22 



economy of labour and capital as well as risk. We feel diffident 

 in saying much more to your Excellency, as your desire to improve 

 the condition of the people under your rule, as well as to benefit 

 your countrymen elsewhere, is so well understood, but it may 

 not be impertinent for me to say that in many ways parts of the 

 empire may act and react on each other with mutual advantage, 

 and it is very evident that with judicious encouragement England 

 and her possessions may enjoy a very large share of the most 

 profitable trade in silk. 



The Council of this Society trusts your Excellency may be 

 pleased to direct that Captain Hutton to be made aware of the 

 sense of obligation the Society feels to him for his paper, and 

 also to Dr. De Vecchy for his valuable packet. 



I have, &c., 

 GEOBGE BENNETT, M.D., 



Hon. Secretary, Acclimatisation 

 Society of N. S. "Wales. 



\EnclosureJ] 



Charles Brady, Esq., to Dr. G. Bennett, Hon. Secretary, Acclimatisation 

 Society of New South Wales. 



Dear Sir, 



I have carefully examined the parcel of silkworms' eggs just arrived 

 from India, and have the pleasure to say that although the varieties are in 

 part similar to some of my own, they form a very desirable and valuable 

 addition to the useful sorts which Australia is now acquiring. The society 

 may be congratulated on the success which has in this instance attended the 

 Viceroy's efforts to assist the difficult enterprise of introducing the silk 

 industry into Australia ; the eggs were admirably packed, and arrived in 

 perfect condition. 



A portion of the eggs was already hatched so that a further short delay 

 would have been fatal, but there is every probability of saving enough of 

 each breed for reproduction in the Colony. 



There appear to be two, if not three, separate varieties one a high class 

 race from Italy, by way of India ; a second unnamed ; the third Japanese 

 green (apparently different to that already imported by the Society) partly 

 acclimatised in India by Dr. De Vecchy, from whose estate also the Italian 

 eggs were obtained. 



At present the young worms appear healthy though small and pinched it 

 will probably take two or three generations to bring them up to our standard ; 

 indeed pretty well all my experience goes to convince me more and more that 

 the fresh food and new climate both operate powerfully towards restoring the 

 natural vigour which, for now so many years, appears to have deserted the 

 finest stocks of silkworms in Europe and there are not wanting symptoms 

 that even the pure and clean races of Japanese varieties may shortly become 

 more or less desolated by the same scourge which has deprived several mil- 

 lions of people in France and Italy of their most alluring and profitable 

 occupation. 



What I mean by our standard, is simply that degree of health and 

 physical vigour in the silkworm, which, for three consecufive years, gives it 

 power to commence, under ordinary circumstances, its natural course in due 

 season, and not before, and passing through all its changes without dispro- 

 portionate casualty (its management without unusual difficulty or special 



