296 fSlLXATE 



The amount of cocoons above stated has been raised in the six towns, 

 along the lake shore. 



There are probably two or three hundred pounds grown in olher parts 

 of tlie county. 



L. B. Hewins, Foxborovgh, Mass. — I am very much gratified to 

 know that you are making exertions to forward the silk business in (he 

 United States. But as we have worked on a very small scale, raising a 

 few worms and working what cocoons are raised in this viciniiy, per- 

 haps I can be of no great service to you, but will answer your inquiries 

 as well as I can. 



I have raised a few worms each year for 4 years, with good success 

 in general. Fed them in a room 14 feet square, plastered. Did not 

 reo-ulate the temperature in any way. I have not fed in an open slied, 

 but the general opinion here is that this is the best. AVe prefer the pea- 

 nut worm as they reel more readily than any other. We use the Ita- 

 lian, white and multicaulis, and let them stand through the winter with- 

 out injury, if planted on dry land. 



We have tried early and late feeding, and found early feeding much 

 the best, as the worms do better and make much heavier cocoons. 



Great care should be taken to procure eggs from healthy woriUs, and 

 then, with a little experience, we may secure a good crop : but with bad 

 eggs, or those from feeble or sickly worms, we shall certainly lose our 

 labor. 



Wc have been engaged in the manufacture about five years, most of 

 the time making mostly sewings. Have madesome warps for weaving 

 bonnet edgings. Last year we received the bounty from the State on 

 15^ lbs. of reeled silk which we made into sewings. 



Have not much capital invested for machinery, say $100 for reeling 

 and twisting, which by the way 1 invented and got up myself. We 

 employ no hands out of our own family, and only two of us work at 

 this business. 



Have worked some imported raw silk which was not worth so much 

 by 25 per cent as our own, owing to its not being reeled well, i. e. was 

 not worth so much by $1 per lb., which would pay for the reeling. 



I know of no dilf.rence in the silk made from the different kinds of 

 mulberry. 



And in conclusion, we have planted the trees, fed the worms, reeled 

 and twisted the silk, and finished it ready for the market, and know of 

 no possible reason why the business is not practicable and profitable in 

 all its parts. 



1 would ask for information respecting weighing sewing silk. Does 

 any one know how to weigh it as the imported is weighed.^ 



We weigh ours, but presume not in the right way. 



I send you a s[)ecimen of sewing silk reeled on my reel, and doubled 

 and twi-ted on my twister, which does the doubling and twisting atone 

 operation. 



[The enclosed silk bears testimony of the excellence of the machine- 

 ry, and the skill of the opeiator. J. R. B.j 



