40 



A. H. BLECHYNDEN, ESQ., to DR. G-. BENNETT, HON. SECKETAEY 

 or ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY OF NEW houra WALES. 



[Per Steamer " Hindostan."] 



Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, 



Metcalfe Hill, Calcutta, 11 April, 1870. 

 DEAE SIB, 



In continuation of my letter of the lltli February last, I 

 I have the pleasure to advise despatch, by this opportunity, per 

 pattern post, registered and paid, of a small perforated tin box, 

 containing eggs of the "Boro Poloo" (Bombyx textor), or annual 

 silkworms, and trust they will reach safely and in good order. 



Other silkworms' eggs from Assam, the plants the worms feed 

 on, together with seeds of such plants, are in course of collection, 

 and will have despatch immediately they are procured. 



Tours faithfully, 



A. H. BLECHYNDEN, 



Secretary. 



CHAELES BEADY, ESQ., to THE HONOEABLE THE COLONIAL 

 SECEETAEY, SYDNEY. 



Curl-Curl, Manly, 



17 March, 1870. 



SIE, 



I desire to call your attention to a subject which, under 

 present circumstances, may become of large and immediate im- 

 portance to the interests of the Colony. 



I believe that some time last year a despatch from Lord G-ran- 

 ville made this Government acquainted with the representations 

 of the Silk Supply Association of London, and thereby, both 

 with the urgent necessity in England for a larger import of silk 

 to make up the actual deficiency of raw material for manufacture, 

 and also with the excellent opportunity for Colonial producers 

 to enter the market at the present time, when not only England 

 but every Continental country suffers from the extreme scarcity 

 and high price of this article. The scarcity, owing to the con- 

 tinued devastations by disease of silkworms all over Europe, in 

 all probability may last for years, and it appears opportune for 

 me to request your particular consideration of Lord Granville's 

 despatch, and the contents of this present letter, which may 

 largely conduce to the future welfare of the Colony. 



My own personal knowledge and experience in the treatment 

 of silkworms in New South "Wales and Queensland for several 

 years justify me in expressing my conviction that this part of 

 Australia at any rate is peculiarly well adapted for the production 

 of cocoons. I began the study of the subject in 1862, and have 

 since devoted myself exclusively to this pursuit in all its 



