

130 THE EVOLUTION OF OUR NATIVE FRUITS 



In this abounding new country, all the rural 

 schemes which had proved to be visionary in England 

 could be expected to thrive. One of the most inflated 

 of all these instructions for the betterment of the 

 colony was a treatise by Samuel Hartlib, published in 

 1655, called "The Reformed Virginian Silk Worm.'' 

 The most remarkable part of this book is a Letter 

 "wherein the Experiment of a vertuous Lady of this 

 Nation for the breeding of Silk-worms, is addressed 

 unto the Planters of Virginia."* This lady sets herself 

 before the reader in a most ambitions introduction: 

 "Hearken wel you beloved Planters, to what in these 

 few lines I shall declare unto you ; and is thus senl 

 yon in Print, that all of you may communicate the 

 great and superlative good and benefit will be unto 

 every one of you: who so is wise, "'ill ponder these 

 things, and give praise and glory to God, the Author 

 of all good Inventions, how Providence having brought 

 this to pass for all your exceeding great happiness and 

 increase of store <>f wraith, with so much ease, so little 

 labour, no cost unto you ; and in BO short a time OS 

 fourty dales, this wealth Howes in upon you. * * 

 She hath I say this Spring found out (by the special! 

 blessing of God upon her intentions) so rare, so speedy. 



and so costless a way and means for the feeding of 



Silkwormes ; by the trial] and experiment she bo luckily 

 made, to the admiration of all that have seen or heard 

 of it, as a thing scarce credible ; because doI heretofore 



thought of, nay. as it were, held impossible by such 



*Hartllbwai ■ prominent man of h\- time, and made what i- probe 



lir-t .1. Unit.' j. lan for :i Khool of egrlenHnre. s.-.- n brief *W.-t<-li «>f the mm 

 end a rammers of in- iTaneement "f duebandry-Laexnlng, 



1851, in Garden end Foreet, vol. i . i 





