No. 1£'1.J 323 



which was as 5 to 8 in favor of the mulberry used in both experi- 

 ments. 



There has been some diversity of opinion whether a large number 

 of worms could be fed as profitably as in small parcels. A fact oc- 

 curred last year in favor of a limited number, where the eggs of 6 

 millers produced worms to make 2,400 cocoons, which yielded one 

 pound of very superior silk. Those who fed large and crowded par- 

 cels did not succeed so well in cocoons or health of the worms ; 

 something may be attributed to careless feeding, or neglecting to 

 feed them when it was necessary. 



The size and firmness depends very much upon attention and con- 

 stant feeding, whenever the worm will eat. Such is the result of 

 this year's experience, having had worms of the same variety and 

 hatching, fed at two different places and upon the same kind of foli- 

 age. One parcel were fed attentively from early dawn of morning 

 to the shades of evening by persons who were paid by the pound for 

 all the cocoons raised, and thus interested ; and the cocoons pro- 

 duced were about one-third larger and heavier than the parcel fed by 

 a person on monthly wages, and in a cocoonery too, constructed for 

 open feeding in the midst of a vigorous growth of the best variety of 

 mulberries, where fresh foliage could be gathered with the greatest 

 facility every hour of the day. But those who fed and were paid by 

 the pound, were often necessitated to feed with wilted leaves, or 

 branches collected from a distance at midday, for next morning's use ; 

 these were sometimes sprinkled with water, to preserve the freshness, 

 and especially those collected to be used on the Sabbath. 1 have never 

 known wet leaves injure the health of the worm • leaves gathered 

 while moist with the dew, have been kept good two and three days 

 fresh as when gathered. An experienced silk grower has told me 

 that when he was a boy it was considered highly necessary to sprin- 

 kle the leaves with salt water ; and have myself noticed that foliage 

 so sprinkled has been preserved longer, and the worms appeared to 

 like it. 



A few years since we were visited with an early frost, while late 

 crops were on feed. A silk grower having a parcel of worms want- 

 ing two or three weeks to finish, perceiving that there was danger of 

 a frost to cut off the foliage, gathered towards night, while there 

 might be som.e dew on the leaves, a quantity of foliage which he 

 stowed into salt-bags ; these leaves did not heat or mould, but were 

 well preserved for feed, so that the worms were enabled to form 

 good cocoons. 



That our climate is peculiarly adapted to the culture of silk, is 

 confirmed by almost 100 years' operation, and corroborated by the 

 silk record of President Styles, w^ritten some 80 years ago, and also 

 by the Journal of Joseph Clark. 



Gentlemen who have visited Canton, and acquainted with the silk 

 trade, uniformly agree that silk raised in the high districts of China, 

 in a climate corresponding with ours, is worth in Canton 20 per cent 

 over that raised elsewhere, having a stronger fibre and greater lu^tre. 



