1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 237 



I do not doubt, but that under the most favorable circumstances, a 

 few pounds of cocoons might be produced on 10 or 12 lbs. of leaves to 

 the lb. of cocoons. Nor do I doubt that 1 lb. of reeled silk may be 

 produced from S lbs. of cocoons, or even less. Much depends on the 

 quality of the cocoons, and more on the time when they are weighed, 

 whether in a fresh and green, or entirely dry state. I could have se- 

 lected from my lot, even in a fresh state, 8 lbs. of cocoons, which 

 would, beyond all question, have produced 1 lb. of reeled silk — but 

 this would be no test of the profit of the business. 



Last year I produced at the rate of 510 lbs. of cocoons to the acre 

 — this year I produced at the rate of 520 — and my deliberate opinion 

 is, that more will fall below this standard than will exceed it — and in 

 one case, where a less quantity of leaves will give the above quantity of 

 silk, two cases will occur that will require a greater. 



Greatly will it be for the interests of the community, if it shall be 

 found on farther experience, that 80 or 100 lbs. of leaves will make 1 

 lb. of reeled silk, instead of 214 or 215, as required in my experiment; 

 for my quarter of an acre did produce 2,576 lbs. of leaves, and the 

 trees were not stripped remarkably close either — then the amount of 

 reeled silk per acre would be the handsome yield of 104 to 128 lbs ! ! 

 A result I utterly despair of seeing realized. 



The above shews us 48 lbs. of reeled silk, 16 oz. to the lb. as the pro- 

 duct of an acre. If this is worth, as I understand it now is, $6 per lb., 

 then the gross proceeds of an acre will be ^288. The first year, let it 

 be remembered. Or if it should be worth but $4.50 per lb., which is 

 undoubtedly the safest price at which to rate it, the gross proceeds of 

 an acre will then be §216. 



In regard to the cost of production, it is confidently asserted by 

 many, that it can be produced for S2 per lb. Mine cost me much 

 more than this. My experience, however, satisfies me that it can be 

 produced for f2.25 per lb., and I incline to the belief that it 7?iai/ be 

 produced for $2. Produced on a farm in a small way, the cost will 

 be next to nothing — the whole product will be clear gain. Now take 

 the product of an acre as above stated, at $288, and allow this to be 

 made at an expense of $2 per lb., you have a net profit of 8192 per 

 acre ! ! Allow the cost of production to be 82.25, and you still have 

 a net profit of $180. Again — take the product at $216, (allowing the 

 silk to be worth only $4 50 per lb.) and let the cost of production be 

 $2, it gives a net profit of $120 per acre — but allow the cost of pro- 

 duction to be $2.25 per lb. — the sum at which I know it can be made 



