VOL. XII. NO. 37. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



293 



mistake not is provided us a place of deposit, into 

 which each member of the family is required to 

 put once a week a piece of written composition, 

 upon any subject that may suggest itself to the 

 mind of the writer. Saturday evening the budg- 

 et is opened and each .piece lend, criticised, and 

 amended in the presence of the family. It is im- 

 possible to calculate tin? advantage to be derived 

 from such a practice, by establishing in early life 

 habits of investigation, and mental improvement. 

 The mother who thus educates her children, may 

 sanguinely anticipate a maturity of usefulness and 

 respectability. Degrading profligacy, and low vice 

 can have little to tempt a mind thus early shielded 

 by lessons of purity, domestic happiness, and pleas- 

 ant lire side instruction. Give your children an 

 early love for books, refine their taste by works of 

 art, set them an example of religious excellence, of 

 correct mariners, and endeavor to make the domes- 

 tic hearth always attractive, and you bar up all the 

 great avenues to immorality. — Portland Courier. 



For the New England Fanner. 

 THE SILKWORM A. D. 1655. 



The following article, although it is not a very favor- 

 able specimen of the poetry or erudition of the age or the 

 country in which it was written will afford amusement 

 to the antiquarian. The rhymes are so incorrect, and 

 the measure so inaccurate that a modern critic could 

 hardly give absolution to the lady-author, were it not 

 that her subject is more interesting than her manner of 

 treating it. A poem, printed in London, about the time 

 that Cowley and Waller were publishing then celebrated 

 productions, might have been expected to have indicated 

 something similar to the style and manner of those mas- 

 ters of the lyre. But the facts which it records and 

 alludes to cannot fail to give it interest, with many read- 

 ers, notwithstanding its deficiencies, when brought to 

 the test of modern criticism. — Editor. 



The following poem is taken from a work, printed in 

 London, in 1655, by .John Streeter, entitled "The reform- 

 id Virginia Silk Worm, Or. a Hare and A'ctc Discovery 

 of a speedy way, and easit menus, found out bif a younu 

 tittdy in England, she having made fall proof thereof in 

 May, anno. 1652; For the feeding of Silk-worms in the 

 Woods, on the Mulberry-Tree-lcavcs in Virginia: Who 

 after fourty dayes time, present their most rich golden- 

 coloured silken Fleece, to the instant wonderful curichi.no 

 of all the Planters there, requiring from them neither cost, 

 labour, or hindrance in any of their other employments 

 whatsoever, .hid also to the good hopes, that the Indians, 

 seeing and finding that there is neither Art, Skill or Pains 

 in the thing ; they icill readili/ set upon it, being by the 

 bt a/fit thereof inablcd to buy of the Eiiglish (in rcuy of 

 Truck for their Silk-bottoms) all those things that they most 

 desire." 



■ POEM 

 Upon the most Noble, Virginian natural Silk-Worm 

 her wonderful, various, plentiful food ; The infinite, 

 speedy, great wealth she will produce to her protector; 

 (in 45 days the time of her feeding) with small labour, 

 eost, or skill, (learnt in an houres space by any child.) 

 The singular aptness of that rare Superlative Climate, 

 in Breeding them on so many several kinds of Trees 

 in her Woods where they live, Feed and Spin, their 

 • mighty large, strange, double-bottoms* of Silk : To 



* This word is synonymous with cocoon, as appears 

 from the following extract from another part of the 

 pamphlet. " The Silk Bottome of the natural! Worme 

 in Virginia, found there in the Woods, is ten Inches 

 about, and six Inches in length to admiration ; and 

 whereas ours in Europe have their Sleave and loose 

 Silke on the outside ; and then in a more closer covering 

 they intombe themselves. These rare Worms, before 

 they inclose themselves up, fill with Silke the great emp- 



the adnoiiiti >f this our Old World ; but to the ex- 

 altation and glory of incomparable Virginia, in the New. 



Where Worms and Food doe naturally abound, 

 A Gallant Silken Trade must there be found: 

 / irginia excells the World in both, 

 Envie nor Malice can gaine say this troth 

 Many a man the causes faine would heare, 

 How these rare Worms came first or still come there. 

