CULTUEE OF SILKWORMS. 17 



but actually better than men. The Kuala Kangsar and Kriau 

 districts are the most suitaV)le, as in both places there is a com- 

 paratively thick Malay population, and very little mining near to 

 raise the price of laboui'. If some Malay chief of weight could 

 be induced to exert his influence on the people, silk culture 

 might, I believe, easily be estabhshed amongst the Malays. It is 

 essentially a peasant industry. To carry out this suggestion it 

 would be necessary to form nui'series of mulberries in the district 

 chosen for the experiment, so as to be able to supply plants to 

 the Malays, who should be induced to plant them in their kam- 

 pougs — not only those who are intending to rear the worms, but 

 others, who could afterwards sell leaf to the actual keepers of 

 the worms. On no account should the Ayer Kuning mulberries 

 be used to propagate from, as the leaf disease would be propa- 

 gated at the same time. 



Having secured the planting of the mulberries, the next step 

 woidd be to show, by an actual demonstration in the district, the 

 way in which the culture is to be carried on. 



Pui'e eggs would, of course, have to be siippHed, but by the 

 system already explained in detail, half a day's work with the 

 microscojje at each brood would be sufficient to supply all the 

 eggs needed for a long time to come. 



The silk when produced shotdd either be reeled locally by 

 the cultivators, or the cocoons should be sent to Europe for sale. 

 If reeled locally it must be done well, or the price is seriously 

 reduced. Reeling is almost always done l)y women, and here 

 again the onlv people who Avould be suited to the work would be 

 tiie Malays. 



Taiping, 

 Septemher 21f!t, 1892. 



