CAL TREATISE 0ULTURE OF SIEK, ADAPTED TO THE SOIL AND CL-IMATE OP THE UNITED STATES. BY P. G. COMSTOCK, OF THK HARTFORD COUNTY SILK SOCIETY AND EDITOR Of THE ST,LK CULT: -iST. HARTFORD: V M . G . CO M STOCK. __ rRJx\'CIPAL BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED STATES.' wacec xxxvi. C\J CQ PRACTICAL TREATISE CULTURE OF SILK, ADAPTED TO T H F, SOU, AND CLIMATE OP THE UNITED STATES. BY F. G. COMSTOCK, •ECEETAK7 OF THE IIAKTFOKn COVXTV SI1.K SOCIETY AND EDITOR OF THB SILK. Cfl.TLlUsT. HARTFORD: W M . G . COMSTOCK. FOR SALE BIT THE' PHIXCIPAL BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED STATEO. M DCCC XXXVI. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1835, by WILLIAM G. COMSTOCK, in the Clerk's Office of the Dia- trict Court of Connecticut. TO THE » 4. R M E R S AND PRACTICAL SILK GROWERS IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR. M181955 PREFACE. The culture and manufacture of silk is becoming a subject of much interest in this country, and it requires no spirit of prophecy to foresee that it will ultimately become one of its staple productions. These branches of national industry and economy have long engaged the attention of older countries, whose soils and climates admit of the cultivation of the Mul- berry and the rearing of the Silk Worm — and even in coun- tries whose atmospheres are too humid for the delicate con- stitution of the Worm, the manufacture of silk has been prosecuted as a fruitful source of national and individual wealth. As the subject is exciting much attention and in- terest in this country, a very brief history of its discovery may be both useful and interesting. The Silk Worm was originally a native of China, and the adjacent parts of Asia, where it makes its cocoons upon the tree on which it feeds. It was there also fed and domesti- cated long before it was known elsewhere. It was first car- ried into Persia. In the year 552, two monks, at the instance of the Emperor Justinian, succeeded in carrying anumbero^ the eggs, concealed in hollow canes, to the isle of Cos. In the same century, Justinian caused the Silk \Vorm to be introduced into Constantinople. They were thence carried to Greece, where, and in the Greek Empire, they were con- fined for six hundred years, In the twelfth century, they were introduced into the island of Sicily by the King, whence they spread into Arabia, Spain, Italy, France, and other Eu- ropean countries. From Italy the manufacture of silk was iatroduced into Derby, in England, in 1718, by a Mr. John *1 VI PREFACE. Loinbe, who travelled in that country for the purpose of ac- quiring the necsssary information. But according to state- ments, 'which are supposed to he authentic, he fell a victim to the jealousies of the Italians, having been poisoned by them. They were first known in America, about 1C20, in the reign of James I., who sent out eggs and Mulberry seed to Vir- ginia, and a book of instructions for their culture, written by himself. The nature and origin of silk, were secrets in most coun- tries long after the article was known. That the Romans were ignorant, of its origin, is manifest from the accounts which different writers give of it. It was supposed by some to be the product of a tree, growing on its trunk and branches as hair grows upon the bodies of animals. Others supposed it proceeded from a shell-fish — a kind of muscle which throws out threads for the purpose of attaching ilself to rocks. Others supposed it to he the entrails of a particular kind of spider, after being fed on paste, and the leaves of the green willow until it burst with fat. Others imputed it to an insect which built nests of clay and collected wax. These differ- ent ways of accounting for it, show that they were in utter ignorance of the Worm, by whose labor it is produced. According to the ancients, silk was first brought from Serica or Sereindn, (China) in small quantities. The Chinese ascribe the origin of the manufacture to the invention of the Empress Si-ling-shi, wife of the Emperor Hoang-ti, about 2700 years before Christ. Manufactured silk was little known in Europe, at the time of the reign of the Emperor Augustus, who was contemporary with Christ; and it is mentioned aa a wanton extravagance, in the prodigal Heliogabulus, that lie had a garment made wholly of silk. The Emperor Aurelian, 870 years after this, refused his Empress a silk robe merely PREFACE. Vll "because he could not. incur the expense. It was then worth more than its weight in gold. Even Jarn33 I., before his ac3?s.ii'.>n I > t!i? E \ *!hh throne in 1603, was compelled to borrow n pair of silk stockings, of the Earl of Mar, when he appeared bjlo/e t!u E )_r!ishAm!vis:s:idor. This circumstance is supp:n;\l to Inve ilra;vri his attention -to the culture of silk and to h.ivj b_>e:i the CHH:? ofhis introducing the Worm into the c:>h>rw of Virgin! i, w'.i.v?, as also in Georgia, he granted lands on condition of planting one hundred White Mulberry trees on every ten acres of cleared land. The culture of silk received early attention in South Carolina. It was introduced into New England about the year 1760. by a Mr. Aspinwall, who is said to have had large nurseries ol the M ilb?rry, at New Haven and at Long Island. This gentleman caused some of his trees to be transplanted in Mansfield, Connecticut, and furnished some of the inhab- itants of that town with the eggs of the Silk Worm. He was aided in his patriotic endeavors to introduce the culture of silk in Connecticut, by Rev. Dr. Styles, President of Yale College. These efforts produced considerable effect; but the progress of the work was arrested -by the war of the revo- lution. In the year 1771, the culture of silk was commenced in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and was engaged in with considerable spirit. It was, however, soon interrupted by the war. Alter the treaty of peace, the business partiallj revived; but was not considered worthy of much attention, entil within a few years past. During the present year, the business has attracted tl»e attention of gentlemen ol aH professions, and in all parts of the country. In the spring of 1834, application was made to the Legislature of Connecticut for a Charier of a Silk Manu- till PREFACE. facturing Company. An Act of Incorporation was obtained, a Company formed, and a Building erected ; but it was soon ascertained that the amount of domestic silk, annually growed, was inadequate to supply it with the raw material; while at the same time, there were in New England, several Silk Factories already in operation. This suggested the necessity of an association for the diffusion of practical knowledge, and resulted in the formation of the Hartford County Silk Society. But the mere formation of a Society, did not remedy the evil — the Society could collect information, but they had no medium through which to communicate it to the public. The next step was the commencement of a periodical, devot- ed to the subject, under the appropriate name of " The Silk Culturist and Farmers Manual." Though the circulation of this publication is extensive and constantly increasing ; yet the Society are in the almost daily reception of letters of in- quiry, on the different topics, connected with the business. — To answer these letters separately and in detail, would re- quire more time, than the Society can devote to the object of their association, and hence the want of a "Practical Treatise, adapted to the soil and climate of the United States." To supply this want, at a price within the ability of all, is the object contemplated by the author of the following work ; and should it contribute to that result, or in any manner con- duce to the happiness and prosperity of the community, the author will be amply rewarded for his labor. CONTENTS. PART i.~ Mulberry Tree, 13 Va rieties of tha Mulberry, ----- 14 S.)il for tlis Mulberry, 15 Methods of Propagation, ----- 16 Cleansing the Seed, ------ 17 Purchasing Seed, - - - - - - 18 Sowing Seed, ------- Transplanting, -------21 Grafting, 24 Budding, 25 T 5> Layers, ------- Cuttings, ....---- Suckers, --------26 Pruning, -- Picking Leaves, -------27 Hedges, 23 Sowing Broad Cast, 29 Chinese Mulberry, SO Transplanting Chinese, - - - - - 85 X CONTENTS. PART u. — Growth and Changes of the Silk Worm, - S9 Diseases of the Silk Worm, ----- 40 The Cocoonery, ------ Hatching, 4^ Italian Process, ------- Time of Hatching, 45 Space Required, -47 Feeding, 48 Feeding Shelves, 51 Weight of Food, 52 Gathering Cocoons, 60 Making Cocoons, - 59 Preserving Eggs, 01 Stifling Worms, ------- Curing Cocoons, ------ 65 Transporting Cocoons, Substituted Feed, 64 Successive Crops, - - - - - - 69 Deterioration of Silk Worms, 70 PART in. — Reeling Silk, - 73 Cobb's Reel, 76 Dale's Reel, " Sorting Cocoons, - 77 Reeling, " CONTENTS. XI Raw Silk, 80 Disbanding Silk from the Reel, - - - - 81 Waste and Refuse Silk, 82 Cleansing Silk, - - - - ' - - - 84 Ungumming Silk, ------ 85 Bagging Silk, " - Sulphuring Silk, ------ -87 Aluming Silk, ------- Manufacture of Silk, ------ 88 PART iv. — Manufacture of Sewing Silk and Twist, - - 91 Brooks' Spinning Machine, - - - - 94 Dyeing Silk, - - - - -,- ~ -98 Black, Best Blue, - 100 Dark Blue, 101 Product of the Silk Worm/ - - , - - - 102 Profit of the Silk Worm, 104 Labor Required, __----- 105 Conclusion, ------- 106 PART I. THE MULBERRY TREE. THE first step in the process of the silk manufac- ture is to make provision for an abundant supply of food for the worm, by whose industry the raw mate- rial is produced. The only natural food for the silk worm is the foliage of several species of the Mulberry; and as the most valuable of them are not indigenous in our forests, we must depend upon the hand of cul- tivation, to acquire what nature has withholden from us in the distribution of her gifts. Though nature has, doubtless for good reasons, omitted to give us these species of the Mulberry tree, growing sponta- neously on our farms and in our forests, yet she has favored us with a soil and climate admirably adapted to their propagation. The first object, therefore, with the culturist should be to prepare and sow a nursery of plants, from which he can subsequently have a full supply for standard trees, hedges, &c., as his taste and judgment may direct. As there are several species of the Mulberry, each having its varieties, and as some soils are more con- genial to it than others, the culturist should select the best varieties of the tree, and the soil best adapted to its growth and the quality of its foliage. 2 14 THE MULBERRY TREE. VARIETIES OF THE MULBERRY. These varieties may be divided into two general classes, comprising such as are, and such as are not valuable on account of their foliage as food for the silk worm. The former class includes the White Italian — the Shining Leaved — the Tartarean — the Dondolo and the Chinese — the latter has three known varieties, the Morus Multicaulis — the Morus Cucal- latta — and the Perrottet Mulberry. The latter class includes the Black, Red and Japan Paper Mulberry, which are considered not worth cultivating for the purpose of foliage. Of all the species of the Mulberry there is no doubt that the Chinese is to be preferred, if it can be made to endure our climate, and of all its varieties the Mul- ticaulis should be chosen on account of the quantity and quality of its foliage, and the facility with which it is gathered. We regret, however, to discover a dis- position in many places, to neglect the cultivation of the White Mulberry. There is no doubt the foliage of the Chinese Mulberry is altogether superior to that of the White, and that the tree is to be preferred on all accounts. That this wrill ultimately be the case, by acclimation, we hope and believe ; but we cannot say that we are without our fears. The extensive destruc- tion of the Chinese Mulberry the last winter, we do not consider as deciding the question against its abil- ity to withstand our ordinary winters. The last win- ter was uncommonly severe, and many of the most hardy indigenous trees and shrubs were destroyed root and branch. But notwithstanding the extreme cold, some of this variety of the Mulberry survived it, even in locations peculiarly unfavorable. We hope, THE MULBERRY TREE. 15 therefore, it will finally succeed ; but it is a dictate of common sense not to exchange certainties for uncer- tainties. We know from the experience of half a century, that the White Mulberry is adapted to our climate, and that from its foliage, silk of an excellent quality and liberal product may be made, and it is certainly the dictate both of wisdom and economy, to hold it in reserve should the Chinese fail. Our plan, as practical culturists, is to multiply the White Mulberry as fast as possible, and at the same time endeavor to acclimate the Chinese. Should it succeed, and render the White Mulberry unneces- sary for foliage, it will still be valuable for timber and fuel. But, on the contrary, should we be disap- pointed in our hopes and expectations with respect to the Chinese, we shall still be enabled to prosecute the culture of silk with success and profit. It is to be hoped the most sanguine believer in the Chinese variety will not neglect to cultivate the White, until the question is settled beyond the possibility of a doubt. It appears to us that the success of the whole enterprize would be jeoparded by any other course of procedure ; and, as we ardently desire its success, would earnestly entreat our fellow culturists to guard against such a result. The Shining Leaved — the Tartarean and the Don- dolo are also excellent varieties for silk, and well worth the attention of the culturist. SOIL FOR THE MULBERRY. The inquiry is frequently made respecting the na- ture of the soil best adapted to the growth of the Mulberry, and the climate most favorable to the health, industry and product of the silk worm. An 16 THE MULBERRY TREE. answer to the first topic of inquiry is all that need be said on the subject, for it is a well established fact that in all climates where the food may be cultivated, the animal, created by nature to live upon it, will be in its full vigor. With respect to the soil best adapted to the production of the food, it may be laid down as a general rule, that all soils adapted to the culture of Indian corn are adapted to the culture of the Mul- berry. In the south of France, Piedmont and Italy, where the culture of silk has arrived to great perfec- tion, Indian corn grows luxuriantly, and is the princi- pal article of bread stuff among all classes of the community. It is also a fact that the White Mulberry will grow well on light loamy and sandy land, and that its foli- age is superior in quality to that which is produced on deeper and moister soils. This fact is important to farmers, as it will enable them to derive a profit from lands which have not been considered worth cultivating. We have seen Mulberry trees to the height of thirty and forty feet, growing on steep and sandy declivities, covered with an exuberance of foliage, where ten bushels of corn upon an acre would be considered a large crop. Low and wet lands are uncongenial to the Mulberry. In all other soils and locations they may be successfully cultivated. METHODS OF PROPAGATION. The Mulberry admits of six different methods of propagation. 1st Seed. 2d Grafting. 3d Budding or Inoculating. 4th Layers. 5th Cuttings. 