And from my experience in the business, I am satisfied that it 

 must, when there is proper information acquired on the subject, be- 

 come a profitable branch of industry, and tend to general good, by 

 giving suitable employment to thousands of destitute, but meritorious 

 inhabitants. 



With these views, I feel deeply interested in the convention, and 

 have no doubts but your investigations and report will happily result 

 in advancing the silk cause in this, our country. 



Rev. D, Benedict, Pawtucket, R. I. — I am sorry to have it to 

 say, that I have been unable to pay much attention to this business 

 this year, so wholly engrossed is my time, my thoughts, and all my 

 powers, with my historical pursuits. 



I have done nothing in feeding this season, only to raise enough 

 for eggs for another year. I gave away all my eggs but a few for 

 this purpose. I am fond of the business, if I could attend to it. 

 My trees lived well the last winter, and I have left them without 

 any care this summer, and now have leaves in abundance. 



My silk weaver made a failure of it. 1 kept him on hand a good 

 while, at some sacrifice. His skill was sufficient as to weaving^ but 

 he had not the preparations for getting out his webs, and knew not 

 how to make them. He made some good plush out of a short weh 

 he had on hand, and then he was up a tree. 



I have heretofore united with much satisfaction in the experiments 

 in the silk business, and am fully convinced, so far as the practica- 

 bility of the thing is concerned, that the growing of silk will in time 

 become an extensive and profitable business in this country. 



As to worms, the peanut, beyond all doubt, turn out the most 

 silk — but they are long-lived, are great eaters, and many will fail 

 towards the last. The grey worms are also good. But I am more 

 and more in favor of the two-crop worms. If they do not turn out 

 so much, they require less time and attention, and the second crop 

 carries us into the full growth of the mulberry leaves. And after all 

 that is said to the contrary, I am decideflly of opinion, that it is not 

 good to keep them back, by ice-houses, far into the hot season. 



