104 



AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



[March, 



The amount of silk produced in the State, and the amount 

 of bounty paid under the law awarding a premium on its pro- 

 duction, are given in the subjoined tables, showing also the 

 largest amount of silk and of cocoons produced by any one 

 mdividual in each year. 



Amount of Silk and Cocoons, produced in Massachusetts, and 

 bounty on the same ; as obtained from the office of the Secre- 

 tary of the State. 



in. Mulberry Trees. Varieties. — In the silk cuUure it is 

 perfectly obvious that the tree is matter of primary considera- 

 tion. There are several varieties of the mulberry, on which 

 the worms can be subsisted and made to produce silk, but the 

 trees are of very different values. 



1. The Black Mulberry, which is indeed a native of some 

 parts of the country, is of different varieties, and will produce 

 silk though not equally well ; but the silk made from worms fed 

 upon this tree is harsh and coarse. The tree will endure our 

 climate well, but for the reasons above given, it is not an eligi- 

 ble variety. 



2. The White Mulberry is not indigenous in the country ; 

 and was imported into Europe centuries ago from Asia, but it 

 has now been for years so widely extended, that it is as famil- 

 iar as any of our native trees. It is universally conceded that 