'Oth Suckers. The seed is contained in the fruit and is pro- cured by bruising and washing the berries. As fast as the fruit ripens it should be gathered, otherwise it THE MttLBEKRY TREE. 17 will fall from the tree and be lost, or be devoured by birds. When a portion of the fruit is ripe, spread blankets under the trees and shake them gently — by this means the ripe berries are disengaged from the boughs, and, falling upon the blankets, are easily gathered, while those that are unripe remain undis- turbed. This process ought to be repeated every morning. The seed should not be suffered to remain in the berry more than three or four days at longest, as fermentation may take place which will injure, if not destroy it. CLEANSING THE SEED. To separate the seed, put the fruit into a tub, or other convenient vessel, and with the hands, or a pounder, mash them till they are incorporated into a common mass. Then pour water upon it and stir it briskly till a separation takes place between the seed and the pulp. After the separation has taken place, the water should be poured off, taking with it the false seeds which will rise to the surface. The wash- ings should be repeated until the seed is clean. Rub- bing it through a sieve, with meshes of sufficient size to admit the passage of the seed will facilitate the operation. After the seed has become clean, the water is drained off and the seed spread thinly on cloths and dried in the shade. When perfectly dry it should be put into a vessel air tight, and kept in a dry place, secluded from frost or dampness, till it is wanted for sowing. THE MULBERRY TREE. PURCHASING SEED. In procuring seed for sowing care ought to be taken to obtain that which is genuine, and in order to guard against imposition, seed of domestic growth should always be selected in preference to foreign, when it can be obtained. It is said, and probably with truth, that a quantity of imported turnip seed has been distributed in some parts of the country for Chinese Mulberry seed, and the same imposition, it is feared, will be attempted to be played off in the importation and sale of White Mulberry seed. The silk growing and manufactur- ing districts of foreign countries, are unquestionably looking upon our enterprize with an envious and jeal- ous eye, and we must be prepared to surmount every obstacle their cupidity may throw in our way, wheth- er indirectly, by scattering among us spurious seed, or such as will not vegetate, or directly, by sending among us foreign emissaries, as they did when the cotton manufacture was in its infancy. To guard against these impositions it is recom- mended to cultivators to be careful about the quality and kind of their seed ; and in all cases to procure domestic seed when it can be had. SOWING THE SEED. The seed may be sown from the first of May to the first of September. If sown in August, the plants will be up two or three inches before the autumnal frosts, and must be protected by covering them with horse manure, straw, or refuse hay, or the roots will be liable to be destroyed by the frosts of the ensuing THE MULBERRY TREE. 1U winter. The object of covering is not to protect the shoots but the roots, and care must be taken not to cover them too deep, as it may afford a shelter for rats, mice, &c. in which case they would be sure to kill them. The seed may be sown in seed beds, or nurseries, as best suits the convenience of the cultivator. When land is no object, it will be best to sow them in the nursery, as it will save the labor of once transplant- ing. For spring sowing, the land should be partially prepared the previous autumn. Every cultivator knows the fertilizing effects of frost and snow, and consequently ought to avail himself of them in pre- paring his ground for a nursery. In order for this, ground, intended for spring sow- ing, should be dug or ploughed late in the preceding autumn and left rough through the winter. If the land require it, a suitable quantity of manure should be applied. In the spring, as early as the season will admit, the ground should be ploughed again and har- rowed, or raked — care being taken that the earth be well pulverized. When the season is sufficiently ad- vanced, ordinarily about the first of May, the ground should be laid off into drills, at sufficient distances from each other to admit of passing between them for the purpose of weeding and hoeing, and the seed sown in the manner of sowing carrots. The seed should be covered about half an inch deep and the earth well trod, or rolled down to bring it in contact with the seed. Before sowing, the seed ought to be steeped in water about blood warm, or in milk and water, for twenty-four or thirty-six hours, as it will promote its vegetation. 20 THE MULBERRY TREE. After the plants are up, they must be kept free of weeds, and the earth well stirred with the hoe. If the season is dry, they should be frequently watered ; but in all cases before the rising of the sun, or after its setting in the evening, as watering them during sunshine will injure, rather than benefit, their health and growth. It is no uncommon thing for the plants to be de- stroyed by the frosts of the first winter ; but this is considered a matter of little consequence compared with injury to the roots. If the roots are preserved in a healthy state, they will throw up vigorous shoots the second spring, which will generally withstand the cold of the second winter. Some cultivators of trees cut off the shoots of the first year's growth about two inches from the ground, and we are inclined to think it the better course. We have two nurseries, one of which was cut off in this manner, and the other left standing. The trees cut down are larger, and, in every respect, better than those left standing. The plants of spring sowing ought to be covered in season to prevent the frost reaching the roots, and it would be well to do it before the frosts are severe. The Corresponding Secretary of the Concord Silk Soci- ety, suggests hemlock boughs as a suitable material for covering, and we are inclined to the opinion that they will answer every purpose. Taking all things into consideration, we would recommend spring sow- ing, especially for large nurseries. THE MULBERRY TREE. 21 TRANSPLANTING TREES. As the trees grow in the nursery, and become crowded, they must be thinned out. This should be done by transplanting them to situations where it is intended they shall permanently remain. To trans- plant trees, dig the holes for them six feet square, dress the ground two feet round the plants, shorten the tap root and press the earth on the roots as the hills are filled up. The distances, at which the trees are to be set, depend upon the kind intended to be growed. For an orchard of full grown standard trees, Mr. Cobb recommends the usual distance between apple trees. On the subject of dwarfs, Mr. Goodrich, President of the Hartford County Silk Society, and a gentleman of science and experience, to whom the community are largely indebted for the present encouraging prospect of the silk enterprize, says : — " I advise you to set the rows of mulberry trees, at the distance of eiglitfeet; this will allow sufficient space to plough between the rows with a yoke of oxen, or to pass between them with a one horse wagon, when the trees are considerably grown. " I would transplant the trees when they are one or two years old, (I should perfer those which are one year old,) and set them in 'the rows originally, at the distance of two feet. They will grow for -two or three years within two feet of each other, as well as at a greater distance. You will then have more than 2700 mulberry trees on an acre. If your trees are one year old, or seedlings, you may, if you please, place them at the distance of one foot from another in the rows. fc2 THE MULBERRY TREE. " It is important that the young plants should be hoed and cultivated for a few years, with as much care as is usually bestowed on carrots or onions; and in order to do this, with as little expense as pos- sible, potatoes, beans, or ruta baga, may be planted between the rows, and when the potatoes are hoed, all the weeds around the mulberry trees must be carefully destroyed. " When the trees are three or four years old, and have begun to spread, and fill the ground, I would thin them out by digging up and transplanting every other tree. Experience will enable you to decide at what time this is proper to be done. " I ought to have added above, that potatoes should be between the rows, well manured, so that the whole ground may be rich like a garden. " I observed the last year, that the young mulberry trees, grew as well where potatoes were planted be- tween the rows, as where they were omitted, and the trees cultivated in the same manner without potatoes. " I would begin to prune the young trees the first year, and continue it every year, observing to cut off all sprouts which grow near the ground ; no leaves ought to be suffered to grow nearer than two or three feet to the ground. The earlier you begin to prune, the easier it will be to form good trees, and the more rapidly they will grow. " The second year, I would begin to make silk of the twigs which are trimmed off. If the trees have been properly cultivated from the beginning, I think you may make silk enough the second year, to pay all the expense of making the silk, and of cultivating the trees that year. The principal object, however, ought to be, not to make silk the second year, but to cultivate the trees in the most judicious manner. THE MULBERRY TREE. 23 " I would therefore advise, that for the two or three first years, the trees should be trimmed, and the leaves gathered, only by persons who know how to trim the trees properly. " When the trees are four or five years old, at which time, they will be six or eight feet high, I propose to gather leaves for the worms, by cutting off twigs, or small branches, which may be done by a person standing on the ground, still observing to trim the trees in such a manner as will best promote their growth. At Mansfield, in this State, the leaves have usually been stripped with the hand from the branches, and the person who gathers them, is obliged to climb trees, which are thirty or forty feet high. I propose to save this labor in a great measure, by trimming and heading down the trees from year to year, so that they shall not grow more than six or eight feet high, and in such a manner that the leaves may always be gathered by a person standing on the ground. In this manner, mulberry leaves are gathered in Persia and in the vicinity of Constantinople. " The leaves, or rather branches, are to be conveyed to the silk house or cocoonery, in one horse wagons, and you will now see the propriety of leaving the rows sufficiently far apart for wagons to pass between them. I propose, also, to gather the leaves, or branches, in large baskets, of a proper shape, made' for the purpose, and adapted to the wagons. I sup-* pose that one man with a wagon, will carry these baskets of leaves to the cocoonery as fast as a number can fill them. " I found the last year, that leaves which grew near the ground, were covered with sand or dirt, thrown upon them during showers of rain ; and it was neces- sary to clean them thoroughly, before they were 24 THE MULBERRY TREE. given to the worms. The labor of doing this was about equal to that of gathering the leaves. This suggested the propriety of trimming up the young plant from the beginning, so that no leaves should grow near the ground. "I omitted to mention, that the potatoes which may be grown the first year, between rows of mulberry seedlings, will, as I think, pay for setting out and cul- tivating the plants that year. When the mulberry trees have grown to a considerable size, and the roots have filled the ground, it may perhaps be advisable to discontinue planting potatoes between the rows, as the roots of the trees would be impaired by ploughing the land." GRAFTING. There are various methods of grafting which are as applicable to the Mulberry as any other tree. The thing essential in the various methods of grafting is to ad apt the bark of the scion to the bark of the stock, and it is considered advisable to place the scion on the northerly side of the stock, as it is less liable to with- er and die by the influence of the sun. In Italy they are so prejudiced in favor of grafting Mulberry trees, that they graft those intended for hedges. This prejudice grows out of a mistaken opinion that grafted trees yield a greater amount of foliage than those from the seed. The facility with which trees are obtained from the seed will always render it the best way for obtaining them in this coun- try, except in cases where it is desirable to propagate particular species, or varieties. THE MULBERRY TREE 25 BUDDING. Budding or inoculating is a much more simple op- eration than grafting and generally to be preferred, especially in cases where the trees are small. As there is nothing in the operation of budding or inocu- lating the Mulberry different from that of any common fruit trees, we refer the reader to the numerous horti- cultural works, in which the subject is fully discussed and ample directions given for its skilful performance. LAYERS. The propagation of trees by layers is one of the ea- siest methods to multiply them of which we have any knowledge. This operation is performed by laying down the branches of the tree, fastening them to the ground with a pin- having a hook upon it and cover- ing them, to the depth of several inches, with earth. — In performing this operation care must be taken to leave the end of the branch above the surface of the earth, — scarifying that part of the branch which is covered, has also a tendency to cause it to throw out roots more rapidly and vigorously. The following spring the branch is separated from the parent stock, and transplanted. The number of trees which in this manner may be obtained from a, single stock is astonishing. CUTTINGS. Another method of propagating the Mulberry is by means of Cuttings. To produce trees by cuttings, the perpendicular shoots, and especially such as ter- minate branches, should be selected. These are to 3 26 THE MULBERRY TREE. be cut into pieces from six to fifteen inches in length, having on them, towards their ends, two buds — one for the root, and the other for the branch. These are to be stuck, early in the spring, into the ground about two thirds their length and have the earth well closed around them. A shady location is preferable, when it can be ob- tained, and in dry weather they should be kept well watered. The cuttings should be of the last years shoots. Cuttings from horizontal branches will grow equally well, but incline to grow in a more spreading form and do not make as handsome and thrifty trees. The second year they may be transplanted if wrell rooted. SUCKERS. Trees may also be obtained from suckers. These are to be separated from the tree early in the spring, care being taken to leave some roots upon them, and planted either in the nursery or orchard. In dry weather they should be watered. Though the White Mulberry admits of these vari- ous methods of propagation ; yet ordinarily the bet- ter method will be to propagate them from the seed. Seed of a good quality can ordinarily be obtained at a moderate price, and from a single pound, one hun- dred thousand plants may reasonably be expected. PRUNING. The subsequent treatment of the trees ought to have particular reference to the quality and quantity of the foliage, the duration of the tree and the conven- ience of gathering the leaves. THE MULBERRY TREE. 27 These objects are attained by cultivation, pruning and picking. Though trees from eight to ten years old will do well in grass land, yet if the ground is manured and cultivated they will produce a greater abundance of foliage. The health and form of trees also depend much on pruning. Trees left to take care of themselves produce small leaves, and they of- ten assume a form which renders it extremely diffi- cult and unpleasant to gather them. Great care in pruning is necessary the first year they are picked. After gathering the leaves, all dam- a*ged and decayed branches ought to be removed as well as such as are either too tardy or too vigorous in their growth. Regard should also be had to the form of the tree in pruning. It should not be permitted to grow too high, to throw out its lateral branches too far, or to have them hang in a drooping position. To prevent these consequences the tree should be headed down by shortening its top shoots, as should also the lateral branches. Those that droop should be entirely cut away unless they can be made to take an upright, or at least a horizontal, direction by short- ening. Such branches as have been displaced by picking the leaves, should be replaced in order that they take their proper direction. In other respects they may be pruned in the manner of common fruit trees. PICKING LEAVES. It is the prevailing opinion in the silk growing dis- tricts of Connecticut, that trees only two years old may be stripped of their leaves without injury, provi- ded the leaves nearest the ends of the main stem and lateral branches are left. There is no doubt that the 28 THE MULBERRY TREE. leaves of trees are their lungs, and contribute, by ob- sorption of moisture and the principle of vegetation from the atmosphere, to their growth ; but the health of a Mulberry tree is probably promoted as much by depriving it of its leaves, in a reasonable manner and at the proper season, as that of a sheep by being shorn of its wool. It is recommended by some culturists to let the trees rest one year after the first picking, in order to recover from the loss of its leaves. Various methods of picking leaves and transport- ing them to the cocoonery have been practised ; but as experience will soon discover the best method