March 1, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



SERICULTURE IN OUDH. 351 



•went on till the 15th April, when it in a great measure stopped. The 

 worms remain a month or so in the feeding state, changing their skin 

 more than once. Then about two days giving out silk ; then in seven 

 or eight days they are moths, when they give about thirty-seven eggs 

 each, and die. 



"Three thousand cocoons are the result of the experiment. Of 

 these 600 have been sent to Mr. P. J. Carnegy to be reeled, and he pro- 

 nounces them to be ' very good ones, about as good as my own, and 

 better than some sent from Hurdui.' Of the remainder, fifty have been 

 sent to Mr. Cope, and the rest have been kept for seed, for next year's 

 operations. 



" The worms have been fed with the common country mulberry, (the 

 fruit of which is dark purple and pale green). They had fresh leaves 

 four times a day, and the refuse leaves were removed every fourth day. 

 I may mention that while I 'write (4th May), eggs still go on hatching, 

 and the feeding and spinning processes are still in progress, but of course 

 on a limited scale. I have cocoons made since the 1st inst., which seem 

 good, only somewhat smaller than our best ones; our operations are car- 

 ried on in an airy room with glass windows. 



" Maharaja Maun Sing and another Talookdar, applied through me 

 to Mr. Cope for seed, but they were too late in the field. Next year I 

 hope to supply the Maharaja, who seems to be much interested in the 

 matter ; myself and he will have the benefit of our experience. 



" I think in the introduction of a new product, it is much the surest 

 way of ensuring success, to try it first in the government garden, and 

 find out the whole art of producing. This prevents natives, who may be 

 public spirited enough to move out of the old groove to try experiments, 

 from suffering disappointments, which act very much as a check on pro- 

 gress. 



" We have now arranged for three acres of mulberry plantation, in 

 connection with the new station garden, and have got from Dr. Bonavia, 

 a supply of the better sorts of mulberry, in addition to the native variety, 

 so that in two or three years I hope to see this important product fully 

 established in this district. 



" Just as I concluded this report, I received the following from my 

 cousin, on the silk sent to him to reel off. 



" It is a very good specimen, and as good as any I have seen. The 

 reelers particularly praise the colour. A maund of these cocoons would 

 yield about two seers, ten chittacks of silk, which would be a very high 

 rate of produce, the common average in Bengal being about two seers." 



On the 17th January, 1863, I received five ounces of eggs of the 

 Cashmere silkworm from Mr. Cope, of Umritsur, and I had brought 

 down from Capt. Hutton, of Mussoorie, a small quantity of eggs also of 

 the Cashmere silkworm, but reared at Mussoorie. 



About the 20th January they began to hatch. I had great diffi- 

 culty in procuring mulberry leaves for them, as the trees had not yet 



