FARMERS' REGISTER— VIRGINIA NATURAL SILK WORM. 



735 



Where Worms and Food doe naturally abound, 

 A Gallant Silken Trade must there be found : 

 Virginia excells the World jn 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, 

 Insects produced are by heat and moisture 

 Who in strange sliapes and forms do oft appeare. 

 In Spring our trees the Caterpillers reare; 

 Their trees likewise these noble creatures beare. 

 And some proceed from eggs that scaped are 

 From their enemies sight, which thing is rare. 

 They feed not only on the Mulberry 

 Which in our World sole food is held to be 

 For all such precious Worms of that degree : 

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

 Yea Cherry, and tree called Pohickery: 

 So on the Shrubs and Bushes feed full many 

 Her Worms are liuge whose bottoms dare 

 AVith Lemmons of the largest size compare. 

 And twenty one of ours will sure poize less 

 Then one of theirs for weight and ponderousness. 

 Master William Wright of J^^ansemound 

 Found Bottoms above seven Inches round. 

 And though the Silk prove not all out so fine 

 As Persian, that's no let to the designe, 

 For since a thousand of our Bottoms make 

 But one pound of fine Silk, you'l ten pounds take 

 From theirs. If we at Thirty shillings sell 

 Our pound, for twenty they'l afibrd theirs well. 

 The paines tliat'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 colored flies and large Worms 

 In length and bigness do surpass menu's Thumbs. 

 AVhereas ours short of -little fingers come. 

 Our flies come out in twenty days and lay 

 Eggs, theirs not still three hundred as they say 

 O wondrous thing ! a Worm to fast so long 

 And then come out a painted Fly so strong. 

 Nine months full out our eggs unhatch't remaine 

 Nine daies in Spring makes theirs revive againe 

 A Planter (I wish they had him named) 

 A spoonfull eggs from one fly he gained 

 Which to five hundred at least amounted 

 So shortly endless they must be counted. 

 In March they first begin to live and feed 

 In Jlprill they have done the Silken deed 

 The sweetest, pleasantst time in all the yeare. 

 You to this wealth the chanting Birds will cheare 

 And ten moneths time they leave you with great ease 

 To spend it in what j)rofit you shall please. 

 Rare Worms who feeding five and forty daies 

 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 for the labour of a Man and Boy 

 They gaine you Sixty poiuids which is no toy. 

 If you from birds protect them on the trees 

 (Their naturall mansions) 't will them best please 

 Yo'ur paines is spar'd in giving them the leaves 

 By which alone you gaine their Silken sleaves 

 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 W^orm 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 f jund 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-Arbour well will doe't, you'l find 



Or slightest coverture in any kind 



The skill and paines to all each Child can do; 



As you shall find on triall tis most true. 



And may in "Wealth compare with rich Peru. 



And for all Tooles that apperlaine thereto 



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



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



But eies and hands, the Worms to guard and feed. 



And thus you see is done the Silken deed : 



Which brings you so great 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, and ready chinke every v»'here. 



Twenty shillings a paund t'will yield you cleare 



And Ships to fetch it will come flying there. 



dueenes 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'l make you brave. 



Out of her rich belly by her mouth spun 



Weaves it into a most curious bottom 



Which by a Reele tiu'ning with hand of man 



Is wholly wound oft" most neatly againe 



To feed Silk Worms no Caling can disdaine 



Seeing they yield you so much honest gaine 



No imployment in the World so likely 



To make so soone j'our loste Savage Wealthy. 



For his Silk Bottoms in exchange shall have 



From English, what he-so needs, begs and craves 



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



J ewes-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 drcampt of this rich thing 

 Confest it is, that oft some they have scene 

 Rrgardlessly, but ne're did them esteeme. 

 Which loss of Wealth and Honour they'l regaine 

 And FtVg»!s Counsell follow will amaine 

 The happy onset they this spring have made 

 Assures them all a stately pretious trade 

 Sir Henry ChicMy that Heroick Knight 

 Affirms iher'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 from Silk great profit will arise 

 Yea worthy Bernard that stovit Colonel 

 Informes the Lady the work most facile 

 And of rich Silken stuffe, made shortly there 

 He hopes that he and others shall soon wearc 

 .So major John Weslropc saith, Silk will be 

 A gallant designe for their brave Country. 

 Thunder was that, that some men onely doubt 

 But triall 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 Burbage for Silk clues 

 That ColoncU's Wife need not farr to rove 

 Her Court affords a pleasant Mulberry Grove j 

 But noble Digs carries the bell away 

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

 His two Jirmeniani from Tiirly 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 uprcare. 

 Loc here what mistress J\Iary Ward hath sent 

 And to her Lady Cosin she presents 

 Ten rare Bottoms took from her Apple tree 