to the practical culturist, it is supposed to be unneces- sary to give any directions in relation to it. It may. however, be proper to state that the leaves ought to be stripped upwards, as downwards would injure the buds, HEDGES. A very good way of cultivating the Mulberry is in hedges, and it is probable it will ultimately be found to be the best method. It is cultivated in this man- ner in the form offence or field hedges. On the bor- ders of fields, Mulberry hedges are cultivated for the double purpose of fence and foliage, and the interior of fields is often covered with hedges, at suitable dis- tances from each other to admit the passage of a hand or horse cart for the purpose of transporting the leaves to the cocoonery. The method of propagating hedges in both cases, is much the same, and is done either by transplanting plants from the nursery or sowing the seed when it is intended to make a hedge. To make a hedge by transplanting from the nurse- THE MULBERRY TREE. 29 ry, take plants one or two years old and set them at the distance of eighteen inches apart, or, if it is inten- ded to make a thickset hedge, at the distance of one foot. Cut off the tops at four or six inches from the ground, leaving two buds opposite each other, and removing all the rest. This causes the stock to have two vigorous branches the first year. The next spring, cut one of these two branches on the same side, at about" twelve inches from the ground, in such manner that each plant may have a long and a short one. Cut horizontally on the same side also one af- ter another, all the branches, and fasten them with cords or withes, so that they may form a line paral- lel with the earth, and leave the entire branches un- touched. At the commencement of the third year, the plants will have branches to form a hedge. The height, form, &c. of a hedge may be regulated accordnig to the taste of the cultivator by cutting off the branches, when covered with leaves, and feeding the silk worm upon them. Some cultivators are per- mitting standard trees to grow up out of their hedges at the distance often or twelve feet from each other. This is doubtless an improvement, as by cutting away the hedge an orchard of standard trees would be left should it ever be found desirable so to do. Rails might also be inserted into the standards and a good fence easily made. To make a hedge from the seed it is only necessa- ry to sow the seed and then treat the plants in the same manner as if transplanted from the nursery. SOWING BROAD CAST. Mulberry seed may be sowed every spring, broad cast, in well prepared ground. The next year, when *3 30 THE MULBERRY the plants are covered with foliage, they may be mowed down, in the same manner that farmers mow small bushes in their pastures, and given to the worms for food. These mowings may be repeated until the stock becomes so exhausted as to be unable to send out shoots, when the land must be seeded again. — This crop can be daily made, except after very dry weather, in different portions of the ground, and each plant will bear to be topped three times at least. This method has several important advantages. — The leaves are gathered with trifling labor and ex- pense— the same area of ground will produce more foliage — it enables the culturist to commence the ma- king of silk in the course of one year — tenants from year to year, as well as owners of the soil, can secure a yearly crop of silk and the quantity can be increas- ed or diminished according to the demand. This method of sowing is practised extensively in China and found to answer a good purpose. It has also been successfully tried in New England ; but culturists generally prefer standard trees or hedges. CHINESE MULBERRY. Of all species and varieties of the Mulberry the Multicauiis is beyond controversy the best for the culture of silk and consequently the culturist ought to cultivate it extensively on his plantation. Fears have hitherto been entertained that it could not endure the severity of our climate ; but its superior excellence has induced many nursery men to experiment upon its cultivation, and their results have afforded strong evidence that, with suitable location and proper "treat- ment, it may be depended upon, to furnish an annual supply of food for the silk worm. These experi- THE MULBERRY TREE. 31 ments have been made in different parts of the coun- try and by different persons Among them are Mr. Whitmash and Dr. Stebbins, at Northampton, — Mr, Davenport at Colerain, — Mr. Kenrick at Newton and Mr. Bestor at Suffield. The details and results of the experiments of these gentlemen might be interesting, but they are unne- cessary as they all unite in one theory as indispensa- ble to a successful cultivation of this valuable variety of the Mulberry. This theory is to force their growth in the forepart of the season and check it inlhs latter part ; for the purpose of giving the plants time to har- den and mature, before the commencement of the succeeding winter. The Multicaulis is a plant of rapid growth and con- sequently its shoots are succulent and tender and li- able to be destroyed by frost, if exposed to it, before they have time to harden and assume a woody state. The nature and habit of the plant then, naturally sug- gests the method of cultivation adapted to it, and this being corroborated by the results of numerous exper- iments, establishes the theory aforesaid beyond the shadow of a doubt. The theory then, being estab- lished, that the growth of the plant must be forced in the fore part of the season, and checked the latter part, all that is further necessary is to give directions for reducing this theory to practice, and the Multicau- lis may be as easily and safely cultivated as any other plant. To accomplish this, a soil must be chosen in which the plant can be kept under the perfect control of the cultivator — where it will grow luxuriantly till about the first of August and then cease growing. In select- ing soil for the Morus Multicaulis, the cultivator will 32 THE MULBERRY TREE. be governed by the same rules as for the White Mul- berry— dry sandy or loamy soil ; except in regard to its fertility. To keep a plant under the complete con- trol of the cultivator, and grow or not grow at his bidding, it must be set in soil where it will not grow at all without the aid of manure and cultivation. Select then a soil too barren to make the plant grow at all, or, at any rate, very slowly, and by the application of manure and frequent hoeing, force its growth as fast as possible till the first or middle of August. At the time you wish to stop its growth, cease hoeing it, and, if the fertilizing properties of the manure are exhausted, it will stop as a matter of course, and commence hardening ; and by the time of severe frosts, will be in a state of maturity to with- stand them. A little experience will enable the cul- tivator to select the most suitable kind of manure and proportion it to the object he has in view. The Multicaulis is of easy propagation either by engrafting or budding on White Mmulberry stocks, or by cuttings and layers. Some nurserymen suppose it will endure the winter better on White stocks than on its own roots ; but this must be determined by further experiments. Persons unacquainted with the cultivation of the Multicaulis are not aware of the extent to which they may be multiplied in a single season. In order to chow the number that may be produced from a sin- gle tree, we would refer the reader to the result of an experiment by Mr. Bestor, of Suffield, the present year. He laid down the branches of two plants and thereby produced two hundred and two, in addition to the original plants. This is, however, a very extra- ordinary increase ; but they may be rapidly multiple ed with a very little trouble. THE MULBERRY TREE. 33 Catlings take root as readily as the willow, poplar, or currant, and layers as surely as any other tree, or shrub, that can be propagated in the same manner. — From the " many stalks" which the roots shoot up, and from which it derives its name, it will be seen that it affords more material for cuttings and layers, than most other tress. In all cases all the stalks, having buds on them, may be cut up into cuttings in the spring, by which means they will be greatly multipli- ed. These may be laid down during the summer, and doubled or trippled, so that by the following spring the cultivator himself would be astonished at their increase. With respect to propagating the Multicaulis from the seed, the question remains unsettled. Dr. Steb- bins of Northampton, has plants from the seed which he believes to be the genuine Multicaulis, but it must be left to time to decide whether the same variety can, in all cases be depended on from the seed. We have but little doubt of the ultimate acclima- tion of the Chinese Mulberry in this country, and con- sider it of but little consequence whether they can or cannot be propagated from the seed ; but should it finally be compelled to yield to the severity of our climate, we should still consider it the most valuable variety of the Mulberry for cultivatiou in this coun- try. It is the opinion of the most skilful and experi- enced cultivators and culturists, that should the shoots of the Chinese Mulberry be destroyed by the frosts of every winter, so thatnothing could be gathered from the plants but the foliage on the annual shoots, they would be far preferable to the White Mulberry, as more silk could be made from them, than from trees of the White eight and ten years old, 34 THE MULBERRY TREE. A larger number of them may also be planted on an acre of land. They may be planted at about double the distance of hills of Indian corn, and be manured and cultivated in much the same manner. — Cultivated in this way, they make a most beautiful appearance and yield a large crop of the very best kind of foliage. We would, however, again recom- mend to the culturist, to continue the cultivation of the White Mulberry. It is a valuable tree for fuel and timber, and should it finally turn out, from any un- foreseen cause, that the Chinese Mulberry cannot be cultivated in this country, he will still be furnished with a supply of food lor the silk worm, by whose la- bor he can produce a profitable crop of silk. An experiment is being made at Manchester, a neighboring town, to produce two hundred pounds of silk from an acre of land. Mr. Cheeney, the experi- menter, is confident of success, and from the outlines of his plan, we think it not impossible. A family of worms, of sufficient numbers to make two hundred pounds of silk, will require, not to exceed 20,000 pounds of foliage during the season of feeding ; and Mr. C. has already ascertained that a Chinese plant, the second year, will yield a pound and a half of leaves. Taking this, then, as the average product of the plants, £he 20,000 pounds of food will be gathered from 13,325 plants. This being the fact, the only difficulty in the case, if there be any, is to set that number of plants upon an acre at such distances as will admit of sufficient air and light to cause a rapid growth, and bring forward a perfect foliage. ' The soil may undoubtedly be so highly charged with the food of plants as to give them the requisite nutriment THE MULBERRY TREE. $5 during their growth ; but we are not without fears, with respect to the admission of air and light in suffi- cient quantities to bring them to maturity. The experiment, however, is an interesting and important one, and will be thoroughly tried by Mr. C. and the result given to the public. Should he fail of success, it ought not to operate as a discouragement to the cultivators of the Chinese Mulberry. Two hundred pounds of silk from an acre is an enormous crop — it is altogether more than has been expected by the most enthusiastic culturist, and should one half — one third, or even one fourth of that quantity be re- alized, it must be put down as one of the most profit- able of crops. TRANSPLANTING. Trees intended for transplanting may be taken up in autumn and preserved through the winter with ve- ry little trouble. On this subject Mr. Bestor, an ex- perienced and successful cultivator of the Chinese Mulberry, says : — " Small Mulberry trees, intended to be removed the ensuing autumn, should be taken up soon after the fall of the leaf, and the roots carefully covered with san- dy loam, or a hole may be dug in a sandy upland where it will not hold water, and a layer of trees and dirt alternately put in, and when near the top fill it with dirt, and raise a mound over it sufficient to shed the rains, and let them remain until it is time to set them out in the spring. " Trees may also be preserved good by putting them into a box, well packed in dirt, as above men- tioned, and placed in the cellar. In all cases, care should be taken that the dirt comes in immediate con- 86 THE MULBERRY TREE tact with the roots ; for if they are crowded together without, they will be liable to heat and mould, and the future death of the tree will be the consequence. " Care also should be taken that the mice do not harbor amongst the roots, as they are excessively fond of them, and will ruin the trees; therefore no straw ought to be used. PART II. THE SILK WORM. In order to a skilful and successful rearing of the Silk Worm, it is necessary that the culturist should have a thorough knowledge of its nature, habits and the diseases to which it is liable. The Silk Worm (bombyx mori) is a species of the cat- erpillar, which after undergoing several metamorpho- ses becomes a moth like others of the genus. The color of the Worm for the first eight or ten days after hatching, is an obscure black. It casts its skin at sta- ted periods, until it has attained its largest size, when it becomes yellow. It is about three inches long when full grown, covered with scattering hairs, and has a small fleshy tubercle on the upper end of the last ring. After constructing its cocoon, which is usu- ally about the size of a pigeon's egg, and similar in shape, it is transformed to a chrysalis, and subsequent- ly to a moth. After remaining in the cocoon about twenty days, it forces its way out and dies immedi- ately after depositing its eggs, to the number of five hundred or more, which are attached together by a gummy substance. The several ages of the Worm amount to thirty-two days, but have been known to extend to sixty. 