THE TECHNOLOGIST. [March 1, 1864- 



348 SERICULTURE IN OUDH. 



odour as its secretion, when cooked, are commonly used as an article of 

 diet by those near whose abodes it grows. And the white inner part of 

 the stem of the full grown plant, which reaches the stature of a man, is 

 considered a delicacy when roasted and flavoured with salt and butter. 



The annual value of the asafcetida trade with India is estimated in 

 the government reports of the North West Provinces at about 2,200Z. 



SERICULTURE IN OUDH. 



BY DR. E. BONAVIA, 

 Secretary of the Agri-Horticultural Society of Oudh. 



About the beginning of 1647,* Captain Hollings, who had charge of 

 the Oharbagh in Lucknovv, introduced the large-leaved China mul- 

 berry plant into that garden. He had formed a small plantation ; 

 commenced making experiments with silkworms, and had actually 

 reared some, but as he quitted the station, and no one undertook to 

 continue the experiments, Captain Hollings' successes did not result in 

 anything. The mulberry plantation was eventually dug up, and the 

 land used for other purposes. In 1861, when the Agri-Horticultural 

 Society of Oudh was instituted, I undertook the propagation ol all the 

 kinds of mulberry trees that were found useful by those who had 

 tried the rearing of silkworms. 



I discovered that some of the trees of the large-leaved China mul- 

 berry, originally introduced by Captain Hollings, were still in existence 

 in the Charbagh. I procured some cuttings of them, and commenced 

 a plantation in the Badshabagh, consisting of about one hundred plants 

 or so. From these in 18G2, I distributed two hundred cuttings to each. 

 District Officer in Oudh, and planted a good number for my own expe- 

 riments. When the Agri-Horticultural Society's Garden was first com- 

 menced at the Secunderbagh, I procured a supply of mulberry cuttings 

 of the small-leaved and of the cut-leavedf China mulberry from Saha- 

 runpore, subsequently I procured a second supply from the same place, 

 and smaller packets Iroru Mr. Turnbull, of Bengal, and Captain Hutton, 

 of Mussoorie. 



This year (1863), I have distributed from the Saharunpore stock 

 planted in the Agri-Horticultural Society's Garden, nearly 9,000 of two 

 or three sorts. 



* Vide Pamphlet " On the Introduction of the Silkworm into the Punjab," 

 by Mr. H. Cope. 



+ I do not designate the kinds of mulberries by their Botanical name, because 

 I do not think those we are acquainted with have yet been referred to their 

 proper species ; possibly they are mere varieties. 



