EXPERIMENT IN RAISING SILK. 105 



of a friend in Bristol County ; the others from Mr. Boynton of 

 Newbury ; to both of whom I am under much obhgation for the 

 important and truly practical information very readily given on 

 the subject of feeding the worms. Mr. Boynton has had a 

 second crop of the white worm furnished me. 



I raised three crops of worms on the same tables. Five crops 

 might be raised by anticipating the spinning of one by the 

 hatching of another, and keeping them the first ten days on 

 smaller fixtures, as they then need occupy but little space. 



My own observation would not justify cutting the leaves into 

 pieces to feed them when young, either upon the principle of 

 economy or for the benefit and safety of the worm. The more 

 tender leaves should be gathered for the young, but they should 

 be given whole. My impression, also, is that it is better to cut 

 off the small limbs and give them to the worms with the leaves 

 on them than to strip the leaves off. The worms feed better 

 this way, eat the leaves more closely, have better opportunity to 

 move and enjoy better air, and are more easily transferred from 

 one table to another when cleaning becomes necessary, while it 

 is necessary to perform this much less frequently when the 

 limbs are used than when the leaves separately are spread out 

 for them. I think also that the tree is much less injured in this 

 way than by stripping it of its leaves. Trimming, even if it be 

 severe and close, seldom injures trees ; while exfoliating even if 

 it be in a limited manner is almost always injurious. I may be 

 mistaken, if I am the Directors of your Society are abundantly 

 able to set me right, in the supposition that the putting forth 

 of new limbs with leaves is much less exhausting to trees of any 

 kind, than the putting forth of new leaves from limbs exfoliated 

 in the heat of summer. 



i have seen it observed somewhere, that the dried leaves of a 

 former }'ear, prepared by pulverizing and wetting, will answer to 

 feed the young worm when first hatched in the spring. I can- 

 not speak from experience on this subject. I have some leaves 

 in keeping to try this season. I have, however, reason from the 

 foUovv'ing circumstance to think that they will answer that pur- 

 pose. Many of the ends of the small limbs of my mulberry 



