March 1, 1864] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



SERICULTURE IN OUDH. 359 



hardiness, but the spontaneous death of the chrysalis within the cocoons, 

 was sufficient indication of their general unhealthiness. 



If plants of the Morus multicaulis are planted in a sheltered place 

 so that they may not be injured by frost, there will be plenty of leaves 

 in the winter months, and then, I do not think there will be much diffi- 

 culty in acclimatizing the China worm. 



About the 23rd June, 1863, I again received some eggs of the China 

 worm from Mr. Turnbull. They hatched on the same day. They were 

 spinning on the 10th July, and the moths came out on the 18th July. 

 The eggs of these were again hatching on the 25th July, and on the 

 16th August, 1863, the latter were again spinning. They produced very 

 good cocoons, which the Bengalee reeler said were equal to the Bengal 

 ones of China stock. They have been reeled, and the silk appears to 

 be very good. 101b. 7J?oz. of this silk have been reeled by two natives 

 of Ondh. 



This worm in Bengal produces about seven crops in the year, and it 

 appears to suit the climate of Oudh very well in the rains. We shall 

 have some difficulty in keeping it through the winter, but not such as 

 cannot be overcome by proper arrangements. I dread the hot winds 

 more than the winter. 



On the 21st July, I sent a small supply of eggs of the China silk- 

 worm to each Deputy Commissioner in Oudh, with no other object, at 

 present, than that the natives of the district may acquire some idea of 

 the nature of the silkworm, and thus understand the reason for which 

 we are so anxious that they should plant mulberry cuttings. 



On the 19th December, I received some eggs of the Dasie worm from 

 Mr. Turnbull. They hatched on the 23rd December, and all died with- 

 in thp period of their first stage. I have not been able to discover the 

 cause of their death, probably cold and bad food. Some of them lived 

 till the period of their first change of skin, but were not able to throw 

 it off completely, and so they died. Further experiments with this 

 worm at more favourable seasons may end in better results. 



On the 26th May, 1863, Lieut. Marsh, of the 18th Bengal Cavalry, sent 

 me a considerable number of young worms, which had just hatched, of 

 the Madrassee kind, and which he had received from Purtipore. They 

 all dried up within the first two days from the excessive heat and dry- 

 ness of the atmosphere. The temperature within doors was 92°. 



A short time ago the Chief Commissioner of Oudh, sent me a num- 

 ber of Tussur cocoons obtained from the Rajah of Oel, which the natives 

 call Kooswaree, for the purpose of making experiments upon them. 

 The worm which produces this cocoon, feeds on the Byer leaf {ZUyplms 

 jujuba). Many of the moths came out of the cocoons, but unlike those 

 of the mulberry silkworm, the male when in confmenient does not take 

 any notice of the female, so that the eggs laid by the latter are useless. 



Continued and varied experiments may lead to the discovery of some 

 mode of domesticating this valuable insect. 



