47 



prepared in a manner to form a favourable comparison with foreign 

 silk. He has devoted much attention to the subject for several 

 years, and is annually increasing in the quantity of silk produced, 

 as his means enable him to extend his operations. Mr. Boynton 

 also exhibited a machine for winding silk, which is understood to 

 be ingenious and useful in the culture of this article. He also pre- 

 sented the statement, annexed to this Report. 



Tlie Committee recommend a gratuity to Mr. Boynton of 85 

 J3y order of the Committee^ 



E. MOSELEY, Chairman, 



ENOCH BOYNTON'S STATEMENT. 



An account of a specuncn of Silky the growth of the year 1829. 



Silk-worm eggs began to hatch 22d and finished hatching 27th 

 of May, 1829. 



Silk-worms began to silk 21st of June and finished silking July 

 9th, 1829 ; there were but few idle or slow spinners, and but {e\w un- 

 healthy, all unhealthy worms were taken away and made no use of. 



On branches of the oak tree, with the green leaves on, the worms 

 made the best silk, with the least floss ; and did congregate the 

 most among the leaves and made the fewest double balls (double 

 balls are those in which two silk worms work together.) 



The eggs which were laid on green leaves by the silk miller, and 

 scraped off before hatching, were the best : green oak leaves and 

 green rushes are better than paper for the silk miller to lay her eggs 

 on, for the eggs can be separated with ease and spread on paper, 

 and stirred about two or three times a day, which \v\\\ give every 

 part of each egg a better chance for life. 



Sixteen hundred knots of raw silk, weighing 8 ounces, were drawn 

 from 1258 silk balls (cases or coccoons) which have 83 yards in 

 length in each knot ; the balls were taken without choosing as they 

 came to hand. 



Six silk-worm threads were drawn to make one raw silk thread, 

 making 633 yards of silk-worm thread, to each ball of the 1258 

 silk balls which were made into half a pound of raw silk. 



Neichury, Byfcld, 1829. ENOCH BOYNTON. 



N. B. The best way to take hold of any art or science is io 

 earn the leading principles, and work them out m detail by practice. 



