2^4 [Senatb 



25 lbs. cocoons. But I have a large crop of worms, my fourth 

 crop ; they moulted the second time, Sept. 16th, and are doing first 

 rate. I think I shall make a living this year, and that is about all. 

 But I am not discouraged. We sent to Connecticut and got a young 

 woman to come and learn us to reel ; my wife and daughters are reel- 

 ing daily. They reel three-quarters of a pound per day, and it looks 

 very well. We have reeled already 38 pounds of silk. I prefer the 

 sina mirabel worms j they are, I think, much hardier than the pea- 

 nut. 



There are several persons in the business within a mile of this 

 village, and several more that intend to do something at feeding 

 next season. Luman Sperry has raised rising of 40 lbs. of cocoons 

 this season: had some bad luck, fell short of leaves, had his worms 

 crowded. Miss Cable fed two crops with good success, had 70 lbs. 

 cocoons, principally the sina mirabels, and a few of the Nankin mi- 

 rabels. Sareno Clark, Esq., has fed a few as his first crop, and had 

 14 lbs. cocoons ; his second crop has done first rate, lost scarcely a 

 worm, and had 21 lbs. cocoons. Sina mirabels, or white mirabels. 

 Wm. Wright has raised a few cocoons last year and this year with 

 good success. 



I find by experience that by sifting a coat of quicklime on the shelf 

 before putting the worms on, will prevent the latter from getting 

 damp and sticking to the shelf. I have used some lime on my worms 

 and think it good. It absorbs the moisture and keeps the skin of the 

 worm dry. I have used chloride of lime standing about in dishes 

 this season. I think it is very good. I feed on multicaulis exclu- 

 sively; about eight acres of trees; two or three acres have been 

 standing three years, the rest were planted in the spring of 1842. 

 They are planted in rows 3 J feet apart by 2 feet. They were all 

 cut off to the ground last spring. They are now from 3 to 6 feet 

 high. Our trees kill down in the winter, but if they did not, I 

 should cut them off every spring. The ground was in good order 

 when they were planted. It has not been manured since, but has 

 been well tilled. 



M- P. H. Janes, Carthagena, Mercer Co., Ohio. — I am one of the 

 colored settlement in this place. We have forsaken the cities, and 

 tiie employments in which we were formerly engaged, and in which 

 so many of our brethren are still engaged, and have taken up lands, 

 believing this to be the best course for ourselves and our race. We 

 wish to be something, and therefore must do something. 



We are engaged in general farming. Some of us have thought a 

 good deal about silk. Some silk publications have fallen in our way. 

 Some friend at the east has sent us two or three copies of the Report 

 of the New-England Silk Convention. We acknowledoe the re- 

 ceipt of them M'ith gladness. We have also seen s^me of Mr. Gill's 

 letters published in the Cross and Journal. I read some of these 

 silk documents before a portion of our settleraeot. They are inte- 



