RAW -SILK. 



155 



3. From a month to five weeks is the period (K.) 

 ivhich the reared produce of the Bomhay worm ^RS/ent" 

 has been coming to maturity. But although worms j/^prinSk 

 sufficient to produce a maund of cocoons of forty 



cahons were hatched, I have only been able to 

 mature one cahon and six puns of cocoons fit for 

 winding off into silk. These, however, were of a 

 very indiff'erent description ; and not having been 

 fit for letter A, have been spun into B 1. The 

 silk thereof, consisting of five skeins, is herewith 

 forwarded, and partakes of inferiority originating 

 from the cocoons. 



4. I also beg to forward a small quantity of the 

 half-spun cocoon, the produce of the w^orms which, 

 after reaching maturity, were unable, from sickness 

 or other cause, to complete the process of the co^ 

 coon or pod, having died whilst in the act of spin- 

 ning it. Other worms, again, have died without 

 being able to accomplish so much as the forwarded 

 specimen exhibits ; and others, again, before they 

 commenced spinning, although unable to feed 

 longer on the leaf; while vast numbers before 

 arriving near maturity have perished, as if unable 

 to withstand the intense heat of the weather. 



5. The very unfavourable state of the March 

 bund cocoon season, owing to the excessive drought 

 which has been experienced, has been greatly 

 against the trial for which the Bombay eggs were 

 forwarded ; but there is nothing, from what has 

 been seen, to induce the belief, that they are in 



any 



