THE TECHNOLOGIST. [Oct. 1, 1864 



130 SILKWORM CULTURE. 



" The twenty cocoons which I received on the 23rd of March gave 

 me at first three males that came out on the 7th of April, and I began 

 to fear that I shoidd see them all hatch and perish before the appearance 

 of the females. Finally, on the 19th of April, a male and female were 

 hatched at the same time. These two butterflies united themselves 

 together in the night of the 20th — 21st, at one o'clock of the morning, 

 and I obtained 108 eggs, a number sufficient to introduce the species, 

 and to permit me soon to present specimens, first to the Society of Ac- 

 climation, and then to the agriculturists of all countries where the 

 diverse species of oaks flourish. 



" The instructions which I published in my Revue de Sericiculture 

 Compar&e (1863, p. 33), for the care to be given to my Yama-mai of 

 Japan, are applicable in all respects to this new species, of which I have 

 the honour to present the first reproductions to the Academy, as I had 

 the honour to present to it in 1858 those that permitted me to introduce 

 the ailanthus silkworm, which has begun to be acclimated in all the 

 regions of Europe, Africa, America, and even Australia. 



Cultivation of Silk in Java. — The introduction of a new branch 

 of industry is not without its difficulties, more especially when, as is 

 generally the case, public opinion characterises such as needless waste 

 of money, time, and trouble. Never have worse results been foretold 

 than in the case of the attempts now made to introduce the culture 

 of silkworms. Remembering the scanty success which had attended 

 former attempts, people were led to regard the hope of a future produc- 

 tion of silk on the island as a fallacy. The difference between the 

 former and present attempts was lost sight of. "Was the Shun silkworm 

 known in former years ? Was the cultivation of the Bombyx Cynthia 

 and Bomlyx Arrindia thought of? These questions may, I believe, 

 be all answered in the negative ; for, if I mistake not, all trials were 

 made with the Chinese and European Bomlyx mori only. 



The last attempts, on the contrary, were made with the silkworm of 

 Siam, and with several varieties of what is known as wild silk-worms. 

 The cultivation of the tame and wild species differs greatly ; most of the 

 trials were made with the first. 



It is generally known that the Siam silkworm was brought over to 

 Buitenzong by Mr. J. E. Teysman, Honorary Inspector of Cultures, in 

 1862. The first results were made public ; not so those subsequently 

 obtained. In the commencement of 1863, Mr. Teysman showed me 

 the small establishment for the culture of silkworms which he had just 

 erected. It consisted of two small buildings constructed of bamboos, the 

 sides worked in the kepang pattern, with roofs of Atap (palm leaves). 

 The surrounding grounds (some two and a half to three behoes) were 

 planted with mulberry-trees {Moras indica), and in the immediate 

 vicinity was the dwelling of the Cochin-Chinaman, Andre Locas, who, 

 with his household, had the care of the worms. Everything was simple, 

 and arranged in the Chinese fashion. One of the erections served for 

 the development of the worms ; the other for the winding and for the 