4 38 THE SILK WORM. The Silk Worm undergoes four changes during its brief existence. These are called moultings, and fol- low each other at irregular periods depending on climate, or temperature, and the quality and quantity of the food on which it is fed. The periods of moulting are also hastened or retarded by the high or low temperature in which they have been kept dur- ing the winter. When they have been kept in a reg- ulated degree of temperature, the first moulting takes place on the fourth or fifth day after hatching ; the second on the eighth ; the third on the thirteenth or fourteenth ; and the fourth on the twenty-second or twenty-third. The time intervening between the several moultings is called the several ages of the Worm. The fifth age continues ten days, making thirty two days, at the end of which it ordinarily at- tains its full growth. The time however, has been protracted to sixty days. After it has attained its greatest size, which is about three inches in length, the silk gum is elaborated in the reservoirs, the Worm ceases to eat and soon diminishes in size and weight. The vessels in wrhich the silk is elaborated, consist of two parallel tubes of the same size, so very deli- cate, near their termination, as to appear to unite in one ; but by immersing and hardening the insect in spirits of wine, Reaumur found that they continued separate to their ends and that he could take them out entire. By the aid of a microscope he foand that the fibre of silk, minute as it is, has more breadth than thickness, and that in the middle of each fibre there was a kind of furrow, giving it the appearance of two flattened cylinders glued together. THE SILK WORM. 39 Eggs. First Age. | Second Age. Third Age. Cocoon. Moth. GROWTH AND CHANGES OF THE SILK WORM. 40 THE SILK WORM. The foregoing engravings represent the Silk Worm in its various changes and sizes from the egg to the moth. With the aid of the engravings the metamor- phoses and growth of this apparently insignificant in- sect, may be easily traced, from its dormant state in the egg to the construction of its cocoon ; and from thence to the moth, which again deposites its eggs for another generation. They are first of a pale yel- low color, but souri change to a light slate and final- ly to a dull brown. By the color of the eggs it may be determined whether they are impregnated. Such as are not, continue of the original color, and conse- quently are worthless. Those that finally assume a dull brownish slate color, are genuine and should be preserved. DISEASES OF THE SILK WORM. Silk Worms, like other animals and insects, are lia- ble to disease and subject to death. There are six diseases to which they are liable — The Passim — The Grasserie — The Lunette — The Yellows — The Muscar- dine and The Tripes. The first of these diseases is attributed to the Worms being too much heated in their early state. The symptoms are shortness and thinness of body and a want of vigor, or appetite. The remedy is to separate the diseased Worms from the healthy ones, by putting them into another room well ventilated, and of a. little higher temperature, and feeding them moderately with tender leaves. The Grasserie. — The period at which the Worms are most subject to this disease, is before the second moulting, and in the third and fourth ages. It is induced by feeding on food too nourishing for their digestive organs. The symptoms are want of diges- THE SILK WORM. 41 tion — swollen bodies of an opaque form and green color — tender skins, which break at the least touch and covered with a viscious oily humor. As this dis- ease is occasioned by feeding, its preventive and rem- edy is to be found in a contrary mode of treatment. The Lusette. — This disease sometimes attacks the Silk Worm in its fifth age. It is supposed to be oc- casioned by being stinted in its food, as the stomach on dissection is found filled with a glairy transparent fluid, without any remains of food. The symptoms are a shining appearance of body and an enlargement of the head. This disease is easily prevented by ta- king care that they have a full supply of food ; and the only remedy for it is separation from the other Worms, and a greater supply of food. Care must be taken that the food be not given in too large quantities, as a disease, directly the reverse, may be the con- sequence, which will be equally fatal. The Yellows. — This disease is imputed to exposure to sudden and great heat. When it attacks the Worm it is generally toward the end of the fifth age, when it is filled with the silky fluid and is about to commence spinning. The symptoms are yellowness and swell- ing of the body — an enlargement of the rings and an appearance of having the feet drawn up. They also cease to eat and wander about, leaving stains of $ yellow fluid on whatever it touches, which exudes from the body. The Worms soon become soft an4 burst, throwing out an acrid humor, which is sure to kill every one which comes in contact with it. ThU is considered the most fatal disease to which thq Worm is liable, and, on account of its contagion, if the most to be dreaded. When it makes its appearance in the cocoonery, i( *4 42 THE SILK WORM. must be attended to immediately, or the destruction of the whole family may be the consequence. The only remedy for the diseased Worms is to remove them to a separata apartment and give them additional heat. A change of air and an increase of heat, sometimes effects a cure; but far the greater part that are at- tacked die. Early attention to the diseased Worms will, however, generally prevent the spreading of the disease, which is the great object to be accomplished. For this purpose, all dead and diseased Worms should be speedily removed and the dead bodies carefully buried, to avoid their being eaten by poultry. In 1792, a family of Silk Worms in Bucks county Penn- sylvania, were attacked with this disease and many of them died. The remainder were cured by eating oak leaves which accidentally come in their way. The Muscardine. — This disease sometimes attacks the Worm in the fifth age. It is engendered by a long continuance of hot, dry, close, or calm state of the atmosphere. Its symptoms are black spots on different parts of the Worm, which afterwards turns yellow, then red, or cinnamon color, diffusing over the whole body. The Worm finally becomes hard and covered with a white mould and dies. The only remedy is to purify the room. The Tripes. — This disease is engendered by the confined exhalations of the Worms and their litter. When the Worms are laboring under this disease, they become flaccid and soft, and when dead, for a time, retain the semblance of life and health ; but soon turn black and become putrid. This is the only disease to which the Silk Worm is very liable in this country ; and this, it is said, may be prevented by the use of chloride of lime in the cocoonery. It has THE SILK WORM. 43 also been known to arrest the disease after it had be- come epidemic and threatened the destruction of the whole family. It is a cheap article, a dollar's worth being sufficient for a large establishment. The man- ner of using it is simple. Put an ounce or two on plates, with a little water, and set them in different parts of the cocoonery, replenishing every four or five days. It may also be put in a jug, or demijohn, and a gallon of water added for every pound. Sprin- kle the floor with a little of this solution three or four times a day, when there is an offensive smell in the room. In very hot weather, when it would be unsafe to cool the room by sprinkling cold water on the floor, Si consequence of the vapor evolved,) it will be of e greatest importance to have this solution, as it may be sufely used. Should they, however, after all these precautions, become diseased, the only remedy is to purify the air of the cocoonery, or convey them to another apartment. We have been thus particular in the description of the diseases of the Silk Worm, not because they are peculiarly liable to disease, but that the culturist should have a knowledge of them, should they appear, which is not much to be feared if the proper precau- tions and preventives are duly regarded. THE COCOONERY. For the accommodation of the Worms during the season of feeding and making their cocoons, a labra- tory, or, as it is of late, more commonly called, a co- coonery, must be provided. Every thing, however, that is indispensable, is to have a building inclosed in §uch manner as to exclude the rain and chilling winds. 44 THE SILK WORM. If a building has not been erected expressly for tho purpose, which, however, may be done at a small ex- pense, barns, stables and other out houses, or unoccu- pied rooms in a dwelling house, may be easily fitted up for temporary use. They must be furnished with shelves, or tables, on which the Worms are to be pla- ced and fed. Cocooneries have been furnished in various ways; but the following is perhaps attended with as little ex- pense, as any that have been adopted. It is recom- mended by Mr. Cobb of Dedham, who thus describes it: "I have used three tiers of rough pine boards, fixed upon upright posts, about four feet in width, one above the other, with a space between of two and a half feet, affording room sufficient to pass all around the frame, so that I could reach any part of it. In making the shelves it is well to have the lowest one six inches broader than the one above it, and to make the same difference in the shelves above, so as to break the fall of such Worms as happen to tumble down." Mr C. also describes another method of constructing shelves, which he saw in the nursery of Mr. Smith of Baltimore, which: he thinks a very good one. He says, " it is about two and a half feet wide, by five or six long, made of thin boards, with a piece two inches wide nailed flat on the upper edge along the sides and ends, with legs about a foot long in the corners. The legs do not pass through the table, but leave a part of the hole on the upper side for the feet of another table to set in. Thus contrived, five or six of these tables are set one above another, and are taken down, cleans- ed and again set up with facility. One of these shelves will accommodate 500 Worms." He also recommends putting old newspapers on the shelves, THE SILK WORM. 45 which may be taken off whenever it is necessary to clean the Worms, and then be replaced. HATCHING. Having a stock of Mulberry trees and a cocoonery conveniently fitted up, the culturist has arrived at the point where he is prepared to commence operations in the delightful task of rearing the Silk Worm. The first step in the process is to hatch the eggs ; and here we would caution the culturist against being deluded and discouraged by the particularity and apparent difficulty of the Italian process. It was our avowed intention in the commencement of this little manual to give the practical culturist "a prac- tical treatise on the culture of silk, adapted to the climate and soil of the United States," without refer- ence to the soils and climates of other countries less adapted to the same object. Hence we have studi- ously avoided noticing the peculiar manner in which the tree is cultivated in the silk growing districts of Europe and Asia for the purpose of freeing the sub- ject of every difficulty with which it might seem to be embarrassed. In giving directions for rearing the Silk Worm and making Silk, we shall endeavor to regard the same object. ITALIAN PROCESS. We will, however, give the Italian process of hatching the eggs, not on account of its necessity in this country; but to show the American culturist, the advantages he possesses over the Italian, for a profit- able production of silk. These directions are copied 46 THE SILK WORM. from Mr. Rhind's instructions in the art of managing Silk Worms in Italy. " The temperature of the chamber near the place where the eggs are put, should be 63J degrees ; this is obtained by increasing the fire, should the tempera- ture be less, and by opening the ventilator, and even the door, should it be greater. This temperature should be observed two consecutive days. On the third day, the temperature is raised to 66 ; on the fourth to 68 ; on the fifth to 70 ; on the sixth to 72 ; on the seventh to 75 ; on the eighth to 77 ; on the ninth to 79; and on the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth, to 81 degress." Whatever artificial heat may be necessary for hatching and'rearing Silk Worms in Italy, or other countries, our climate is so congenial to their growth and health, that nothing of the kind is wanted. Indeed a resort to it would be injurious rather than benefi- cial. All that is necessary here, is to expose the eggs to the ordinary heat of a common sitting room, and in due time they will hatch, and require a little of your time and attention in procuring them food and clean- sing their cocoonery, and they will make you an abundant crop of silk. TIME OF HATCHING. The proper time for hatching the eggs is always determined by the advance of the season. In New England and kindred climates, the season is ordinarily sufficiently advanced by the latter part of May. The only sure criterion, however, is the leaves of the Mulberry — and hence the maxim among culturists, that " it is time to hatch the eggs when the leaves of the Mulberry are about the size of your thumb nail/ THE SILK WORM. 47 When the leaves have attained this size, the papers, on which the eggs are laid, are to be brought from the cellar where they have been deposited for safe keeping through the winter, and exposed to the action of the atmosphere of the sitting room. In a day or two the Worms will begin to appear, and must be immediately fed with the young and tender foliage of the Mulberry. This is done by laying the leaves upon them, to which they will cling and commence eating. Care should be taken to classify the Worms according to the time of hatching, keeping those which hatch about the same time in distinct classes ; this will produce more uniformity in their future ope- rations. While they are upon the leaves at the first feeding, they should be removed to the shelves in- tended for their future use. This is easily done by taking the leaf by the stem and carrying them to the cocoonery. SPACE REQUIRED. The health of the Worms and the product of their labor depend materially upon their having sufficient room allotted them during their several ages. As they increase in size, it is manifest more room must be given them, or they will become crowded, diseased, and either die, or perform their labor like a sickly and feeble man, or animal. It is somewhat difficult to prescribe the space ne- cessary with mathematical accuracy ; but as a general rule, the Worms should never be permitted to come in contact with each other during any period of their lives. Mr. Cobb, who has much practical and scien- tific knowledge on the subject, says : — " It is calcu- lated the Worms proceeding from one ounce of 48 THE SILK WORM. eggs, which in number are estimated at 35 or 40,000, should have space on the shelves, sq. feet. inches. In the 1 st age of - - - - 7 4 In the 2d age of - - - 14 8 In the 3d age of - - - - S4 10 In the 4th age of - - - 82 6 In the 5th age of - - - 183 4" A little experience and observation, however, will be the best guide for the culturist with regard to the space, and many other matters which cannot be fully given in a general treatise. FEEDING. The Worms being .placed upon the shelves, they must now be fed three times a day, and care must be taken that the foliage be in good order. The leaves should never be picked when they are wet with rain or the morning dew, unless it be in cases of absolute necessity ; and then they must be thoroughly dried before they are given to the Worms. As the leaves must not be wet, so neither must they be wilted, for in either case they will make the Worms feeble and diseased. To prevent this, care must be taken, on the approach of wet weather, to lay in a supply until the re-appearance of the sun. In order that the leaves may be kept without wilting, they should be closed in a glazed vessel, or carried into a cellar or other cool place. M. D'Homergue recommends putting them under cover, on a brick pavement, or graveled floor, and removing them three or four times a day lest they contract moisture. In this manner, he says, they may be kept three or four days. THE SILK WORM. 49 In feeding "Worms care should be taken not to give them too many leaves at a time, and to lay them thin upon them. If laid too thick, many of the Worms will be carried off with the litter and destroyed. During the first age of the Worm, the tenderest leaves should be selected for them, and those on young trees are better than those on older ones. Some cultivators sow the seed every year for the purpose of having tender leaves for the young Worms, and all would find it materially for their advantage. Leaves from young plants are preferable to those from older ones, during the second age. As the Silk Worm is tenacious of cleanliness, care must be taken to remove all the litter which they make. This may easily be done by scattering fresh leaves on the cor- ner of the shelf to .which the Worms will readily at- tach themselves. When they have thus attached themselves, take up the leaves to which they cling, leaving the litter underneaih, and place them in a clean place. After removing the litter, they may be re-placed in the same manner. Some lay the Worms on sheets of paper. In that case, it is easy to take out the paper, lay it on a table, or shelf, and carry the Worms to another sheet placed on the shelf af- ter cleaning it. Full grown leaves, from the largest trees may be given during the third age, and the litter should be removed every day All dead and diseased Worms should be immediately removed or they will endan- ger the health of the others. When the Worms are sick and are about changing their skins, they hold up their heads, are stupid and appear to be asleep. This ought to be particularly noticed for at such times they should be fed sparingly. The diseases of Silk Worms, 5 50 THE SILK WORM. as has already been remarked, are in general the con- sequence of want of sufficent air arid space — being suffered to get wet — being fed on damp or wilted leaves and not being kept clean. The preventives of disease, are to prevent the causes which produce it. Give them room and air — keep them dry — feed them on fresh leaves and keep them clean. If the cocoon- ery is fitted up with glass windows, they should be partially darkened during the silk season, as the Worms do not work as well in a full blaze of light. As rats, mice, spiders, ants and fowls will destroy the Worms, care must be taken to prevent their hav- ing access to them. In some cocooneries, a space of several inches is left between the shelves and the walls, and the legs, or posts, by which they are