THE MODERN HISTORY OF SILK. 17;5 



Langiiedoc, Vivarais, Gascoiiy, Saintonage, and 

 Dauphine ; and subsequently tried almost every 

 other part of his kingdom. But experience taught 

 him, that the Silkworm could not be successfully 

 propagated north of the river Loire. 



In the reign of Louis XIV, Colbert, minister of 

 that monarch, evinced such anxiety for the extension 

 of the silk trade, that he not-only gratuitously sup- 

 plied the possessors of land with mulberry-trees, but 

 also caused them to be transplanted at the expense of 

 the government. This did not, however, facilitate the 

 progress of the culture of silk ; for the trees, so easily 

 acquired, were little valued, and even wasted by the 

 peasantry. The minister, finding his views frustra. 

 ted, adopted another premium for encom'aging the 

 growth of the mulberry. He gave, for every tree 

 which presented a thriving condition three years 

 afler it was planted, the sum of three livres. 



King James I. of England, seeing the benefits 

 which accrued to the French people through the 

 zeal of their sovereign, resolved on adopting similar 

 measures for encouraging the growth of mulberry- 

 trees, and multiplying the breed of Silkworms. In 

 the year I6O8, his majesty caused a circular to be 

 addressed to all the counties of his realm, recom- 

 mending, in the strongest terms, the planting of 

 mulberry-trees, advising all who had the means to 

 pm'chase in London ten thousand plants, which were 

 then selling at three farthings. But it was not till 



