THE TECHNOLOGIST. [Dec. 1, 1864 



236 



graniifii Juntas. 



Silk Culture in Canada. — Efforts are being made by the 

 Botanical Society of Kingston to introduce into Canada from China a 

 species of silkworm Bonibyx (Bonibyx Cynthia) said to be hardy, and 

 which feeds on the leaves of Ailanthus glandul>sa, a well-known orna- 

 mental plant, rather tender for the climate, but still capable of cultiva- 

 tion here. Dr. Lawson has furnished for publication a valuable paper 

 on the subject by Mr. Patterson, of Leith. It appears to me, however, 

 that the silk of some of our native moths might be rendered more 

 available than that of any foreign species. The ubiquitous moths of 

 the genus C'lisio campa, which devastate our forests and orchards, pro- 

 duce delicate silken cocoons, tons of which go to waste annually, and 

 the amount could, no doubt, be greatly increased by the artificial culture 

 of the animal. A still more abundant source of silk would be the 

 cocoons of the great emperor moths of the genus Attacus, some of which, 

 and especially the A. cecropia, yield cocoons superior to those of many 

 of the species cultivated in China and India. Harris- in his ' Insects 

 of Massachusetts,' states that the silk of this moth is very strong and 

 quite available for manufacture. The writer of an excellent article on 

 this subject in the ' Journal of the Board of Arts and Manufactures for 

 Upper Canada,' adduces additional facts as to the easy breeding and 

 cidture of the moth. An esteemed correspondent and good entomologist, 

 Dr. Morris, of Baltimore, has naturalized there the Ailanthus moth, and 

 is now engaged in experiments on the culture of the American species. 

 There seems no reason why these creatures, instead of reducing our 

 forests and orchards to nakedness, might not be employed in clothing 

 the daughters of Canada with fabrics equal to those of China and India, 

 and in adding silk to our articles of export. In effecting this result, 

 the naturalists must, in the first instance, at least, take the lead. — Pro- 

 fessor Dawson in ' Canadian Naturalist.' 



The South Kensington Museum. — Eventually, main features of the 

 ground plan will be two large open quadrangles, whereof one in the centre 

 of the whole ground will have elevations with rich detail in terra-cotta, 

 while next the Cromwell road there will be two wing or pavilion build- 

 ings, and a recessed centre with quadrant junctions to the wings. The 

 iron structure, at present containing the Educational Museum, the 

 Museum of Patents, the collection of building materials, casts, and 

 furniture, besides, on the upper floor, the animal products and food 

 museum, and the naval models, the latter in the gallery formerly appro- 

 priated to the Architectural Museum, will be removed, along with the 

 present refreshment rooms. The present lecture theatre and offices 

 will also disappear, and the corridor leading to them, and continued 

 westward. A new theatre will be the principal feature of a group of 



