258 [Senate 



least, to commence about the 20lh June, or 1st July, with about one- 

 half of the eggs, and the other half in 10 or 12 days after, for we 

 most generally have a frost about the tiist or middle of June, and again 

 between the 1st and lOth of September ; and frost-bitten leaves will 

 almost certainly produce disease. 



Henry Ohapin, Canandaigua, N. Y. — I have fed the last sea- 

 son a small lot of worms, for experiment, upon multicaulis ; and they 

 did very well, and all of them, or nearly all, wound up. I began this 

 season, and kept the eggs back in an ice-house until the 20th July. I 

 then commenced with five ounces eggs, and they all hatched. I com- 

 menced feeding about 1st August, and they did well, and passed all 

 their moultings well, and I did not lose any until after the fourth moult- 

 ing. About the 1st September a few of them began to spin. They all 

 at this time appeared healthy, but we had at this time three very cold 

 nights and frost, and a cold storm, which lasted about a week. Dur- 

 ing this time the worms appeared to be in a dormant state, and the 

 final result was, that I lost the most of them. 



I have about two acres of multicaulis, and this is the second year's 

 growth. I fed the worms upon multicaulis entirely, and in a covered 

 building, but open at the sides, so that it was well ventilated. I shall 

 try it again next season, but shall begin earlier, say about the tenth of 

 June. J think probably my misfortune in this experiment arose from 

 late feeding. I am inexperienced in the business — never saw a silk- 

 worm, or saw any fed until I fed them myself. I should be glad to get 

 the report of the convention. 



Chaeles F. Taft, Uxhridge, Mass. — Has fed worms two or 

 three seasons in a small way, with some good and some bad luck — the 

 latter on the whole predominating ; knows that others do the thing and 

 do it right, and therefore is at liberty to beheve that the fault has hither- 

 to been, either in himself or in the circumstances in which he has been 

 placed. This year, by reason of the severe drought, came short of feed, 

 and his worms sutTered, as they always do in such cases, and last, 

 though not least, the rats destroyed a lot of his eggs. 



Dr. M. W. Philips, Log-Hall^ Edwards' Depot., Miss. — I have 

 planted the morus, and fed a few silk-worms for two years. The mo- 

 rns grows very finely, frequently to the height of 12 to 18 feet from 

 the bud, ;!nd to a size of near three inches in diameter, quality of land, 

 and care of cultivation making of course, vast difference. The tender 

 ends of the twigs, from a few inches to a foot or so, become killed some 

 seasons, as it often happens that a killing frost falls when the leaves are 

 tender and the twigs in full growth. Last year we had worms in the 

 gable end of our house, the room not plastered, with three windows of 



