No. 124.J 325 



be attended with corresponding success, and become a great national 

 staple 1 We have every facility requisite to diversify labor, and give 

 employment to our increasing population. 



It has been estimated that two-thirds of the exports of Italy con- 

 sist of silks ; and in France, silk and silk manufactures, are among 

 the most productive sources of national wealth. Our habits of in- 

 dustry, perseverance, and mechanical tact, are in our favor, and we 

 entertain the opinion, that there is no country where silk can be 

 be made of a better quality, and probably at less actual expense, 

 than in America. 



Among the objections to our successful operations in the silk cul- 

 ture, is the sickness of worms, which has occasioiially occurred ; 

 but it is thought that this may be obviated by the recent improve- 

 ments recommended in {he manner and time oi' feeding. 



A few years since, an Italian, conversant with the Italian mode of 

 feeding, was employed in this town to feed worms. He took the 

 business in hand in a spirited manner; kept the cocoonery at a cer- 

 tain temperature by artificial heat. His employer, however, took a 

 part of the worms and placed them in a separate room, kept the win- 

 dows open day and night, (used no artificial heat,) fed wholly with 

 branches, and cleaned the litter but once during the whole time, and 

 the worms wound their cocoons one whole week earlier than those fed 

 by the Italian, to his utter astonishment, and who probably thought 

 this a queer country. 



It is recorded that from time immemorial, until within a few years, 

 in Europe, that nearly one-half of the worms have annually perish- 

 ed ; from causes, although not lully developed, yet from the mode of 

 feeding, we can readily conjecture them. Aside from this, the cul- 

 ture of silk in Europe has been considered a lucrative business. 



Having had the perusal of President Styles' Silk Journal, and that 

 of Joseph Clark, of olden time, it appears that the general loss of 

 worms were estimated at about one-third ; we anticipate that this 

 will be very much diminished by the adoption ("f open feeding, ac- 

 cording to the Chinese method. This is emphatically a year of ex- 

 periments, commenced, but not completed ; let us hope for the best 

 results another and another year. 



DANIEL STEBBINS. 



l\rorihampto?i, October 1st, 1843. 