 In-..'.!:, produced are by heat and moisture 

 Who in strange shapes and forms do oft appeare. 

 In Spring "nr trees tin- Caterpillers reare; 

 Their trees likewise these noble creatures beare. 

 And some proceed from eggs that scaped are 

 I' V'ln their enemies sight, which thing is rare. 

 They feed not 011I3 on the Mulberry 

 Which in cur World side food is held to be 

 For ill such precious Worms of that degree: 

 Bui Poplar, Plum, Crab, Oake, and Apple tree, 

 ¥ea Cherry, and tree called Pohickery: 

 S 1 .111 llir Shrubs and Bushes feed full many 

 Her Worms are huge whose bottoms dare 

 With Lemmons of the largest size compare. 

 And twenty one of" ours will sure poize less 

 Then one of theirs for weight and ponderousness. 

 Master Wiilium Wright of JYansaniound 

 Found Bottoms aline seven Inches round. 

 And though the Silk prove not all out so fine 

 As Pt rsian, (hat. 's no let to the designe, 

 For since a thousand of our Bottoms make 

 But one pound of line Silk, you '1 ten pounds take 

 From theirs. If we at Thirty shillings sell 

 Our pound, for twenty they 1 afford theirs well. 

 The paines that s taken is alike in either 

 But the gaines by theirs eight times greater : 

 Then, we confined are to the Mulberry 

 for food, their Worms have great Variety. 

 Her dainty coloured flies and large Worms 

 In length and bigness do surpass men's Thumbs. 

 Whereas curs short of little fingers come. 

 Our tlies come out in twenty days and lay 

 Eggs, theirs not still three hundred as they say 

 ( > v. ondrous thing ! a Worm. to fast so long 

 And then come out a painted Fly so strong. 

 Nine months full out our eggs unhatch't remnine 

 Nine daics in Spring makes theirs revive againe 

 A Planter (I wish they had him named) 

 A spoontiill egos from one fly he gamed 

 Which to five hundred at least amounted 

 So shortly endless they must be counted. 

 In March they first begin to live and feed 

 In JipriXl they have done the Silken deed 

 The sweetest, pleasantst time in all the yeare. 

 You to this Wealth the chanting Birds will cheare 

 Ami ten monethfe time they leave you with great ease 

 To spend it in what profit you shall please. 

 Rare Worms who feeding five and forty daics 

 On leaves of sundry Plants and shrubs repaies 

 Their keepers with fine Silke which wants no strength 

 And yet extends itself some miles in length 

 And tiir the labour of a Man and Boy 

 They gaine you Sixty pounds which is no toy. 

 If you from birds protect them on the trees 

 (Their naturall mansions) 't will them best please 

 Yum panics is spar'd in giving them the leaves 

 By which alone you gaine their Silken sleavcs 

 For non-parrel Virginia in her Woods, 

 Brings forth as all men know these precious goods : 

 Where thousand fleeces fit for Princes Robes 

 On Virgin-trees shall hang in Silken Globes. 

 The noble Worm so hardy, strong and stout 

 No weather ill is able them to rout. 

 The reasons why the numbers are so small 

 The Cruell Birds devoure most of them all 

 When they are Worms, yea Eggs or Silken ball. 

 Most bottoms likewise on the leaves are spun 

 Both falling to the ground do perish soon 

 Those only found that spun are on the branch 

 Not by their care but providentiall chance 

 Which only show themselves when all is bare 

 To find in Summer any 'tis most rare. 

 If to prevent both dangers you intend 

 A Reedy-Arhour well will doe't, you '1 find 



tinesse, and afterwards inclose themselves in the middle 

 of it, so they have a double Bottom. The loose Sleave 

 Silk is all on the outside of this compass, for if that were 

 reckoned in, the compass of the Bottom would far ex- 

 ceed this proportion : But this is sufficient to be the 

 Wonder of the whole World : to the Glory of the Crea- 

 tor, and Exaltation of VIRGINIA." 



Or slightest coverture in any kind 

 The skill and paines to all each Child can do; 

 As you shall find on triad tis most true. ' 

 \ ] i.l may in Wealth compare with rich Peru. 

