176 [Assembly 



spring frosts at the very time that farmers should be about their spring 

 work, and could not wait for the reproduction of foliage ; and there 

 may have been other causes. Trees may be reproduced, and another 

 spring frost may not occur next year. But we very well know that 

 when any business has been long suspended, from adverse causes, 

 and other pursuits adopted, it is very difficult to persuade people to 

 return to former occupations, unless by the strongest inducements of 

 more immediate reward, ihan can now be guaranteed. As in every 

 other great undertaking, we want the " long pull, strong pull, and 

 pull altogether," and the same exertions in the silk culture. 



The spring frosts did not materially injure the foliage of my trees, 

 on account of the favorable location. 



Although I have ten or twelve acres of the best variety for growing 

 silk, my health and other business requirements prevent my personal 

 attention to the business. The present year I leased to the Messrs. 

 Clemens, of South Granby, Ct., who will attend the convention, and 

 relate their ov^'n story. There has been some silk reeled, and a large 

 quantity of silk worms' eggs left in my care for another year, and a 

 plenty of good cuttings will be preserved. 



Before the Messrs. Clemens closed their business, I had foliage 

 sufficient to feed one million of worms. I have now in the care of 

 another person two or three hundred thousand worms to test late 

 feeding upon crude and frost-bitten foliage, for we have had severe 

 frosts, and sudden changes, with the mercury suddenly dropping from 

 60 or 70 down to 40° 



I have no confidence, however, in this late crop, and am confirmed 

 in the opinion of an early crop being the most safe and sure, so as to 

 close up the business as early as practicable in the month of July. 



I am peculiarly favored with a location to keep my eggs, and have 

 now on hand several ounces of last year's production, and there is no 

 more appearance of hatching than at the lime they were laid, more 

 than a year since ; and to test these, I have brought out fifteen to 

 twenty thousand, which hatch in five or six days, appear well, and, as 

 the fishermen say, " kickingy They eat well, and shall try the eflfect 

 of unpropitious weather and crude foliage. 



