252 TEAVEL, ADVENTUEE, AND SPOET. 



part of the sum was expended on the construction 

 of buildings in which an equal temperature could be 

 maintained for the silk-worms. I saw the process of 

 extracting and winding the silk in the factory beside 

 Srinagar : it was skilfully conducted, and the threads 

 produced were remarkably fine and perfect. The 

 mulberry trees of Kashmir have hitherto enjoyed 

 exemption from disease and injury from insects, so 

 that the prospects of this production are very good, 

 and a commencement has been made in weaving the 

 silk into cloth. The whole production is a monopoly 

 of Government ; but it gives increasing employment 

 to a considerable number of persons, on what, for 

 Kashmir, are good wages. In 1872 the amount of 

 dry cocoons produced amounted to 57,600 lb., and 

 the resulting revenue was estimated at 124,000 cliilki 

 rupees, a portion of it, however, being required for 

 the improvements which were made. 



The famous shawls of Kashmir are now somewhat 

 at a discount in the world, except in France, where 

 they still form a portion of almost every bride's 

 trousseau, and where, at least in novels, every lady 

 of the demi-monde is described as wrapped in un vrai 

 Cachemere, and wearing a pair of Turkish slippers. 

 France alone takes about 80 per cent of the Kashmir 

 shawls exported from Asia; the United States of 

 America take 10, Italy 5, Eussia 2, and Great 

 Britain and Germany only 1 per cent each. Of 

 course the late war almost entirely destroyed the 