 And for all Tooles that appertaine thereto 

 A Twelve-penny Reele is all it will cost you, 

 No wit. no strength, no purse, no stock will need 

 I01I lies and hands, the Worms to guard and feed. 

 And thus you see is done the Silken deed: 

 Which brings you so gnat wealth with so much speed. 

 Five hundred pounds worth of rich Silk, all know 

 Freights less than ten pounds in poore Tobacco 

 Silkes are no trash, no toy. nor Pedlars ware ; 

 Staple, good, ami ready ebinke every where. 

 Twenty shillings a pound t' will yield you cleare 

 And Ships !.i fetch it will come flying there. 

 tjuecnes of the best edition need not scorne 

 In her owne Livery to serve this Worm : 

 Only to give her leaves is all she craves 

 And in reward with Silk shee '1 make you brave. 

 Out of her rich belly by her mouth spun 

 Weaves it into a most curious bottom 

 Winch by a Reele turning with hand of man 

 Is wholly wound off most neatly againe 

 To feed Silk- Worms no Calino- can disdaine 

 Seeing tiny yeild you so much honest gaine 

 No imployment in the World so likely 

 To make so soone your loste Savage Wealthy. 

 For bis Silk Bottoms in exchange shall have 

 From English, what he so needs, begs and craves 

 Red coats, hose, shooes, knives, they highly deeme 

 Jewes-Trumps, Bells, Beads, all toys, no less esteeme. 



If all be thus the cause you now demand 

 Why hath this knowledge been thus long detained 

 And but now by the Ladies Books inflam'd 

 Ignorance of Planters so strange hath been 

 Till now ne 're knew nor dreainpt of this rich thing 

 Contest it is, that of t some they have seene 

 Regardlessly, but ne 're did them esteeme. 

 Which loss of Wealth & Honour they '1 regaine 

 And Virgins Counsell follow will amaine 

 The happy onset they this spring have made 

 Assures them all a stately pretious trade 

 Sir Henry Chichly that Heroick Knight 

 Affirms ther 's not an ingenuous Wight 

 In Virginia but makes all speed he can 

 To be er 'e long a Silken noble man. 

 And say, Colonel Ludlow certifies 

 That thence Iron Silk great profit will arise 

 Yea worthy Bernard that stout Colonel 

 Informes the Lady the work most facile 

 And of rich Silken stuffe. made shortly there 

 He hopes that he and others shall soon weare 

 So major John Westropc saith. Silk will be| 

 A gallant designe for their brave Country. 

 Thunder was that, that some men onely doubt 

 But triad made this Spring puts that feare out 

 In all Lands where Worms are kept tis wonder 

 To hear that any were harm'd by thunder. 

 Their naturall Worm proves this more truer 

 Mr. Gorge Lobs that prudent old planter 

 Tells her that Worms ne 're spun Silk daintier. 

 Lets give those Gentlewomen their full dues 

 Mistress Garret and Burbagc for Silk clues 

 That Colonell's Wife need not farr to rove 

 Her Court affords a pleasant Mulberry Grove ; 

 But noble Digs carries the bell away 

 (Lass ! want of eggs made so small the essay) 

 His two Armenians from Turky sent 

 Are now most busy on his brave attempt 

 And had he stock sufficient for next yeare 

 Ten thousand pound of Silk would then appeare 

 And to the skies his worthy deeds upreare. 

 Loe here what mistress Mary Ward hath sent 

 And to her Lady Cosin she presents 

 Ten rare Bottoms took from her Apple tree 

 That all England may it beleeve and see. 

 Her honor'd Kins-man Esquire Ferrar 

 To confirme and make the wonder greater 

 Ten more likewise hath sent her, which he found 

 On stately Oakes, and Shrubs that kiss the ground 

 And Doctor Russell that learned Phisitian 

 Hath with his, made a full addition. 

 For things more slowly do affect the minde 

 Which eares do heare then those that ies do find 

 Now from smoke Virginia shall be raised 

 And throughout the World be duly praised. 

 Ah Blest be God that now in his due time 

 This Silken light apparently doth shine 



Then come, Oh come with sacred Lays 



Let us sound the Almighty's praise. 



J. F. 



