162 



RAW-SILK. 



(K.) 4. I should apprehend with you, that the ulti- 



Sup^rbtendent ^^^^ succcss of Siguoi' Matti's plantations of the 

 of Botanic standard, from which he is still lookins^ forward 



Garden. ^ 



two years more to obtain leaves of the fourth year, 

 according to the Italian mode adopted by him, 

 seems rather problematical : the more so, as I 

 have before shewn, that the standard leaf is not 

 the most desired by the worm, neither do they 

 thrive on it in Bengal. Moreover your opinion 

 is corroborative of the fact, the more frequently 

 the indigenous Icajlah plant (on which the worm 

 flourishes) is cut down, the better, and more tender 

 the leaves ; and that old trees become straggling, 

 producing inferior leaves." 



5. 1 have yet to \edirn\\\\^iihe doppiafogUa may 

 be productive of, the soil best adapted to it, and 

 whether it will bear cutting and being kept low : 

 problems which will develope themselves, when 

 once we have got the plant up. This I hope to 

 arrive at, with your kind assistance. 



6. Conformably with my promise of the 25th 

 of February last, I have now the pleasure to send 

 you specimens of cocoons from eggs you sent 

 round, as those received from St. Helena, together 

 with small samples of the silk spun therefrom on 

 different dates, all bearing the same character 

 given in my letter above quoted, eighth paragraph, 

 namely, tenacity of fibre, and softness approach- 

 ing to the silk of our annuals, which bears the 



closest 