sup- ported, are tarred to prevent the attack of these ene- mies. The destruction of the Worms by ants, has been prevented by placing lemon juice about the shelves and cracks where they make their appearance. In some cocooneries, streaks of thick molasses are made around the lower part of the post to prevent their as- cending. In others, the legs of tables are placed in plates or bowls of water for the same purpose. The smoking of tobacco must also be forbidden in the cocoonery, as it will endanger the health and may destroy the lives of the Worms. In the filth age, the Worms must be fed during the night, or a double portion of leaves given them at the last feeding. THE SILK WORM. FEEDING SHELVES, The foregoing engraving represents the feeding shelves and the manner in which they are arranged, and supported. ' We think having the shelves of a width, an improvement on Mr. Cobbs plan, as they will accommodate more Worms, and their falling may easily be prevented by having a cleet on the sides. — This may be done by nailing a thin piece of board up- on each edge and letting it rise an inch above the sur- face. The width of th ; shelves should be such as to render the feeding convenient by laying in leaves on both sides. If they are to be attended by children they should be of less width than if by adults. As economy in room is an object, it is believed a foot space between the shelves will answer every purpose. The length of the shelves will, of course, be according to the size of the room, and after the Worms have 52 THE SILK WORM. finished their work, they may be taken down and kept under cover for future use. With proper care, the furniture of a cocoonery may be made to last an age. In Turkey, Mr. Rhind says, " At the commence- ment of the season almost every family clear out all the rooms in the house except one in which they live, during the crop season ; the Worms being produced, they purchase a quantity of leaves und strew them over the floor of each room, leaving a small space next the wall, that they may walk round and distribute the leaves ; they then place the Worms on the leaves, who readily attack them, and then daily throw on such a quantity as experience teaches them will eup- ply the want of the Worms, and this they repeat un- til the Worms are ready to rise and wind the cocoon, without ever removing the offal or stems, and fre- quently the pile of collected matter will reach the height of three or four feet." This slovenly mode of feeding has never, to our knowledge, been attempted in this country, and there appear to be substantial reasons, other than the health and comfort of the Worms, why it should not be adopted. But the promotion of their health and com- fort, is of itself, a sufficient reason for rejecting this method, especially when the health and enjoyment of the feeders are taken in connexion with it, and are duly regarded. The exhalations arising from the litter &c. must be very offensive and deleterious to health. WEIGHT OF FOOD. Various estimates have been made of the weight of food consumed by the Silk Worm, and the product of silk received in return. Among them is that of THE SILK WORM. 53 Count Dandolo, who calculates that 200,000 Worms will consume 7,000 Ibs. of leaves and that 21 Ibs. of leaves will make I Ib. of cococns. Count de Hazzi calculates that the same number of Worms will require 10,000 Ibs. of leaves in the fol- lowing proportions. In the first age, 50 Ibs. ; 2nd, 150 Ibs. ; 3d, 460 Ibs. ; 4th. 1390 Ibs. ; 5th, 7950. M. Bonafous, says that 200,000 Worms were sus- tained by 72 17 Ibs. leaves. The quantity, however, fiven them between their regular meals was not ta- en into the account, and the leaves were chopped during the first stages, which enables the Worm to consume them with Jess waste. Estimates have also been made of the daily con- sumption of food by the Worms, proceeding from five ounces of eg;gs, (from 175 to 200,000 in number) each day of their different ages. Though we have not much faith in feeding Worms by arbitrary math- ematical rules ; yet as they may be of some practical use to the culturist, in ascertaining the amount of food necessary to be provided for his family of Worms, we give them, in brief extracts, from the manual pub- lished by authority of Congress in 1828. In doing this, we shall give the amount prescribed, on each consecutive day of their life, without regard to the day of their respective ages. 1st day. — The first day after coming forth, and the distribution of the Silk Worms, they should be given in four meals, about three pounds three quarters of single solt leaves, chopped very small, dividing the time, so as to allow six hours between each meal ; giving the smallest quantity for the first feeding, and gradually increasing the quantity at each meal. 2d day. — On this day, about six pounds will be *5 54 THE SILK WORM. needed, chopped very small. This will suffice for the four regular meals, the first of which should be the least, increasing them as they proceed, as was done in the meals oi the first day. 3d day — This day, twelve pounds soft leaves, chopped very small, will be required for the four meals. The Worms will now feed with avidity. 4th day. — This day, six pounds twelve ounces of chopped leaves should be given. For the quantity should be diminished, as the appetite increases. The first meal should be of about two pounds four ounces and the other meals should decrease in proportion as the quantity of leaves given before, appears not to have been thoroughly eaten. 5th day. — This day, one pound and a half of young leaves, chopped small, will be about sufficient. They should be scattered very lightly several times in the day, on the sheets of paper, where there appears still to beiJVorms feeding. Should the Worms have left off feeding, it would be unnecessary to distribute any further quantity. Towards the end of this day, the Worms are torpid ; a few begin to revive. 6th day. — For this day, will be needed nine pounds of tender shoots, and nine pounds of Mulberry leaves, well picked, and chopped small. 11th day. — This day, will be required about thirty pounds of chopped leaves. This quantity, divided into four portions, should be given at intervals of six hours, the two first meals less plentiful than the two remaining. 8^ day. — This day, thirty three pounds of chop- ped leaves, well picked, will be necessary, and this time the two first meals should be the largest. 9th day. — This day, only nine pounds of picked THE SILK WORM. &5 leaves, chopped small, will be required. The Worms sink into torpor, and the next day, they will have cast their skins. 10th day. — This day, fifteen pounds of the small shoots, will be necessary, and equally as much of the picked leaves, chopped rather less than hitherto. llth day. — This day, ninety pounds of leaves, chopped, will be needed. The two first meals, the least copious, because towards the close of the day, the Worms grow voraciously hungry. 12th day. — This day, there should be given ninety seven pounds of picked leaves, chopped, divided into four meals — the three first meals the most plentiful. Towards evening the hunger of the Worm decreases; consequently the last, should be the least meal. 13/A day. — This day, about fifty two pounds and a half of chopped leaves, will be sufficient. The de- crease of food is in consequence of the diminution of appetite. They should have four meals, the largest first ; and the last the least meal. Those only that seem to require it, should be fed. 142/4 day. — This day, twenty seven pounds of picked leaves, chopped, will be about the quantity ; if not enough, more may be added ; if too much, less given. 15th day. — On this day, the Worms begin to rouse, and thus accomplish the third age. The general view of this age presents the following result. In six days the Worm goes through its third age. In this age, those Worms proceeding from five ounces of eggs, have consumed nearly three hundred pounds of leaves and young shoots. 1 Gth day. — On this day, thirty seven and a half pounds of the young shoots will be needed, and sixty 66 THE SILK WORM. pounds of picked leaves, coarsely chopped with a large blade. If ih day. — For this day, will be wanted one hun- dred and sixty five pounds of sorted leaves ; a little cut. The two first meals ought to be the lightest ; the last most copious. ISth day. — For this day, will be needed two hun- dred and twenty five pounds of sorted leaves, a little cut. The two first meals ought to be the most plen- tiful ; the last meal to be about seventy five pounds. 19^ day. — This day, the distribution of the cut leaves should be two hundred and fifty five pounds ; the three first meals of about seventy five pounds each — the fourth of forty five pounds only. 20th day. — No more than one hundred and twen- ty eight pounds of picked leaves, will be needed this day ; because the Worm's hunger diminishes much. The first meal should be the most considerable. 2 1st day. — Thirty five pounds of picked leaves, are enough for this day. It is easy to find out when and in what quantities, the Worms need feed. 22d day. — The Worms rouse in this day and ac- complish their fourth age. In about seven days, the Worms have accomplished their fourth moulting and cast their skins. They have consumed in that peri- od two hundred and seven pounds of leaves, for each ounce of eggs. 23d day. — Since the proceeding day, almost all the Worms must have accomplished their fourth moulting, or casting of skin, and be already roused. — The Worms proceeding from one ounce of eggs, in the fifth age, consume about 1,098 pounds of sorted, picked leaves, which makes the quantity of leaves re- quired for the five ounces, to be 5,490 pounds weight. THE SILK WORM. 57 24th day. — For this day, will be wanted two hun- dred and seventy pounds of leaves, sorted, divided in- to four feeds ; the first which should be the least, of about fifty two pounds, and the last, which is the most plentiful, of ninety seven pounds. 25/7i day. — This day, the Worms will require about four hundred and twenty pounds of sorted leaves. The first feed should be of seventy seven pounds ; the last feed should be the largest, and of about one hundred and twenty pounds. 2Gth day. — This day, the Worms will want five hun- dred and forty pounds weight of sorted leaves. The first feed should be of one hundred and twenty pounds and the last of one hundred and fifty. 21th day. — The Worms will this day, want eight hundred and ten pounds of picked leaves. The first feed of one hundred and fifty pounds, and the last meal of two hundred and ten pounds. 28th day. — This day, the Worms should have nino hundred and seventy five pounds of picked leaves, divided into five feeds ; the last of which should be most plentiful. 2Qth day. — The Worms will require this day, nine hundred pounds of well sorted leaves. The first meal should be the largest, and those following should di- minish. Should there be any intermediate meals wanted, they must bo given as before. 30^ day. — The Worms this day, must have six hundred arid sixty pounds of well sorted leaves. The proportion of leaves must diminish as the appetite of the Worms decreases much. The food must, as usu- al, be divided into four messes. The largest meal given first, and gradually diminishing. The first meal ihould be two hundred and ten pounds. 58 THE SILK WORM. 31st day. — The Worms this day, need four hun- dred and ninety five pounds of leaves, which must be distributed as it may be wanted. 32d day. — This last day, they attain perfection, which may be ascertained by the following indica- tions. 1st. When, on putting some leaves on the wickers, the insects get upon the leaves without eating them, and rear their heads as if in search of something else. 2nd. When, on looking at them horizontally, the light shines through them, and they appear of a whitish yellow transparent color. 3rd. When numbers of the Worms, which were fastened to the inside of the edges of the wickers, and straightened, now get upon the edges, and move slow- ly along, instinct urging them to seek change of place. 4th. When numbers of Worms leave the centre of the wickers and try to reach the edges, and crawl up upon them. 5th. When their rings draw in, and their greenish color changes to a deep golden hue. 6th. When their skins become wrinkled about the neck, and their bodies have more softness to the touch than heretofore, and feel like soft dough. 7th. When, in taking a Worm in the hand and looking through it, the whole body has assumed the transparency of a ripe yellow plum, When these signs appear in any of the Worms, every thing should be prepared for their rising, that those Worms which are ready to rise may not lose their strength and silk in seeking for the support they require. This day, the two hundred and forty pounds of sor- ted leaves, which are still in reserve, should be given b y degrees, and according to their wants. The little THE SILK WORM. 59 appetite of the silk Worm, and their wish to rise upon the leaves, prove that, even were they given more food at one time, it would only add to the little which would become dirty, because this is the period at which they evacuate most. From this, it is better rather to stint them in each distribution. The hours of feeding cannot be fixed in this last day ; it cannot even be known, whether there may not be required a small quantity of leaves for the following day. In giving the foregoing estimates of the daily amount of food consumed, and directions for feeding, we must be understood as giving the estimates and directions of foreign culturists, and not our own. — They may be of some use to the American culturist in several points of light ; but we cannot recommend a literal observance of them in this country. It will be noticed, that, on most of the days of feeding, the leaves are to be sorted and chopped. Chopping, in this country, is unnecessary, and sorting is never done, except in the early ages of the Worms, when they require tender leaves, The voluminous direc- tions for feeding and rearing Worms, may all be sum- med up in the following — feed well, keep them clean anddry, and see that the cocoonery is well ventilated. MAKING COCOONS. The Worms having arrived to maturity, all that remains for them to do, is to make their cocoons ; and to enable them to do this, they must be furnished with suitable accommodations for that purpose. Va- rious plans have been contrived, but the method most commonly adopted, is to make them little arches, or cabins, of brushwood or broom corn. Several days before the time of rising, branches, with spreading 60 THE SILK WORM. tops, of chesnut, hickory, oak, or birch, are to be pro- cured and brought to the cocoonery. As soon as the Worms give indications of rising, these are set be- tween the shelves, with their twigs upwards. They should be cut at proper lengths to press against the top of the bottom shelf and the bottom of the one next above it, in order that they may keep their places while the Worms are upon them. To prevent the Worms from falling off they should also stand considerably out of perpendicular. Broom corn is also used in the same manner. The arches or cabins being thus prepared the Worms readily climb them and make their cocoons. At the end of twenty-four hours, after the com- mencement of rising, the principal part of the Worms will be found to have mounted. Should any re- main, as they probably will, without any signs of a disposition to rise, they should be removed to anoth- er room of a little higher temperature, and furnished with brush or broom corn as aforesaid. This remov- al will generally cause some of them to rise immedi- ately ; others will eat and then rise, and so on till all will have risen. The Worms are three or four days in making their cocoons, and at the end of eight days, generally, all will have risen and completed their work. GATHERING COCOONS. In taking the cocoons from the brush care must be taken that they be not injured by either compressing them in the hand or mutilating them in detaching them from the bushes. In gathering them, begin on the lower shelf, and take them down gently, and pass them to those who are to gather the cocoons. Place THE SILK WORM. 6l a basket between two of the gatherers, to receive the cocoons. Another person may receive the stripped bushes, which may be laid by for another year's use. PRESERVING EGGS. The cocoons selected for seed should be firm and of the largest size. After having stripped the floss from them, they should be strung together and hung up in a warm airy room or chamber, partially darken- ed. In about two weeks from winding, the