ON MULBERRY TREES AND SILK. 51 



er year, some persons will be able to give the society 

 a more perfect account of the state and prospects in 

 our county of the silk culture, from experiments on 

 a more extended scale. Mr. Joshua Tappan and 

 lady, of Newbury, seem to have done the most of 

 any in the county, within my knowledge, in this cul- 

 ture; and should they persevere with the assiduity 

 they have manifested, they ought to be encouraged. 

 As for myself, if the unavoidable misfortunes which 

 have interrupted my experiments the present season, 

 should not again intervene, I shall pursue the enter- 

 prize in future on a larger scale, and hope to show 

 the society a better result. 



I would only remark, that in my experiments I 

 have pursued exclusively the natural system, no 

 artificial heat was employed, and none is required 

 by this system. It is this, which farmers and all 

 those who may practise silk growing incidentally 

 will follow. It is well known that in the silk grow- 

 ing countries of Europe, it is necessary to create 

 artificial heat, even to hatch the eggs, that the pea- 

 sants often carry tliem in their bosoms several days 

 for this purpose; but in our climate, so congenial to 

 this culture, nothing of this is necessary, nor is arti- 

 ficial heat required to promote the progress and 

 growth of the worm. But when pursued as an ex- 

 clusive business, it may be well to adopt what is 

 called the artificial system, as more profit could un- 

 doubtedly be derived. By the former system, no 

 thermometers, no stoves for heating the apartments, 

 and, according to the new theory which has been 

 before mentioned, no ice-houses, or refrigerators for 

 retarding the hatching of eggs, will be required. 

 Any common out-building, or room of the house, 

 kept clean and well ventilated, will answer all the 

 purposes required. 



I must apologize for making so many general re- 

 marks, aside from the duty required of me, that of a 

 simple statement of facts, giving the manner of con- 

 ducting the experiments for which I have asked a 



