

222 THE INSECT WORLD. 
tion of the Jacquart loom gave an immense impulse to the weaving 
of silk stuffs. Amongst those who introduced and benefited the 
art of sericiculture, we must not forget Dandolo. Dandolo, who 
was born at Venice in 1758, and who died in 1819, was the first 
who, at the beginning of this century, applied himself seriously to 
the amelioration of the processes.employed in the cultivation of 
silk. He endeavoured to regulate the temperature, to introduce 
more order into the distribution of. the food to the worms, 
to have more spacious premises, and to have these properly ven- 
tilated. 
Now we are on this subject, we must mention the names of 
those who at the present day have rendered important services to 
sericiculture,—such as M. Camille Beauvais, who raised silkworm 
rearing from the inactivity into which it had been plunged; 
M. Eugéne Robert, who founded in the south of France the first 
successful silkworm nursery; M. Guérin-Méneville, who has 
devoted his life to the study of the same question, and to whom 
Europe owes the introduction and the acclimatization of some 
species which will render us, perhaps, one day very great services ; 
and lastly, M. Robinet, who has elucidated several practical 
questions in the art of sericiculture. In bringing to a close this 
rapid historical epitome, we will state that France consumes 
annually 30,000 kilogrammes of silkworms’ eggs, each kilo- 
eramme being at the present time worth from 300 to 500 frances, 
and even more. ‘The value of manufactured silks represents. 
annually about 8,000,000 francs; and we find by official sta- 
tistics that France exported in 1863, silk stuffs to the value of 
384,000,000 francs. This immense trade shows how much 
silk is now-a-days everywhere appreciated; in those numerous 
tissues called taffeta, satin, and velvet, each of which seems to 
have a charm—a peculiar attraction. The consistency of the 
stuff, the smoothness, the softness of surface, the manner in which 
silk receives colours, the brightness, fineness, power of reflecting, 
the rustling, the light or heavy folds, all these are beauty, 
elegance, and luxury, in whatever way these words are under- 
stood. 
The Bombyx mori has, however, nothing alluring in its appear- 
ance. Other caterpillars of the genus Bombyx have brilliant 
