1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 129 



duct ; but how much more may be obtained it would be idle 

 to state, until some exact experiments have determined this im- 

 portant point. I have before me various calculations of 100 

 lbs. 150 lbs. 167 lbs. 185 lbs. 333 lbs. 6G6 lbs., to an acre ; but I 

 have little sjanpathy in the hallucinations of those minds which 

 prefer moonlight to clear sunshine. Fifty jx)unds of silk to an 

 acre then affords the only safe basis on which at present we 

 may make our calculations as to the profit of the business. 



VIII. Quantity of Leaves to a Pound. — There are some 

 other points connected with the culture of silk, to which it seems 

 proper to refer. In all cases of this nature, well established 

 facts are what we mainly seek after. When I speak of well 

 established facts, it will be understood that I do not estimate 

 testimony merely by the number of witnesses ; for with re- 

 spect to agricultural matters, as in other matters, a large portion 

 of mankind in what they state only echo the sentiments of 

 others, and they perhaps persons not very competent to teach ; 

 and are like parrots, who can utter only what they have heard 

 others say. 



It is often stated that one hundred pounds of leaves will 

 feed worms which will make 1 lb. of silk. Aaron Clapp, of 

 Hartford, states, that 80 lbs. of the Perottet mulberry leaves 

 will do it, and this is asserted by many others. I do not learn 

 from Mr. Clapp's convei-sation or his book, that this result has 

 been reached by actual trial ; but like the boy, who had learnt 

 his multiplication table, when asked if he had been through 

 his arithmetic, replied that he had been so far as to see through. 

 The problem, however, has, perhaps been more nearly solved 

 by some others, and to their authority we shall defer. 



Ralph Storrs, of Mansfield, Connecticut, states, that it requires 

 200 lbs. of the white mulberry leaves for one pound of silk. 

 Joseph Conant of the same place, says, from 100 to 120 lbs. of 

 leaves will make one pound of silk. I cannot reconcile the dif- 

 ference in the testimony of these two gentlemen, both of whom 

 are experienced in tiie silk culture; but by supposing that they 

 have never made an exact measurement in the case ; or that the 

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