No. 124] 233 



My experience, says he, is just this. The worm must be well-ven" 

 iilated^ as well as the cocoonery. Some of ray worms this year 

 were taken with vomiting, I took a part thus affected, and put them 

 on the trees, and they soon recovered. The rest died immediately. 



[Mr^'F's. cocoonery is undoubtedly too close. — ^J. R. B.J 



Michael Kline, Reamstown^ P. 0., Lancaster Co., Pejin. — I com- 

 menced the silk culture in the year 1841, on a small scale without 

 having any knowledge of the business at all. My experience has 

 brought me to believe, that there is nothing wanting but practical 

 knowledge of the business, to insure full and complete success. To 

 get the Report of the Convention, and so get knowledge, is the main 

 object of my writing, for I am determined to go on in the business, 

 any way, right or wrong. I wish to go right. 



But to your first question, I inform you what I have done in the 

 business. In the year 1841 I raised 30 lbs. of cocoons — in 1842 I 

 raised 228 lbs., and in 1843 I raised 350 lbs., although the frost we 

 had in June last spoiled the leaf of my trees so much that I could 

 not do any thing in the business the greatest part of the best of the 

 season this year. 



2d. I fed my worms in a small frame barn, and the temperature 

 was not regulated until I came to the last lot of worms 1 fed this sea- 

 son — and this made the best cocoons I ever had. I reel my cocoons 

 on a new reel, invented by myself, which is pronounced better than 

 the Piedmontese reel by all th^t have seen it. 



3d. I have not fed any in an open shed or tent, and in my opinion 

 it is folly to commence that mode of feeding in this section of the 

 country, because in general it will be too cold in the night, and that 

 will bring disease among the worms in the last age, about spinning 

 time. My first lot this season was a total failure — the frost in June, 

 as I think, spoiled the leaf. The second lot was as healthy worms as 

 I ever saw ; and on the first day they commenced spinning, they went 

 up by thousands. The next day we had a cold rain, and the ther- 

 mometer fell to 66*^, and did not rise above 72° for five days ; and 

 then the worms were crawling about on the shelves, and a great many 

 turned yellow, and others became yellow till they died ; — and those 

 that did spin made poor and thin cocoons. My last lot this season 

 was small, but healthy — and in the last age I regulated the tempera- 

 ture by fire, in a stove with stone coal, and I never had better co- 

 coons, except one small lot last year — and then it happened that the 

 weather was fair in the last age, and the temperature regularly above 

 75° ; — and all the rest I fed were equally as healthy, but it always 

 happened that in spinning time we had rain and damp weather, and 

 the temperature below 70° through the night ; and therefore it is my 

 opinion, that a silk culturist must provide a building where he can 

 regulate the temperature and keep it regular, and above 75° in the 

 last age. 



[Senate No. 124.J Ee 