moths will emerge from the cocoons. The male is known by its smaller size and continual fluttering of its wings. After having been paired and remained together dur- ing the day, they should be separated by the wings and the females placed upon sheets of paper where they will deposit their eggs. It is computed that one hundred females will produce an ounce of eggs and an ounce of eggs will produce forty thousand Silk Worms. The papers on which the eggs are depos- ited, should be rolled up and put in tight boxes and placed in a cool dry cellar where they will not freeze. If it is required to keep them late in the season for a second crop, it may be necessary to have recource to the ice house. STIFLING THE WORM. The next step in the process, is to stifle the Worm in such cocoons as are intended for sale, or reeling. — If this is omitted, the Worm will, in a week or two, eat out of the cocoon, which will destroy it. The Worms may be stifled in various ways, but the most convenient method is to expose them to the rays of the sun. Three or four hot days exposure in this 6 62 THE SILK WORM. manner, for a few hours in the middle of the day, will generally destroy the life of the Worm. Another method is to place them in an oven, mod- erately heated, or in the steam of boiling water. On this subject Mr. Cobb says : — " I have used the first method with success. The oven being moderately heated, the cocoons were spread out in oblong bask- ets, eight inches deep, in box covers, pans, &c. and permitted to remain in the oven half an hour." Mr. Smith, of Baltimore, speaking on this subject, says : — "I put the cocoons into a tight tin vessel with a cov- er, closely fitted, and put this vessel into another a little larger, containing such quantity of water as will nearly fill it. Fire is then applied arid the water kept boiling half an hour or more, according to the size of the vessel, and until the cocoons in the inner vessel shall have become as hot as the boiling water. The cocoons are then spread out in a dry room, that the moisture may evaporate." Another method of destroying the chrysalis, is by the use of alchohol. On this subject Mr. Williams, of Elm Hill, Roxbury, says : — " The first cocoons I raised were killed by putting them in a close tin ket- tle, after turning in a gill of high wines, throwing a net over to keep them from the alchohol, covering them close, and placing the kettle in the warm sun. The evaporation kills the chrysalis without staining the cocoons. The two last seasons, I have found New England Rum would answer the same end. By this process, the embryo seems not to exude any thing to stain its shroud, as it does by steaming and baking." There are other methods of stifling the Worm ; but as the foregoing are considered the most easy, con- venient and effectual, we pass them unnoticed. THE SILK WORM. 63 CURING COCOONS. The next thing in order, is the preservation of the cocoons ; for unless they are well cured and preserv- ed, they will be reeled with difficulty and furnish but a small quantity of a very inferior quality of silk. — We have seen several lots of cocoons, the present sea- son, that did not yield silk enough to pay the expense of reeling, on account of the manner in which they had been cured and preserved. To preserve them, however, care, rather than skill, is necessary. After the Worm is destroyed, they ought to be spread in thin layers, on shelves, distri- buted into as many stories as the room, in which they are cured, will admit, say two or three feet apart, one above another, and turned every day. If they are spread too thick and left unstirred, they will be liable to mould, and be destroyed by moths. Cocoons put up damp and in large quantities, will contract addi- tional moisture, and throw out an offensive odour, and in that condition are not worth reeling. Persons who intend to have good cocoons, and obtain a good price for them, should be particularly careful that they be preserved in good order. TRANSPORTING COCOONS. If the culturist disposes of the product of his Worm* in the cocoon, as he ought always to do until he ac- quires the skill of reeling it well^ he ought to take es- pecial care that they be not damaged while on their way to the factory. As silk may be all but ruined in reeling, so cocoons may be much injured in transport- ing them to market. To avoid this, care should b« 64 THE SILK WORM. taken in handling and packing them, that they be not dented or flattened^ as this will seriously damage them. They may be packed in tight boxes or bar- rels, and should be pressed together sufficient to pre- vent their shaking and chafing each other by the mo- tion of the carriage in which they are conveyed ; but not so hard as to alter their form by compression. The cocoons and the boxes or barrels, designed for them, should be perfectly dry, otherwise they may contract mould, which would be injurious. Put up in this manner, they may be transported without in- jury, any distance either by land or water. If the journey be long, and made in an open carriage, the boxes, &c. should be covered with a tarpaulin or oil cloth, that they may not be exposed to rains or dews. The same is advisable where they are to be transported by water. SUBSTITITED FEED. Though the foliage of the Mulberry, is the only natural aliment of Silk Worms, and the only sub- stance on which they can advantageously make silk ; yet there are various other plants, on the foliage of which they will feed and live. The more common, are the lettuce, rose, bramble, dandelion, hop, hemp and fig. It is also said, they will feed upon the leaves of the currant. The Worms may, therefore, be fed with these leaves, when the leaves of the Mulberry cannot be had, for the purpose of keeping them alive until they can be procured. It is supposed there is a resinous matter in the leaves of the Mulberry, which underg« nng a change in the stomach of the Worm, enables it to make silk. The transactions of the Society for the encourage- THE SILK WORM. Oft rnent of Arts, &c. contain many experiments on sub- stituted feed, which throw some lighten the subject, one or two of them may bo both useful and interest- ing. We copy them from Lardner's Cabinet Cyclo- paedia : — " A letter from Miss Rhodes relates, that in the summer of 1785, she subsisted several thousand Worms entirely on lettuce leaves during three weeks, and that for the remaining short term of their lives she afforded them thsir natural food. At the end of a month from thsir first hatching, they began to spin, and eleven ounces of silk were procured from four thousand cocoons. After repeated trials, this lady had become convinced that Silk Worms could not safely be fed on lettuce leaves for a longer period than three weeks ; as on persisting further in their use, the greater part of the Worms died without forming their cocoons. Some indeed, possessed sufficient vigor to spin and to produce perfect and well-formed balls, even when lettuce leaves had constituted their only food. Reasoning from this fact, Miss Rhodes was brought to suspect that the premature mortality of her brood was not altogether occasioned by the un- wholesome nature of the aliment on which they had fed, but might be owing to some extraneous circum- stance ; and further observation led her to the con- clusion that it was the coldness of the lettuce leaves, rather than any inherent property, which made them detrimental. This lady having thence suggested that if the Worms were kept in a higher temperature, they might be successfully supported through their lives on lettuce leaves, General Mordaunt caused a consider- able number to be hatched and reared in hot houses. These were fed entirely on lettuce leaves; they 66 THE SILK WORM. throve, and went through all their mutations as satis- fatory as if fed with their natural nourishment ; scarce- ly any among them died, and the number and quali- ty of the cocoons that were gathered, proved the en- tire success of the experiment. If a solitary trial be sufficient to establish a fact, this must certainly be satisfactory to those who consider it desirable to nat- uralize Silk Worms in this country, where, owing to the inequality of seasons, the appearance of Mulberry leaves must always be uncertain in regard to time. Lettuce leaves have an advantage over other vegeta- bles which have been offered as substitutes for the Mulberry, that they may be gathered in wet weather without themselves being wetted, as a lettuce, once cabbaged, resists the entrance of all moisture within ; and the heart being always perfectly dry, insures nourishment to the Worm, free from that moisture which is always found to affect it injuriously. " Mrs. Williams, an earlier correspondent of the Society whose "Transactions" have been quoted, give&a very minute and copious account of the vari- ous trials which she made, of vegetable substances as substitutes for Mulberry leaves. Having hatched her brood in severely cold weather, when even lettuces were not easily procurable, she offered to her Worms the tender parts of blackberry leaves and relates that the Worms ate them greedily. She next presented to them young leaves of the elm, and reports that equal success attended this trial ; encouraged by these facts, she then succeeded in causing the insects. to feed on the leaves and flowers of the sweet cow- slip and primrose. But meanwhile thft Mulberry had put forth its leaves, and having procured some of these for her brood, it was thenceforth vain to offer them THE SILK WORM. 67 any other kinds of food ; all were rejected ; and an- other proof was afforded that the Mulberry tree* which no other insect will attack, is alone adapted to the natural desires of the Silk Worm. Mrs. Will- iams records one peculiarity which discovered itself throughout her investigation ; by no means could the Worms be brought to touch any flower of roseate hue. Pinks, roses, sweet-williams, polyanthuses, vvero each in turn offered by this persevering lady, and were all rejected without hesitation. It is prop- er to remark, that these experiments of Mrs. Williams are not confirmed by those of any other person, but, on the contrary, that Miss Hhodes was unsuccessful in every endeavor to repeat them, and succeeded on- ly in reconciling her Silk Worms to the use of lettuce and spinach. "Attempts to discover a substitute for the Mulber- ry are not entirely abandoned even at the present time. It is recorded in the Bulletin Universal, for 1829, that Mademoiselle Coge of Epinal has used with success the leaves of the scorzonera (viper-grass) for the nourishment of Silk Worms. The silk produced by Worms fed on this leaf, is represented to be in no respect inferior to that from Worms kept on the nat- ural food. "Notwithstanding, however, this last announce- ment, and the partial success so frequently recorded as attending the substitution of the lettuce, all practi- cal culiivators of silk continue to be convinced that it would be unprofitable to feed their Worms on any save their natural nourishment ; and the most intelli- gent writers* on the subject approve the practice of destroying, as useless, any Worms, which through ill management may be hatched before the Mulbengp 63 THE SILK WORM. tree has put forth leaves sufficient for their support. Recent attempts which have been made to rear Silk Worms in England, do not offer much encourage- ment to the pursuit, except as matter of amusement. Some pairs of silk stockings, of good quality, are to be seen in the gallery of " The National Repository," woven from silk of home production. The Worms which spun this, were reared by Mrs. Allen, of Wandsworth, the result of whose careful observations on this subject I. as been obtained. " The difficulty of procuring a sufficient and con- tinuous supply of proper food was the reason why this lady was obliged to relinquish a pursuit in which she had taken much pleasure for four successive years. " Mrs. Allen's testimony strongly corroborates the necessity of extreme cleanliness in preserving the health of the Worms. The most scrupulous attention seems to have been paid by her to this particular, as well as to the dryness of the leaves, and the tempera- ture of the apartment wherein the insects were rear- ed and set to spin ; and yet a very great mortality was always experienced among them, scarcely more than one in five of the Worms that were hatched, coming to maturity and forming their cocoons. Of these it required 1000 to furnish an ounce more. — The cocoons were gathered in eight days from their commencement, and in eight days more were wound off. No necessity hence arose for destroying the vi- tality of the insects to prevent their piercing the balls. The chrysalis being placed in bran, in due time be- came moths and produced eggs, each female furnish- ing between three and four hundred." From the foregoing experiments, it will be seen that nothing has, as yet, been discovered, which can THE SILK WORM. 69 be relied on as a substitute for the foliage of the Mul- berry tree. There may be other substances in the vegetable kingdom, which will enable them to perform the work assigned them by their Creator, but it would be grati- fying a mere idle curiosity to attempt to discover them. The Mulberry is as easily cultivated as any other tree, shrub, or plant. And why should the culturist be speculating about a substitute, when he can with- out difficulty furnish in abundance, the food most con- genial to their tastes and best adapted to their labor. It is like enquiring whether there is not some other vegetable that may be substituted for wheat and corn as bread stuff. As long as these grains are growed with little labor and in rich abundance, why should not man be contented with them? When a fine sir- loin of beef is set before an epicure, he never stops to think \vhether something else eatable, but less palata- ble, would not satisfy hunger, SUCCESSIVE CROPS. The project of rearing successive families of Worms is engaging the attention of some culturists, and there is little doubt of its practicability in this climate. — The Mulberry renews its foliage in quick succession, and may be deprived of it two or three times during the season, without essentially injuring its constitution* In Tuscany they make two crops of silk annually ; and the same may be done in this country. The two crops are obtained by the aid of a peculiar variety of the Silk Worm, commonly called the " Two crop Worm" or « White Worm." This Worm, hatched at the usual season of hatching, will make its cocoon, eat out and deposit its eggs ; which may be again THE SILK WORM. hatched, the same season, and another coc«on pro- duced. There is no doubt of there being an advantage in making two crops in a year ; and it is believed to be a good method to have several families of Worms, of different ages, at work at the same time, on account of the different states and stages of the foliage. But it must be left to further experiments to decide wheth- er, after taking all things into consideration, a succes- sion of crops is worthy the attention of the culturist, To make a succession of crops, all that is necessa- ry is to hatch the eggs in succession, with regular or irregular intervals, and feed in the ordinary manner. When this course is adopted, care must be taken thai the eggs do not hatch until it is intended they should. To prevent this they must be kept in a cold cellar ; and, if the weather be very warm, it may be necessa- ry to deposit them in an ice house. DETERIORATION OF SILK WORMS. A superstitious notion formerly prevailed to a con- siderable extent, that the eggs of the Silk Worm must be changed every two or three years, to prevent the deterioration of the Worm. This notion, like many others of the same class, is at war with reason and science. The supposition that good cocoons after a few years, are no longer fit to produce good seed is ridiculously absurd. The time has gone by, when the idle and foolish theories oi Buffon, Robertson, De Pauw and others, respecting the tendency of nature **to belittle" and degenerate every thing in the new world, are received as truths. Facts also have set- tled the question, that the Silk Worm will not degen- THE SILK WORM. 71 erate, except as a consequence of neglect, or the long propagation of those of a diminutive size. Though new varieties of the Silk Worm may not be obtainable, by selecting the largest and best co- coons for seed ; yet it is believed the same variety may be improved in size and vigor and that, in this respect, it will be an object of importance with the culturist to make a careful and judicious selection. Having carried the culturist