No. 124.] 235 



Nicholas McCarty, Indianapolis, Indiana. — I have fed worms 

 two seasons. Last year, from 1^ ounces of Piedmontese eggs, had 

 8^ bushels good cocoons. Same year sent to New-Jersey for 10 

 ounces eiigs — hatched and hatching when they arrived, and lost the 

 most of them. From the Piedmontese saved 50 ounces — placed them 

 in ice at the proper time. In the spring, without my knowledge, 

 they were removed — got somehow out of the ice, upon the surface, 

 and the first I knew, they were all hatched in the ice-house. (I 

 must be censured for great carelessness.) Took my worms, June 15, 

 and to make a short story of a bad case, made only 14 J bushels of 

 indifferent cocoons — not twenty as good as first crop last year. 



(2.) The second floor of a two story house was used to feed in. 

 The temperature not regulated, but a free circulation of air from the 

 windows. 



[No common dwelling-house has windows enough by one-half, if 

 the rooms are filled with worms, as is usual. — J. R, B.J 



(3.) Have not fed in a tent or open shed. A neighbor has fed in 

 that way this year, and is highly pleased with it. 



(4.) My experience is limited — am not acquainted with different 

 kinds of worms. 



(5.) Fed on multicaulis, of the second year's growth — cut leaves 

 for a time, and then fed on branches. Cultivate the trees — trees not 

 essentially injured in the winter, except where the water stood — 

 head them down in the spring. 



The production of silk in this country is of the utmost importance; 

 and from what little I have done and seen, and from what I have 

 read, I entertain no doubt in regard to the feasibility of the matter. 

 We can do if. Let practical information be disseminated extensive- 

 ly, and it will be done. Hence I look with great interest for the 

 repf^rt of the convention. 



[Friend McC, take some one writer, the best here given, and fol- 

 low his footsteps carefully, and you will go triumphantly through. 



J. R. B.J 



John L. Richmond, Indianapolis, Indiana. — I have fed wornns 

 eight years, on a small scale — have fed on wild mulberry most, Italian 

 and some multicaulis, two years. Have found them to live best on wild, 

 but grow slower. They died most on tnulticaulis, other circumstances 

 being equal. Have used tight and open roorrjs, warm and cold looins, 

 and now prefer open tents or buildings, so as to let them have a free 

 circulation of air. We fed them this year under an open shed, which 

 even leaked so that my worms got wet in two showers, and it did them 

 little or no harm. 



1 have tried various frames (all that I have seen described.) One of 

 my own I like best, which is so constructed that I let down all my 

 shelves to about four feet height, to feed and cleanse, then raise them up 

 out of the way. I think worms may be fed until second moulting on 

 multicaulis, after which they feed safer on the Italian, or even the wild, 



