No. 200.] 161 



Dr. Wait, of Delaware, then took the floor, and said that he was 

 probably the only person in that State, engaged in the silk culture. 

 He commenced in 1838, the year of the " mulberry excitement," and 

 liad been engaged in it ever since, believing that from $50 to $60 clear 

 profit can be realized from every acre devoted to the business. He had 

 worked to great disadvantage, being obliged to pull down one year 

 what he had erected the year previous ; but since the introduction of 

 Gill's cradle, he had diminished the labor of feeding from eight or ten 

 to that of two persons. 



He had this year been unfortunate in trusting to the worms to spin 

 in the brush ; it occasioned a loss of one half his worms. There must 

 be attached to the cradle some apparatus for the worms to spin in. He 

 had adopted a plan to accomplish this end, and now considered the 

 system of cradle feeding almost perfect. 



Formerly he had reeled his own cocoons, but owing to the death of 

 his reeler, he this year brought them to the filature of Mr. Van Epps, 

 of this city. 



On motion, the convention adjourned till 4 o'clock P. M. 



Afternoon Session. 



The convention met according to adjournment ; Vice-President Hen- 

 nen in the chair. 



After a miscellaneous conversation among the members, Mr. Afflick, 

 of Mississippi, took the floor. 



He had come to the north for the purpose of purchasing sheep 

 and had just returned from examining those exhibited at the Fair 

 of the New-York State Agricultural Society, at Ulica. The sheep 

 they have in Mississippi and Louisiana were generally poor, and the 

 wool filled with burrs. They had, however, some there as fine as can 

 be found in any part of the country. There pasture continues through- 

 out the year. 



Silk had been grown to some extent, and with great success. No- 

 thing is needed but the most simple shelter, to protect from rain and 

 birds. He saw no reason why it could not be prosecuted from March 



[Assembly, No. 200.] 11 



