288 [SlKAT« 



As to the feasibility of the silk business in this country, I have no 

 doubt. I must unlearn all that I have learned upon the subject for 

 fifteen years, undo all that I have done, unsay all that I have said — 

 unhinnje and upset all the abiding and fixed impressions upon my own 

 mind before I can begin to doubt. 



Dr. a. Spaulding, Zelionople^ Pa. — In answer to the Silk Circu- 

 lar, permit me to say, that I have been engaged somewhat in the silk 

 enterprise ibr a few years past. My first feeding was in 1S39, on a 

 small scale, by way of experiment — success satisfactory. 



1840. — In Newport, Ohio, made 300 lbs. of cocoons. Fed from 

 the white Italian tree, by cutting off the entire limbs, which I think 

 is the best way, as the limbs shoot out again with surprising rapidi- 

 ty. We failed in reeling our silk for want of experience and suitable 

 apparatus ; and although we were not satisfied with our success that 

 season, it was because our expectations were raised too high by the 

 wonderful stories in "Silk Culturists," "Silk Farmers," "Silk Grow- 

 ers," &c. &c., but can now see that oursuccess was great, anil should 

 have been satisfactory. We fed in an open shed. Worms, white 

 and brown — mostly white — very heathly. Fed early. 



1841. — Had charge of the New-Lisbon Cocoonery, Ohio. Fed 

 about 1,000,000 of worms, in a large close room, without fire — tem- 

 perature variable from 50° to 80° Farenheit — sometimes a variation of 

 more than 20 degrees in as many hours, and yet the worms grew ra- 

 pidly until the 4th age, when they appeared to be less heallhy. Did 

 not wind well at the commencement, but when about half had wound 

 up, my cocoonery was consumed by fire, — loss, $1,000, — since which 

 time I have had no means to prosecute the business. I have been 

 teaching school for a livelihood, but have been a close observer of 

 the experiments of others. In this place the morus multicaulis 

 " madness" has almost destroyed the silk business, and now even to 

 name the hated thing is a reproach and a disgrace. Yet a few have 

 made a little silk; but having been at great expense for fixtures, 

 they have, I believe, about given il up. 



In 1812, some half-dozen or more fed worms here, but failed, as 

 they think, from the impracticability of the silk business ; but I think 

 they failed from their own injudicious management. They fed most- 

 ly in close plastered rooms, and closed every avenue to fresh air ; 

 and when the worms were about to wind, every worm that could be 

 seen raising its head was picked off with the hand and removed from 

 the feeding to the winiling shelves, and sometimes were thrown a dis- 

 tance of some four or five feet, as a boy would toss a ball. Thus 

 they failed, and then charged their failure to imprciciicubility ; and 

 those who have had trees have grubbed them up, and the silk busi- 

 ness is dead in this place. And yet, sir, would they have given 

 me the use of their out-houses and a few hundred feet of rough 

 boards, I am satisfied I could have made silk to good profit ; but this 

 they would not do. I could not hire an acre of mulberry without 



