7225 
‘unravel the silk, in rn t brane unravelled, the kepe could only be 
converted in s, and in thet lace, there is 
apparently so little of the “Sk that it is doubtful sre it would ever 
be worth while to attempt " acclimatise and domesticate the insect in 
the Chinese use » this worm calx for the purpose of making silkworm gut, 
but that I had been informed that in the Canton EY the silk, such 
r it is,is woven. Only lately Dr. H. F. Hance, H : Vice-Consul 
ote to tell me that the cocoons are sent from the Canton 
dntciet to Chinchan, bordering on Fokien, and there manufactured ; I 
ve nof, however, succeeded in procuring a sample of this manufacture. 
I have myself no great hopes of the usefulness of this cocoon among 
European cultivators, I, nevertheless, take the liberty to forward the 
few specimens that I have been able to acquire that their value may be 
tested by qualified persons. Two or three of the enclosed cocoons con- 
tain live pup. i 
In conclusion, I may remark a the true silkworm is only reared 
here in small quantities, e more as an amusement for Chinese families 
than for commercial purpose 
I have, &c. 
The Lord Stanley. (Signed) R. SwiNHOE. 
P.S.—1 am forwarding to ie ^ Boga) Gardens, Kew, a few live bushes 
of the Liguidambar formosa 
(Signed) R. SWINHOE. 
The specimens of gut sent by Mr. Swinhoe were submitted by Sir 
Joseph Hooker to the late Mr. Daniel PRP F.R.S., and his opinion . 
upon them was as follows :— 
“Silkworm gut is manufactured in Spain by a process which is 
briefly - clearly deseribed in Ure's Dictionary of Arts and Manu- 
factures. The process described by Mr. Swinhoe is essentially the 
same. The sample which he has sent is, however, as I am informed 
on good authority, not first rate, yet not so bad as to be unsaleable in 
the market here. Good silkworm gut is evenly round like wire, 
ick nd longest is most i 
** The article is Mesi put up in little bundles of 100 threads each, 
and these again 
The article in UI Dictionary of Arts and Manufactures and 
Mines mentioned by Mr. Hanbury is 2: and in Vol. IL, p. 619. Silk. 
fo 
be warm, but two or three hours longer, if it eool. When taken 
out, and pulled asunder, two transparent guts will be observed, of a 
yellow green colour, as thick as a small straw, bent double. The rest 
of the entrails resembles boiled spinach, and therefore can occasion no 
mistake as to the silk gut. If this be soft, or break upon stretching it, 
it is a proof that the worm has not been god —— under the sone 
= sa vinegar. When the gut is fit to draw out, the one end of it 
dipped into the vinegar, and the other end i is to be stretched gently 
w e proper length. When thus drawn out, it must be kept extended 
