39 



present price, however, of Tusser spun yarn is lis. per lb., 

 actually greater, on account of the present large demand, 

 than Tusser organzine and tram made of native-reeled raw, 

 which can he bought at 7s. 6d to 10s. per lb. 



Thus, for both Indian and English silk-carpet weaving, 

 a new application lies open, as well as other uses now- 

 being developed. As far as my examination has been able 

 to extend, I have not found in the immense collection of 

 native-dyed silks of all kinds of manufacture, artistic or 

 industrial, in the New Indian Museum, any specimens of 

 dyed Tusser silk except in the new collection of Indian 

 wild silk which I have had the honour to prepare and 

 arrange there. 



In addition to the fabrics before mentioned, Tusser silk is 

 used for the manufacture of beautiful woven cloths, which 

 are styled grenadine or mandarin. 



Had the people of India been able to have had Tusser 

 silk dyed into their artistic colours, no doubt this silk would 

 have been utilised for carpets and other kinds of art and 

 industrial coloured work. 



I much regret that, owing to the superior quickness of 

 the Chinese, they are trying to supply the present demand, 

 and most of the Tusser waste and raw silk now finding its 

 way to England is from China. It behoves, therefore, 

 every one interested in India, both in governing and trading- 

 there, to open up the produce of a country in which this 

 silk is so widespread. 



The following table shows the state of the London market 

 in Tusser silk for the last few years and the remarkably 

 increased consumption since the Paris Exhibition of 1878: — ■ 



The average consumption for the four years ending 1877 

 was 238 bales, whilst the consumption for 1878, the year that 

 attention was drawn to it by the Paris exhibits, more than 



