SILK. 
titles of silk made. It does not, however, 
appear that the culture of silk has since 
been carried to any considerable extent in 
Virginia, which is probably owing more to 
the attachment of the planters to the growth 
of tobacco than to any natural impedi- 
ment. 
The settlement of the colony of Georgia 
was begun in the year 1732, and the trus- 
tees, soon after the commencement of their 
undertaking, caused a common nursery gar- 
den to be laid out for white mulberry trees, 
for the production of silk. It was at this 
time raised in Carolina, in small quantities, 
some families making about forty or fifty 
pounds weight in the year. In order to in- 
struct the colonists of Georgia upon this 
subject, some persons from Piedmont in 
Italy, skilled in tending the worms and the 
winding of silk, were sent thither; and, 
notwithstanding the difficulties attending 
the attempt, and the public misfortunes of 
the colony, many persons persevered and ex- 
perienced some success ; an act of parlia- 
ment was in consequence passed, in 1749, 
for encouraging the culture of raw silk in 
the American colonies, by which raw silk, 
certified to be the real growth and culture 
of those colonies, was exempted from any 
duty on importation into the port of Lon- 
don. 'I'he culture increased gradually, 
, though slowly, both in Georgia and the ad- 
joining province of South Carolina; but a 
few years after the produce became more 
considerable. In the year 1757, l,052/6s. 
weight of silk-balls were received at the fila- 
ture in Georgia, and the next year pro- 
duced no less than 7,040?Zis. w-eight thereof. 
In 1759, tliere were received at Savannah, 
the capital of Georgia, considerably above 
10,000fiis. weight of raw silk, although it 
was thought an unfavourable season. As 
the culture of this valuable article thus ap- 
peared to be making some progress in the 
southern colonies, an act of parliament was 
passed, in 1769, for the further encourage- 
ment of the growth of raw silk in America ; 
by which a bounty was granted of 251. for 
every 1001. value of such raw silk for the 
next seven years, and lesser bounties during 
the two following periods of seven years. 
The Society for the encouragement of Arts, 
Manufactures, and Commerce, also olFered 
large premiums for encouraging the same 
object; but still the quantities raised were 
but small, and the cost too great for com- 
petition with silk from other parts. 
There can be no doubt that in many 
parts of the southerti states of America, the 
climate is as favourable to the mulberry 
tree and the silk-worm, as in those coun- 
trips in Europe where they are raised ; the 
chief difficulty the Americans have to con- 
tend with respecting this article is, that in 
most of I the southern states, the labourers 
are Negro slaves, who are not sufficiently 
attentive and skilful in this business. — 
In Connecticut, where there is a sensible 
and careful white population, and where 
land is comparatively scarce and dear, the 
culture of silk has been found to be practi- 
cable and profitable. A project to extend 
the wdiite mulberry tree over all the States 
was formed a few years ago, in con.sequence 
of which a considerable number were plant- 
ed. An extensive nursery of these trees 
was established near Philadelphia, in 1789 ; 
another at Princeton, in New Jersey ; and 
two more in New York, and Long Islands. 
The idea upon which these nurseries were 
principally encouraged was, tliat they pre- 
pared the States for the reception of emi- 
grants from silk countries ; but no consider- 
able emigration from those countries has 
taken place. 
In the British settlements in the East 
Indies, the culture of silk has been long 
established, particularly in the i.sland of 
Cossimbwzar and its neighbourhood, in the 
province of Bengal; and since, about the 
year 1760, when the company became the 
rulers of the country, and adopted a new 
system of trade for the purpose of realizing 
the surplus revenue, the culture of raw silk 
has been promoted, and the quantity con- 
siderably increased. Of late years, con- 
siderable attention has been paid both to 
the quality of the silk, and to the mode of 
reeling it, by which it has been very mate- 
rially improved, so as to rival, in most re- 
spects, the produce of Italy. 
There are eight principal silk factories 
belonging to the company in Bengal ; and 
in every filature, or factory, there are em- 
ployed, according to ils size, from three 
thousand to ten thousand people ; and if 
to these are added the mulberry-planters, 
worm feeders, &c. from ten thousand to 
forty thousand men, women, and children, 
are attached to each filature. Attempts 
have been made to introduce the silk-worm 
in other parts of the company’s posshssions, 
especially on the coast of Coromandel. Dr. 
James Anderson, of Fort St. George, who 
has been particularly zealous in promoting 
this among other useful undertakings, in- 
troduced mulberry trees at Madras, about 
the year 1770, and finding they grew luxu- 