through the various processes of making silk, from sowing the seed of the Mulberry, to the making of cocoons; it is believed, if the directions given, are carefully followed, he will meet with no insurmountable obstacle in the prosecu- tion of this most profitable branch of rural economy. There are no more difficulties to be encountered in the cultivation of the Mulberry, than in the ordinary crops of corn or potatoes ; and a farmer's wife and daughters may rear a family of Silk Worms with about the same ease and more certainty of success, then they do the young of their favorite geese and turkeys. In giving directions, however, for the successful prosecution of silk growing, they must, from the na- ture of the subject, be general. It would be impossi- ble to anticipate every thing that may take place in the various processes conducted by the most skilful and judicious culturist. Cases unprovided for and ques- tions unanswered may, and doubtless will, present themselves in the course of operations — but like all other cases and questions on practical subjects, they must be refered to the decisions of sound judgment and discretion ; and these, with the aid of a little ex- perience, will almost invaribly be found correct. The next process is to reel the silk from the co- coon in a suitable manner for the manufacturer, for in T2 THE SILK WORM, its present state it is worthless ; but this forms the third part of our subject, as originally proposed and in which full directions will be given. This is an im- portant part of the business ; but its apparent diffi- culties ought not to deter the cultunst from acquir- ing it, as much of his profit is dependent upon it. PART III. REELING SILK. Every culturist ought to acquire the art of reeling silk, as it will afford him an additional profit on his labor, and at the same time diminish the expense and hazard of transporting his silk to market. The quality of silk depends materially upon the manner in which it is reeled, and its value is often increased or redu- ced, fifty per cent, by the skillfulness with which this operation is performed. This being the fact, the cul- turist will see the necessity of acquainting himself and family, as early as may be, with this delicate part of the silk process. Instruction from an experienced reeler, and directions from manufacturers, will doubt- less be of much service to him ; but after all, " prac- tice" in reeling silk^as in every thing else, " makes perfect." We have known persons, with very little instruction, soon become skilful reelers, and among others, a lady in Litchfield County, whose name de- serves tobe mentioned, both in justice to herself,andas an encouragement to our fair countrywomen, to en- gage in this appropriate and profitable employment. The lady to whom reference is had, is Mrs. Church, the wife of Samuel Church, Esq. of Bethlem. We have seen several specimens of the reeling of this ladjr 7 T4 REELING SILK. the present season, which we do not hesitate to pro- nounce equal to any foreign silk, we have ever seen. And what is most surprising, they are the results of some of her first attempts at reeling. We have too high an opinion of the intelligence and skill of Amer- ican ladies, to believe they can be out done in reeling silk, by those of France or Italy, and we can but hope they will turn their attention to it, as a suitable object of female labor. In order to acquire the art of reeling, the culturist must first furnish himself with an appropriate and well constructed silk reel. Several silk reels htive been invented, and many of them perform their work ad- mirably well. Among them we notice those of Mr. Cobb, of Dedham, Mr. Smith, of Baltimore, and Mr. Gay, of Lisbon. The Piedmoritese reel, has also been extensively used, and for a time, was considered the best in use. It has however, of late years given place to those of the above mentioned gentlemen, which in some respects, are considered superior to it. The silk reel requires no complicated machinery, and is constructed at comparatively a trifling expense. Mr. Dale has also made an improvement on Mr. Gobb's plan, by which hall the labor is saved. REELING SILK. COBB'S REEL. DALES REEL, T6 REELING SILK. The first engraving, on the preceding page, repre- sents the reel invented by Mr. Cobb. It has been thoroughly tested by experiment, and found by long use to answer the most sanguine expectations of the inventer. The second engraving, represents a reel on the plan of Mr. Cobb, butgeered in such manner that it maybe conveniently turned by the person who at- tends the cocoon basin. This improvement, togeth- er with a considerable reduction in price, will render it a very desirable reel for use in small establishments and private families. It has been introduced into the Factory of the Connecticut Silk Manufacturing Com- pany, and found to answer a good purpose. The ex- pense of making a reel of this kind, need not exceed four or five dollars and can be done by a joiner or any other person acquainted with the use of tools. — As it may aid the workman in making them, we sub- join its dimensions. Length of frame aaS feet 6 inches — width b 2 feet — height c c c c 3 feet — length of traverse bar d 2 feet 5 inches, with a lateral motion of 5 inches — diameter of band wheels ee5 inches — length of reel arms, from centre of shaft/ 13J inches — diameter of hori- zontal band wheel which carries the traverse bar^- 5j inches — diameter of band wheel h 11 inches — length of sweep, from outer edge of band wheel to traverse bar i 13 inches — bar k which supports the lower rampins projects 8 inches from the frame — width of reel in 13 inches. There are several other reels in use, but these will be found as simple as any that have been, or can be constructed. All have, or must have, the lateral mo- tion, or they will not reel well. REELING SILK. SORTING COCOONS. Before commencing the operation of reeling, the reeler should sort the cocoons and place them in sep- arate parcels, according to their quality. The quali- ties of cocoons admit of five varieties and are known by the names of double cocoons — the chiques or skins — the fine — the demi-fine and the satin cocoons. The double cocoons are those in which two or three worms have worked and enclosed themselves togeth- er. They are larger than the single ones ; the chiques or skin cocoons are softer and resist much less to pressure — the fine cocoons are those of which the surface presents a very fine and very close grain — the demi-fine are of a more loose and larger grain — the satin cocoons are those of a still inferior quality. — Though cocoons are not ordinarily so particularly sorted ; yet when it is intended to reel silk of an ex- tra nice fibre, it is desirable they should be. Before reeling, they should also be cleaned from the floss and loose threads with which they are envel- oped. This is done by having them picked off bjr children. REELING. The reeler, having prepared the cocoons as above directed, is now in readiness to commence reeling. — And here it is proper to state, that reeling may be done at any season, but best in dry weather, and that the softest water should also be chosen for soaking the cocoons. The cocoons are to be put into a basin, or some Bother vessel of water, placed over a moderate fire in *7 T8 REELING SILK. a small furnace, raised to near a boiling heat. precise degree of temperature cannot be determined until the reeling is begun, as different compositions of silk, require different degrees^of heat in reeling. If on trial the water is found too hot or too cold, it may be varied by increasing the fire or adding cold waten If the water is too hot they furze out in unwinding. A little experience on this point, will enable the reel- er to keep the water at the proper temperature. The reeler having placed her basin of water on the furnace and provided herself with a small whisk of broom corn, or sharp twigs, she throws in a handful of cocoons and presses them under the water for two or three minutes, in order to soften the gum of the silk, and thereby loosen the ends of the filaments. — She then stirs the cocoons with the end of the whisk as lightly as possible, until one or more of the fibres adhere to it. She then lays aside the whisk and draws the fibre towards her until it comes off clean from the floss and the fine silk begins to appear. — She then breaks off the thread, and collecting the floss first taken off puts it aside. She then applies the whisk again, to get hold of the fine fibres. This oper- ation is repeated until a sufficient number are collect- ed to form a thread of the intended size. She then unites the fibres, and passing the thread through the guides, attaches it to one of the arms of the reel.^ Another thread is in like manner to be prepared and passed through the other guides, and attached to the reel when two skeins are intended to be wound. Both threads being fastened to the reel, it is turned with a regular but slow motion, until the threads are found to run freely, when it may be more rapidly turned. If it happens, as it often will, that some of ftfcfeUNG SILK. 79 the ends which compose the thread are false, new ones must be added, to supply their deficiency, or the thread will be uneven and of little value, if not entirely worthless. This will also show the utility of putting in a few more cocoons than is intended to continue, as they will soon be reduced to the competent num- ber. Crossing the threads is also recommenced, though they are sometimes reeled uncrossed. If the cocoons are drawn up to the guides on the thread the motion of the reel must be slackened and they must be stroked down with the thumb and finger. Dur- ing the reeling, the reeler must constantly add new fibres to each thread, as fast as she can find the ends. In order for this, the basin must be occasionally re- plenished with cocoons and care taken that they be wholly immersed in the water that they may be equally soaked. As fast as the cocoons are wound off, and such as wind onlyin part, they must be taken out of the water, otherwise they will injure the color, and lustre of the silk. The water must also be chang- ed as soon as it becomes discolored. A person unacquainted with reeling would natur- ally suppose that rapid revolutions of the reel, would overstrain and be liable to break the thread ; but ex- perience has proved the reverse to be true. It has been found that the thread never breaks in conse- quence of the rapidity with which the reel revolves, and that the silk reels better with a quick than a slow motion. The breaking of the fibres is owing to the imperfection of the cocoons, or to an improper regu- lation of the heat of the water, in which they are im- mersed. If the water is too hot, it will occasion burrs, which stop at the holes through which the thread passes and cause it to break. If it is too cold 80 REELING SILK. the silk will not come off readily and consequently the thread will be broken. In order to keep the water at the right temperature, without causing delay, the reeler should have cold water within reach, that may be quickly dashed in, should the water become too hot. In like manner, the reeler should be provided with chips, or shavings, that the fire may be suddenly quickened, should the water become too cold. We might go on and fill pages with directions for reeling silk ; but they would tend to perplex, rather than enlighten, the reeler on the subject. Silk reel- ing is an art, rather than a science ; and must be ac- quired by experience and observation, and not by theorizing on it as an abstract subject. This being the fact, we consider a few plain practical directions, better calculated to perfect the reeler in the art, than instructions minutely drawn out in detail. The mys- tery of reeling silk seems to resolve itself into one simple operation — keeping the thread even as it pas- ses from the cocoon to the reel ; and this will easily be done when the attention of the reeler is particu- larly drawn to it. RAW SILB:. Silk direct from the reel, is called raw silk, on ac- count of its being in an unmanufactured state. It is ordinarily divided into three qualities, according to its fineness, and numbered one, two and three — the finest being number one. The fineness of silk is graduated by the fibres, taken from a given number of cocoons. This the reeler regulates according to the number of silk it is intended to reel. REELING SILK. 81 DISBANDING SILK FROM THE REEL. We have already spoken of the importance of good reeling ; but in order to ensure a good article, care must be taken in disbanding the silk from the reel. — The single fibres of which the thread is composed, are liable to different degrees of stretching as they are wound from the cocoons. This, however, de- pends much upon the assorting of the cocoons — if they are well assorted, the degree of extension will be less than if poorly or carelessly assorted. Care in assorting, however, will not wholly overcome the dif- ficulty, because some are necessarily longer in the waterthan others, and therefore yield their silk more readily^ The weak latter ends of some cocoons, also wind oft' with the strong first part of others. The consequence of this is, the fibres are unequally stretch- ed, an I (if taken from the reel too suddenly,) those that are most stretched will contract the most and make a thread less compact and firm. To remedy this, let the skein remain on the reel six or eight hours, or until it is dry and the different fi- bres brought to a more uniform degree of extension. This also gives the fibres an opportunity to unite more firmly. After the skein is completely dry and ready to be taken from the reel, squeeze it together all round, to loosen it upon the bars ; and then with a thread, made of refuse silk, tie it in the places where it bore on the bars of the reel. It may then be slid off the reel, and ties should be made opposite to those first made. It should then be doubled, and tied near each extremity, and laid by for use or sale. When the skein is finished, a mark should be tied to the end 62 REELING SILK. of the thread, otherwise it may mix with the threads of the skein and render it difficult to find it. WASTE AND REFUSE SILK. l Though the culture of silk is among the most prof- itable branches of rural industry ; yet prudence and economy must be observed, or the nett profits of a co- coonery will be materially diminished. The reeler should therefore take care that nothing, even of small value, is lost. In giving directions for the saving and manufacture of waste and refuse silk, we avail our- selves of the knowledge and experience of Mr. D' Homergue. He says : — " In winding off the silk from the cocoons, whether perfect or imperfect, the finest and best threads are not those which are first ^pun out ; on the contrary, the first threads which come off the cocoon are coarse, uneven, and unfit for use in the silk manufactories, either of the stuffs, twist 01 sewing silk. This loose, furzy substance, which is about one-tenth part of the whole silk on the cocoon, is call- ed in French fleuret, and in English floss, from the Latin Jlos, flower ; a name which reminds us of Incus a non lucendo. As soon as the threads of silk in the process of reeling come out fine and regular, this floss is separated from them and put aside for use', as will be presently mentioned. To it are added all the threads which, either from some defect in the co- coons, or from the awkwardness of the women em- ployed in the different operations of reeling, winding and doubling, either break off so as not to be easily united to the other threads, or come out uneven, or otherwise unfit for use ; these are called the waste silk, and added to the floss, assume with it the same name. This mass, boiled in soap and water, after- REELING SILK. 83 wards carded and spun on the spinning wheel, takes the name in French of bourre de soie or filoselle. — Boyer, in his dictionary, translates the word filoselle into English by ferret silk or fiurt silk. This last name is evidently a corruption, or an English pronun- ciation of the French word fleuret, floss silk. " This floss, ferret or flurt silk, by whatever name it may be called, is employed in making silk stockings, mittens, gloves, suspenders, night caps, and, in gen- eral, all kinds of silk hosiery. I have heard that the women of Connecticut knit silk stockings and mittens out of the silk which they extract from the cocoons. I shall speak of these also in their proper place. " Thus nothing is lost or wasted of the precious material produced by the silk worm. I mean by those who understand the art of employing it. Oth- erwise, all experiments by those who are unskilled in the business cannot but be attended with considerable loss. "There are then, six different kinds of silk, extract- ed from the cocoons by processes of various kinds, or which vary more or less from each other in the man- ner of using them, and all of which require not only skill and dexterity, but knowledge, acquired by long practice. I shall recapitulate them in their order, ac- cording to their different degrees of fineness. 