1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 239 



As to the quality of the silk, I do not profess to be a judge. It ob- 

 tained the gold medal, at the fair of the American Institute in October 

 last, and intelligent judges pronounced it superior. 



Now I say other varieties of the mulberry may 7nalie more and better 

 silk than the Multicaulis. But lias any individual actually produced 

 more and better silk from any other tree, from a quarter of an acre? 

 Until this is done, the public will be slow to believe that so many 

 intelligent men are deceived, and that the Multicaulis is good for 

 nothing. 



It is my deliberate conviction, that the Morus Multicaulis will be the 

 prevailing tree for silk in this country, as well because it is peculiarly 

 adapted to the silk worm, as because great expense will be saved in 

 gathering the leaves. The same amount of foliage can be gathered 

 from the Multicaulis, with probably half the expense, that it can be 

 gathered from any other variety of the mulberry. 



I entertain now an unwavering conviction that the silk business will 

 triumphantlif succeed in our country. That it promises to do more 

 for the comfort of the indigent and dependent portion of our commu- 

 nity, especially for indigent females, and to add more to the wealth of 

 the nation than can now be told." 



[T. — For Table, see end of the Report.] 



u. 



MESSRS. Cheney's experiment. 



The Messrs. Cheney have favored the public with an account of their 

 experience in feeding silk worms, after the plan of M. Catnille Beau- 

 vais. I subjoin il as a highly interesting and valuable document, and 

 showing remarkable results. The cocoonery of Messrs. Cheney, at 

 Burlington, New Jersey, which I had the pleasure of visiting, is on the 

 most approved plan. 



I subjoin a comparison of the two results from G. B. Smith, of 

 Baltimore, to whose intelligence, activity and ability, in relation to this 

 important branch of industry, the agricultural public are largely in- 

 debted. 



" We followed, as near as circumstances would permit, the plan re- 

 commended by M. C. Beauvais, an account of which we have pub- 

 lished, and succeeded in terminating the crop in twenty-four days ; and 



