31 



from Cashmere, where they are abundant, by his agents, Messrs. 

 Wattenbach, Heilgers, and Company, of Calcutta, who will be 

 happy to procure a supply for Government if requested to do so. 



8. I have the pleasure to forward herewith a skein of silk made 

 here from the Moongha cocoon of Assam as an experiment. It 

 is of a light brown color and glossy appearance, and silk of this 

 description would fetch ten shillings per pound in the Calcutta 

 market probably. I also enclose a skein of fine Bengal silk equal 

 in quality to the finest made at this season of the year, and 

 worth twenty-two shillings per pound in Calcutta. 



The annexures received with your note are returned herewith. 



Prom J. P. GRANT, Esq., Collector of Bancoorah, to the Com- 

 missioner of the Burdwan Division (No. 124, dated Camp, 

 Sonamookhy, the 16th November, 1869.) 



SIB, 



I have the honor to reply to your memorandum No. 134, 

 dated 25th September, 1869, on the subject of silkworms. 



2. The private rearing of silkworms is not practised in this 

 district ; but as it is practised in a tract only just over the 

 border, i.e., in the Bograh (Midnapore) pergunnah of the Gur- 

 bettah sub-division, and as the raw silk thus spun is largely 

 manufactured into fabrics in the district, I have considered it 

 useful to lay before you the information received by me from 

 Baboo E-uttun Lall Ghose, the deputy collector of Gurbettah, 

 although you have in all probability already received it through 

 the collector of Midnapore. 



3. The deputy collector has evidently, from the terms of his 

 report, understood the inquiry of Government to extend only 

 to the domesticated silkworm. As, however, the Australian 

 memorandum appears to refer exclusively to wild silkworms, 

 I have added such remarks as I have been able to collect on the 

 culture of the tusser silk moth, which is to a limited extent carried 

 on in the jungles of this district, and to a very much greater 

 extent in the jungles of the neighbouring district of Maunbhoom. 

 I may here remark that the second name in the list given in the 

 Australian memorandum of worms sought for from India is 

 evidently that of the Indian tusser moth, disguised in atrocious 

 typography. 



4. Of the silkworms proper, i.e., of the domesticated breed, 

 the Baboo describes two species, one very much larger than the 

 other, but both reared in houses, on trays and macJians, and fed 

 upon cut mulberry leaves. There is however a vast difference 

 between the two species in point of prolificness ; the smaller 

 kind being reproduced in constant succession every six weeks or 

 two months, while the larger kind breed only once a year. I 



