No. 124.] 263 



silk each year since; aliliougli they have winter-killed badly Ivvo win- 

 ters. 1 have raised this year enough for lour pounds of reeled silk, and 

 could have raised as much more if I had had good eggs. I have used 

 many kinds of worms, but cannot determine which is the best. I have 

 always fed in a tight room, have not had any good conveniences, and 

 have been somewhat troubled, in the last stages of feeding, by their 

 turning yellow and dying. 1 have come to the conclusion, that this is 

 attributable to keeping them too thick and not giving them sufficient 

 air. I have used various contrivances for them to wind upon, but find 

 nothing as yet so cheap and convenient as bushes. 1 have not kept 

 any account of expenses, but am incHned to believe, if we could have 

 encouragement by a bounty from the State, until we could ha\e time 

 for experience and improvements, the business of raising silk would be- 

 come both profitable and useful. I feel inchned, therefore, to multiply 

 my trees. 



John D. Dix, Ithaca^ JV*. F. — I received your Silk Circular some 

 days since, and take the first opportunity upon recovering from a 

 severe illness to answer, briefly, your questions, or as many of them 

 as I can, satisfactorily to myself. 



To question 1. I answer, I have fed worms three years, and the 

 general results have been favorable. The second year better than 

 tht first, and this year better than both together. I have raised forty 

 bushels this year, at an expense of $70, v^-hich is about the amount 

 of premium I have drawn from the State, leaving me the amount re- 

 ceived from the sale of cocoons as so much made. 



Question 2. The first year 1 used the upper looms of my house, 

 badly ventilated, and was very careful to shut the windows nights, 

 and build a fire cold days — all wrong. Second year, third story of 

 store, long room, windows at each end ; no artificial heat j windows 

 closed in cool weather. Third year, an old ropewalk and barn, from 

 which 1 took off boards all round, and let the air circulate freely 

 night and day, in all kinds of weather ; very few diseased worms. 

 Spun in 30 days, and made the best cocoons I ever saw. I also fed 

 the leaves as they came from the trees, wet or dry ; used lime freely, 

 and changed the litter but once during each age. 



To question 3, I answer no, but think it would do well. 

 Question 4. The Mirable Jaune or mammoth Nankin peanut. 

 Question 5. Multicaulis, and heretofore thej have managed them- 

 selves. Hereafter I intend to cut them down close to the ground in 

 November, and lay down the tops at the same time, instead of wait- 

 ing till spring. 



Question 6. I have: the difference is greatly in favor of early 

 feeding; for instance, from two ounces hatched ]7th June, I obtain- 

 ed 135 pounds of the very best cocoons I ever saw. From 4^ 

 ounces hatched June 28, I obtained 213 pounds, not quite equal to 

 the first. From 4 ounces hatched July 10, 1 obtained 112 pounds, 

 decidedly inferior to the first, though good. 



Question 7. The causes of bad success in feeding that have come 

 under my observation, are, 1st. Want of the pure air of heaven. 

 2d. They do not generally have sufficient room on the shelves. 



