190 THE MODERN HISTORY OF SILK. 



at least to those who engage in the breeding of them 

 for mercantile purposes. 



The chief reasons for recommending the full folia- 

 tion of the mulberry tree, for the regulation of this 

 matter, are these : The first is, that there may be 

 a sufficient store of their natural food ready for the 

 young worms as soon as they are excluded from the 

 eggs, which will preclude all necessity for seeking 

 after other food. A second is, that these worms 

 being originally natives of a warm climate, may be 

 sure to be brought to life when the air is of a tempera- 

 ture congenial and agreeable to them, since it is a 

 general observation among gardeners, that when the 

 mulberry tree begins to expand its foliage, it is a 

 certain sign of the near approach of fine, warm, settled 

 weather. A third reason is, that the mulberry trees 

 may be permitted to put forth a good quantity of 

 leaves before any of them are plucked, that so they 

 may not suffer so much in health from being stript 

 of their foliage as they otherwise would do, and maj 

 be equal to the support of a much larger stock of 

 insects. For it is certain, that the leaves are as 

 necessary to the life of a vegetable as the skin or the 

 lungs are to that of an animal. If, therefore, most of 

 the young leaves are immediately cropped off as soo 

 as they expand, the consequence undoubtedly will be, 

 that the tree will be so backward and retarded in 

 putting forth its leaves, that it will not produce near 

 the quantity it otherwise would have done, and if 

 this usage is often repeated, will ultimately be 

 destroyed. 



