RAW- SILK, 



XV 



passage. In a recent attempt (1827) made by Report. 

 Captain Pillon to introduce the Italian worm into 

 St. Helena, the project had nearly failed from 

 want of food, there being but two days consumption 

 left for the few worms which lived to reach St. 

 Helena. 



It does not appear on the records, that any eggs 

 of the European silk worms were ever forwarded 

 to India under the above suggestion; but about 

 the same period (1771), the Bengal Government, 

 at the recommendation of Mr. Robinson, applied 

 for, and received from China a quantity of the 

 China silk-worm, it being supposed that they 

 produced stronger silk and in larger quantity. 



These worms were distributed throughout the 

 silk districts, and may have been the means of 

 improving the breed in Bengal. Mulberry-plants 

 were likewise brought from China and planted in 

 the Governor-general's garden, with a view to the 

 improvement of the food, but from some pre- 

 judice of the natives they were never generally 

 cultivated. 



In 1773, the Court repeated their injunction 

 to the Bengal Government to give the greatest 

 possible encouragement to the cultivators of the 

 mulberry-plant and to those employed as winders. 



To 



