398 ON THE CULTIVATION OF SILK IN TASMANIA. 



crossing the Line ; there would, therefore, be the less chance of risk in 

 introducing them into Tasmania. 



I now pass on to the members of the Genus Bombyx, or true Silk- 

 worm. 



Bombyx religiosce (Heifer, 1837). — This is a native of Assam, where it 

 feeds on the leaves of the Ficus religiosce. It yields a silk, if not superior, 

 yet certainly equal to the B. Mori. The cocoon shows the finest fila- 

 ment, and has very much silky lustre. It is exceedingly smooth to the 

 touch, and very different from the cocoon of the mulberry moth (pure 

 silkworm). 



Bombyx Huttoni (Westwood, 1847). — A native of Mussoorie. It feeds 

 on the leaves of the wild mulberry. It cannot be treated like the 

 domestic kinds, but must be reared upon the trees. On the tree it is 

 perfectly free from restlessness, and saves a vast expense in feeding. 

 The worm spins in all weather, whereas the common silkworm is apt to 

 be thrown off work by a passing cloud. 



Bombyx Horsjieldi (Moore, 1858), from Java, and B. subnotata 

 (Walker, 1S59), from Singapore, also belong to India. 



Bombyx mori. — From late researches it appears that the disease of 

 the silkworm is caused principally by a disease of the mulberry trees, 

 on the leaves of which the silkworm is fed. This disease can be cured 

 by placing the infected eggs for some time in a box containing a little 

 spirit of turpentine. But this treatment does not prevent the re- 

 appearance of the disease upon the worms when they are fed upon the 

 leaves of diseased mulberry trees. The silkworm in France (before this 

 disease broke out) ordinarily produced about 150,000,000 francs worth 

 of raw silk. This silk, after being manufactured at Lyons, Nismes. and 

 St. Etienne, acquired a value ot 310,000,000 of francs. The annual 

 average production of cocoons in France from 1846 to 1852 was 53 mil- 

 lion pounds ; which had diminished from 1853 to 1861 to 26g million 

 pounds. The disease, therefore, becomes a perfect scourge, and we can 

 easily imagine of what importance it is considered to discover a remedy. 



The following paper was then read by Mr. Stutzer : — 



I had intended to have made seme observations upon the Ailanthus, 

 but fortunately Mr. Ewing has anticipated me, and I will only now 

 notice one or two particulars to which he has not alluded. The culti- 

 vation of the Ailanthus, which is spreading rapidly in France, has been 

 created by the present Emperor of the French. The merit of its intro- 

 duction into Tasmania belongs exclusively to Mr. Ewing. In the middle 

 of last year he showed me the articles on the Ailanthus in ' All the 

 Year Round,' and finding that there was a full-grown tree in the Botanical 

 Gardens, I obtained a number of suckers from it. About the same time 

 Mr. Ewing received 100 specimens from Professor Mueller, at Melbourne. 

 Of the plants which I have planted out myself a great number have 

 been destroyed by rabbits ; but the rest have thriven most vigorously. 

 They seem to do best in alluvial soil, but those at the Queen's Asylum 