1. 8 ilk of the first quality, or singles. 2. Silk of the second quality, or organzine. 3. Silk of the third quality, or tram silk. 4. Sewing silk of the first and second quality. 5. Cordonnet, or twist of ditto. 6. Filoselle, or floss silk. 84 REELING SILK. CLEANSING SILK. Though cleansing silk, comes more appropriately within the province of the manufacturer, than the cul- turist, yet as the manufacture of sewing silk and twist may be profitably connected with the growing, we subjoin the method by which it is cleansed and pre- pared for dyeing. Silk, as left by the worm, contains certain impuri- ties which must be separated from it. especially, when it is intended for particular kinds of fabrics. Yellow silk contains gum, coloring matter, wax and an oil similar to the essential oils of many vegetables. — White silk also contains gum, wax and an oil slightly tinged with coloring matter, resembling the liquid in the chrysalis of the worm. By chemical experiments it has been ascertained that the amount of gum is from 23 to 24 per cent. It is dry, friable, and when pulverized, of a yellowish red color — soluble in water. The coloring matter is resinous; but exists in a very small proportion — supposed to be from 3^ to e\> per cent. The wax is hard, but brittle and slightly col- ored. Its proportion is about one half per cent. — These substances affect the whiteness and flexibility of silk, and the process by which they are extracted is called " cleansing silk." It is also varied according to the nature and kind of the article for which it is designed. These processes are called " ungumming," " sul- phuring" and " aluming." Silk also intended to re- main white, is boiled and gummed, while that intend- ed for dyeing is boiled, but left ungummed, on the supposition that the gum has some affinity for the coloring matter with which it is to be incorporated. REELING SILK. 85 UNGUMMING SILK. The silk, intended for white, is made up into hanks, by running a thread around each hank, containing a number of skeins tied together. The hanks are then untied and several of them bound together in a bundle of convenient size. This is done that the silk may be handled without becoming entangled. The silk is then prepared for ungumming which is done by put- ting it in strong soap suds. For every hundred pounds of silk take thirty pounds of soap and dissolve it in water. Cutting it into small slices will facilitate its solution. Some dyers consider fifteen pounds of soap sufficient, and think more injures the lustre of the silk. After the soap is dissolved, the kettle is filled up with fresh water, and placed over a moderate fire un- til it rises to the highest possible degree short of boil- ing heat — for should it boil it would injure the silk by making it flossy. When the bath, or suds, is ready, the hanks of silk are immersed in it, or such parts of them as the capacity of the kettle will admit, and suf- fered to remain until it is freed from the gum, which is determined by the whiteness and flexibility of the silk. This operation is repeated until all parts of the hank have been immersed. After the hanks have been ungummed, the soap and water is wrung out of them, and they are next to undergo a process which is called bagging. BAGGING SILK. To bag silk, bags of strong coarse linen are pre- pared. They are about fifteen inches wide, and four or five feet long, and closed at the ends with one side 8 80 REELING SILK* left open. These bags are filled with hanks of silk, laid in lengthwise and sewed up with strong thread. These "bags are put into a bath, or suds, prepared in the same mariner, and with the same proportions as the former, and boiled for fifteen or twenty minutes. When the suds begin to boil over it must be checked by throwing in a little cold water. While it is boil- ing it must be stirred often to bring up to the surface such bags as are at the bottom of the kettle, or it will be liable to be burned. It will also produce more uniformity in boiling. This operation, it will be re- membere*d, is to be performed when the silk is to be left white. Silk intended for dyeing is boiled in the same man- ner, with this difference — the silk is continued boiling three or four hours, and the kettle occasionally filled up with water. For common colors twenty, instead of thirty pounds of soap are used in making the suds; but if intended to be dyed blue, iron grey, or other colors, thirty pounds is used. After the silk is supposed to be thoroughly boiled, the bags are carefully taken out of the kettle, opened, and the silk examined. If any part remains unboiled, it must be put in and boiled again. This is ascer- tained by the yellow and a certain kind of slime on such parts as have not been boiled. A more simple method of ungumming silk, has long been practised in Connecticut, and it will doubt- less answer every purpose, provided measures are taken to prevent its becoming entangled. This method is to merely boil the silk in water saturated with a small quantity of soft soap ; or the ley of com- mon wood ashes. REELING SILK. SULPHURING SILK. When it is desirable to give silk a peculiar firmness it is fumigated with brimstone. This process is called sulphuring, and is thus performed: — A high studded room or garret, without a fire place, but with doors and windows which may be thrown open at pleasure for ventilation, is chosen for the operation. The skeins of silk are hung on poles suspended from above by cords, at the height of seven or eight feet from the floor. For every hundred pounds of silk a pound and a half, or two pounds of roll brimstone is pro- cured, placed in a chaffing dish, and set on fire. The doors and windows are then closed, as are also all crevices through which the fumes of the brimstone might escape. In this situation it is left for twelve or fifteen houis, generally through one night, when the doors and windows are opened. When the room is sufficiently ventilated to admit of going into it, the silk is taken down. The process is sometimes re- peated on silk designed for some uses, particularly azure whites, ALUMING SILK. When silk is to be dyed, it sometimes undergoes a process which is called "aluming" which is thus per- formed. A solution of alum water is first prepared by dissolving forty or fifty pounds of alum, in forty or fifty buckets full of soft water, or in about the propor- tion of a pound. to a bucket full of water. The alum is dissolved in hot water, and then poured into the tub, or other vessel, containing the cold water. In doing this, care must be taken to stir it briskly, so 88 REELING SILK. that it may mix ; otherwise the coldness of the wa- ter might produce a chrystalization or congelation, as it is termed by dyers. The skeins of silk, after being washed and freed of the soap by beetling, are strung together by a cord, care being taken that the hanks be not too much roll- ed up, or folded one upon another, and steeped in the alum water, for eight or ten hours. They are then washed and wrung with the hands, over the tub that the alum water may not be lost. They are then rinsed in clean water and beetled again when neces- sary. In aluming silk, especial care must be taken, that the skeins are not put into the alum water until it is cold, as a warm solution would destroy the lustre of the silk. When large quantities are alumed, it will be necessary to replenish the water with alum occa- sionally, or the solution will become too weak, to sufficiently saturate the silk. In performing this process, particular care should be taken, that the alum used, be of the first quality. — It is often combined with iron, which renders it worth- less for the dyer. It is, however, easily detected by dissolving a small piece of it in distilled or rain water, and adding a few drops of a solution of prussiate of potash. If it be a combination of alum and iron, a blue precipitate will immediately take place. MANUFACTURE OF SILK. We have now arrived at that stage in the business, where the operations of the culturist cease, and those of the manufacturer begin — indeed, such was the fact when the silk was disbanded from the reel, the sub- sequent processes of ungumming &c. being the first REELING SILK. 89 steps in the process of manufacture. The culture and manufacture of silk in all countries, has been kept distinct and prosecuted by men of different situ- ations and pursuits — the former being growers of the raw material, and the latter manufacturers of the al- most infinite variety of fabrics, of which silk forms the whole or a component part. The imaginary impossibility of manufacturing silk in this country, especially the finer and more delicate fabrics, has hitherto prevented skilful and enterpris- ing agriculturists from engaging in its cultivation on a large and profitable scale. It has been supposed that American ingenuity was inadequate to the pro- duction of those fanciful and beautiful textures, which are considered so essential to the elegance and per- fection of female dress, and that we must forever be dependent on the skill arid ingenuity of India and Europe for their fabrication. Though the inventive genius of American Manufacturers, and particularly the Yankees, has long been proverbial, yet they have hitherto, by common consent, accorded to their for- eign brethren a decided superiority in the manufac- ture of silk. It has also been supposed that European and India fabrics were constructed by aid of expen- sive and complex machinery without which they could not be manufactured. It is true European in- genuity has invented labor saving machines, by which her manufacturers are enabled to compete with the native skill of China : but after all, the patient and persevering Indian succeeds in the manufacture of fabrics, which, for delicacy of texture, cannot be ri- valled by tho European, aided by the labors of the most scientific machinist. Silk looms in Europe, are of the most simple con- *8 90 REELING SILK. struction, but when contrasted with the contrivances in India would seem to give them a decided advan- tage. In India the weaver weaves his web in the open air. He first selects a station for his operations, generally under a tree, that its foliage may protect him from the scorching rays of the sun. He then ex- tends the threads which compose the warp of his in- tended fabric lengthwise, between two bamboo roll- ers, which are fastened to the ground by means of wooden pins. He then digs a hole in the earth large and deep enough to contain his legs in a sitting pos- ture. He next attaches to a limb of the tree the cords by which his harness is to be operated, and to the lower shafts of the harness cords with loops of sufficient size to admit the insertion of his great toes. With his web thus arranged, he is prepared to com- mence weaving. This he does by putting his toe into the loop of the cord attached to that part of the har- ness which he wishes to tread down, and then with a shuttle introduces the woof and beats up by striking the threads of the woof with the shuttle instead of a batten. The shuttle is in the form of a netting needle, and longer than the breadth of the web. With this rude apparatus he manufactures a fabric of which an Italian silk weaver would be proud. If the silk manufacture in China is so simple and so easily performed, without the aid of complicated ma- chinery, can it not be successfully and profitably pros- ecuted in a country abounding in machinists, with ingenuity to invent and skill to execute the most per- fect machinery in the world ? PART IV. MANUFACTURE OP SEWING SILK AND TWIST. The vast consumption of sewing silk and twist, in this country, will ever make it a profitable branch of silk manufacture, not only in silk factories, but in the families of silk growers. For many years after the culture of silk was introduced in Mansfield, the whole crop growed on the farm, was manufactured, by the wife and daughters of the grower, into sewing silk and twist, and sold at high advances, while the labor bestowed upon it, was comparatively of small conse- quence. The Mansfield silk and twist, was long manufactured without the aid of machinery, other than the common reel and spinning wheel, and though it was not carried to that degree of perfection to which it has since arrived ; yet very good articles were made, which were readily sold at a fair price. The stock, which has heretofore been manufactur- ed into sewing silk and twist, in Connecticut, is di- rectly the reverse of that used for the same purpose in Italy and other foreign countries. Here, the best quality has invariably been selected ; there, it is man- ufactured into fabrics, while that of an inferior quali- ty is worked up into thread and twist, or cordonnet, as it is there called. It ought, however, to be stated 02 SEWING SILK AND TWIST. that foreign sewing silk is of two kinds — one for sew- ing silk stuffs, and the other for woolens, cottons, &c. and that the foregoing remark applies to the second kind, the first being made of the first quality of the raw material. Though the Connecticut sewing silks, of domestic manufacture, have affoHed the grower a fair com- pensation for the labor bestowed upon them ; yet, they have never been able to compete with foreign manufacturers of the article — so far from this the fact has been, that foreign silk well reeled, has commanded a higher price in its raw, than the Connecticut, in its manufactured state. This shows the importance of good reeling and wherein the superiority of foreign silk consists. The silk from which the foreign article is made, is reeled upon the Piedmontese reel, whose lateral motion prevents the fibres of silk from be- coming united by the gummy substance which they contain, and which would otherwise be unavoidable. We have now, not only the Piedmontese reel, but several others, which are considered by all equal, and by many preferable, so that the only difficulty in the way of making sewing silk and twist equal to for- eign, seems to be entirely removed. Sewing silk and twist is manufactured in three different methods — in silk factories, where various kinds of machinery are used — in families by the aid of Brooks' Patent Silk Spinning Machine, and by reeling on a common reel and spinning on a common wheel. In factories the silk is first reeled on the Piedmontese or some other approved reel, and then wound upon bobbins by means of a piece of machin- ery, called a winding frame. The machine is so con- structed that the silk passes from swifts over glass SEWING SILK AND TWIST. 93 rods, and is distributed on the bobbin by a traverse motion. It is next cleared of knobs and husks by another machine, so constructed that the silk passes through holes in two plates of iron, over a glass rod and on to another bobbin. The silk is next spun single on a spinning frame, so constructed that the spindles turn 1800 times in a minute, and may be so regulated as to make any given number of twists in an inch. The next process in order is tramming, or, in more familiar language, doubling the silk. This is done on a machine so constructed that the silk may be doubled any number of times required to make a coarse or fine thread. After tramming, it is throwsted, or, as it is commonly called, twisted. This also is done on a machine constructed in such manner that any given number of twists may be made in an inch. The twist is then set by steaming. This is done by submit- ting the silk, while on the reels as it comes from the throwsting machine, to the action of steam. The steam is generated in a tin vessel over a cylindrical stove, and passed into a receiver by a leaden pipe. It is then ungummed by boiling in soap and water. Having carried it through these several processes the silk is ready for dyeing. After dyeing, the silk goes through another process called " soft silk winding," the object of which is merely to get the silk from the skeins to the bobbins. It is then prepared for the weaver, and, if of the pro- per size and twist, makes good sewing silk. The foregoing is the manner in which Mr. Cobb> of Dedham, manufactures silk with the machinery which he has in his factory. Some of his machinery i