Live Stock. 



410 



[xNov. 1906. 



The land was immediately planted throughout with mulberry plants, 20feet 

 by 10 feet, and castor seed was sown between the rows. The mulberry plants are 

 growing well and have withstood the long drought most satisfactorily. The 

 failure of the usual rains has, however, acted very adversely upon the growth of the 

 castor, upon which we relied for the early raising of large stocks of Eri- worms. The 

 greater part of the land consists of a knoll upon which the soil is very dry and 

 contains little humus. The castor plants did not flourish under these conditions. 

 The seeds germinated freely, but showed a weak growth. Some of them sickened 

 and died, apparently attacked by a root-fungus ; the remainder ran to seed at a 

 very early age. There is a small strip of alluvial soil (a drained swamp) at the base 

 of the knoll, where the plants made more satisfactory growth. But the amount of 

 leaf obtainable from this plot has been sufficient only to maintain very limited 

 stocks of the worms, for the provision of silkworm ' seed.' No serious attempt to 

 raise mulberry-feeding worms will be made for some two or three years, by which 

 time the mulberry plants should be well grown and may be heavily plucked with 

 safety. 



The higher land has been repeatedly replanted with castor, but, so far, 

 without success. It is probable that some inexpensive form of manuring will be 

 necessary before a proper growth of castor can be maintained. There is a natural 

 growth of crotalaria on some parts of the land. This will be encouraged and 

 extended for manurial purposes. Small pits are now being dug throughout the 

 land into which the foliage of crotalaria and other waste plants is being thrown. 

 These will eventually form pockets of good soil in which castor plants should flourish. 



Whether from the poverty of the food available, or from some other 

 obscure cause, the succeeding broods of Eri-worms have steadily deteriorated in 

 stamina, a constantly increasing number having failed to complete their trans- 

 formations Unhealthy worms have been systematically weeded out and destroyed, 

 but, at the present moment, our stock of Eri-worms has dwindled to the vanishing 

 point, the last batch of selected cocoons having failed to produce moths. Arrange- 

 ments are now being made for the importation of fresh healthy stock from India. 

 It has occurred to me that our system of breeding only from the white cocoons 

 (the mure valuable variety) may have had something to do with the debilitating of 

 the stock. It may be advisable to occasionally recross with the hardier red 

 variety. This point will require further study. 



The mulberry silkworms, so far cultivated, have been of the Bengal multi- 

 voltine (many brooded) variety. This is a very hardy race and gives little trouble. 

 The resulting cocoons are, however, interior to those of the single brooded forms 

 which are cultivated in Europe. 



Through the good offices of Mr. Nicolle, a batch of eggs of the fine Cyprus 

 race of mulberry worms was received in December last. These eggs commenced to 

 hatch out almost immediately ; but in a very irregular manner, one or two worms 

 appearing at intervals extending over more than four months. In spite of every 

 attention, nearly all the worms died off before the final moult and less than a dozen 

 of them formed cocoons. The moths emerged one by one, when no mates of their 

 own kind were available. They consequently had to be crossed with the ordinary 

 Indian race, and have produced a few hybrid eggs, the results of which will be 

 carefully watched and kept separate. It will probably be necessary, in future, to 

 submit imported European ' seed ' to cold storage for a few weeks before allowing 

 them to hatch out. 



Attempts have been made to cross the Eri silk moth (Attacus ricmi) with its 

 nearly ally, the large Atlas moth (Attacus atlas), but, so far, without success. 



We have had to contend with several enemies in the silk-worm rearing house, 

 principally ants, rats and lizards. The racks for the rearing trays have been 



