179 
Robert Baker, Esq., formerly Factory Inspector of this 
district, is exerting himself, with the co-operation of Lord 
Leigh, to introduce the silk culture into the Reformatory, as 
an occupation for the inmates. Having expressed my wish to 
M. Ruland, Esq., Librarian to H.R.H. the Prince Consort, 
to introduce the same insect into Yorkshire, that gentleman 
politely wrote to Herr Kaufmann on my behalf, for a supply 
of cocoons, when the latter kindly transmitted me 16, from 
Berlin, on the 10th Nov., 1859. Unfortunately, this small 
number did not prove sufficient for a successful experiment, 
as 10 of the chrysalides were dead, and of those which pro- 
duced moths, the sexes did not appear simultaneously, and 
the majority were males. With a larger number, however, 
more favourable results might be anticipated. 
It may probably be urged that even if we could train the 
children of the cottagers and others to attend to the rearing 
and feeding of the worms, they would not be able to unwind 
the cocoons in a way suitable and careful enough for the 
market, or that could be depended upon. Now it happens, 
fortunately, that this difficulty, if it did exist, as also the idea 
that silk cannot be properly reeled in England, is anticipated, 
as a most valuable reeling frame has been invented and 
patented by Messrs. Chadwick and Dickens, of Manchester, 
by which not only the reeling from the cocoons is rapidly 
and efficiently performed, but the silk is carried directly 
upon bobbins cleaned and spun, thus not only dispensing with 
much of the throwster's labour, which is indispensable to 
prepare China Silk as it is usually imported for the manu- 
facturers, but producing a bobbin of Silk of double the 
fineness of any China Silk imported, and equal to the finest 
French grown silk, and calculated to be worth more by 
8s. or 10s. per lb. than the same kind of silk would be if 
reeled from cocoons in China. This machine will be of equal 
importance in reeling silk spun in this country, as the 
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