JENKINS ON THE SILK OF ASSAM. 
665 
The mulberry tree is not cut down for 5 
years. It is then allowed to grow for 5 
years more, when it is rooted out.” 
Another communication is 
ON THE SILKS OF ASSAM, BY CAPT. 
JENKINS. 
Muneeram gives me the following account 
of the silk of Assam : — 
The worm that gives the common fawn- 
coloured moonga silk when fed on the most 
common plants, gives a whitish silk when 
fed on the leaves of other trees : the plants 
it feeds upon are named and estimated as 
follows : — 
No. 1. Champa* — The silk produced from 
the worm feeding on this plant gives the 
finest and whitest silk, used only by the Ra- 
jahs and great people, and is called Champa 
pattea moonga- 
The thread from 11 to 12 Rupees a seer. 
No. 2. Maizankurry ,-f called also Addakur^ 
ry. — The leaves of this tree also give a white 
silk and is called Maizankurry moonga, the 
old trees are cut down, and the jungle about 
burnt, and the worms are fed upon the tender 
leaves of the off shoots for one year, when 
the leaves become too old and hard for the 
worm. 
Silk from 6 to 7 Rupees a seer. 
No. 3. Soom.X — This is the common tree 
in this vicinity : the silk from the worms fed 
on this give the finest sort of fawn-coloured 
moonga. 
Silk to 4 Rupees per seer. 
No. 4. Soahalloo.^ — This is also a brown 
silk of inferior quality. This plant is most 
common in Dhurumpore and about Russa- 
chokey. 
No. 5. Dighittee.\\ — Ditto ditto, but the 
worms fed on the leaves of this tree increase 
much in size. 
The moonga worm gives broods five times 
a year, and the cocoon is very large, but thin. 
Weight from 5 to 6 grains. 
No. 6. Pattee hoonda.% — I could only ob- 
tain silk the produce of worms feeding on 
Nos. 3 and 4, and manufactured into cheap 
cloths for the lower classes. 
The ara or area pat is the produce of an- 
other worm and very inferior in appearanee 
to that of the other ; though 1 believe it is 
equally lasting ; the worms are fed in the 
• Miclielia. 
+ Perhaps of the Laurel family, looks mar- 
vellously like a willow, though it is most pro- 
halily not of that genus. 
t A species of Tetranthera or Laurus, 
^ Tetranthera macrophylla — iioa?. 
11 A plant of the Laurel tribe belonging to 
'Tetianthera. Hamilton calls it Tetranthera 
diglottica.- W. 
Much the same (quality (>f the silk) as the 
.foregoing, 
H Laurus obtusifolia. - iioar. W. 
houses and entirely upon the leaves of the 
arund (castor oil plant), if they are procur- 
able, and if not, on other trees in the order 
following . — 
GREEN RED. 
1. The Ricinus coramums ov viridis — v. is 
a misnomer of Wild : s. 
2. Kisseroo, a plant I know not as yet. 
3. Rengala aloo, a common plant, divided 
leaves like that of the papeeah. I know not 
its name as yet. 
3. latropha manihot. 
4. The common hair, Zizyphus Jujuba. 
5. Keora kaura* — This 1 know not. 
6. Gooluncha phool, Assamese name, the 
Bengalee Bherondo, latropha curcas. 
This worm produces broods every month 
or every month and a half; its cocoon is much 
less than that of the foregoing. It is smaller 
in size considerably, but thicker, only about 
a grain lighter. The chuddurs made of this 
silk are thick and very warm and lasting. 
Weight from 4 to 5 grains each. 
N. B. This worm and its produce is no- 
ticed by Dr. Buchanan in his account of 
Dinagepore; vide Asiatic Journal. 
Besides these worms they have in Assam 
the true silk worm which is fed on mulber- 
ries. 
This silk is from 6to8Rs. a seer according 
to qualities.” 
We derive additional information from 
the following extract from the Calcutta 
Daily Commercial Advertiser. 
“ We have much pleasure in answering 
the call made on us by Mr. Gaisford, in his 
interesting letter on silk, in another column. 
After making every enquiry in our power, 
we have no hesitation in recommending the 
immediate adoption of the plan suggested, 
of I’aising a capital of Rupees 30,000 for 
the purpose of forming plantations of the 
mulberry, and establishments for reeling 
silk in the neighbourhood of Yewla (Ahmed- 
nuggur). It will be observed that Mr. Gais- 
ford recommends the tree cultivation, and 
the Chinese reel. — Of the propriety of the 
latter, in that district, we have no doubt, 
considering that the supply is for native 
markets, in which they are accustomed to 
the quality of silk and length of skein, which 
the Chinese reeling produces. Of the 
sufficiency of the capital also we are satisfied, 
since Signor Mutti informs us that he 
believes the amount proposed would even 
be sufficient for an establishment embracing 
his own system of reeling, on an ample scale, 
which of course would require a greater out- 
lay for buildings and reels than the plan of 
♦ Sapim schiferuin. It would be S. baccha- 
tura, if it were not for the glands on tlie 
leaves.— W. 
