The Chinese appear to have been the first to cultivate the mulberry for feeding silkworms; and they are supposed to have discovered the art of making this delicate luxury 2700 B. C., in the reign of Emperor Hong, whose Empress, Si-lingchi, is said to have first observed the operations of the silkworm on wild mulberrytrees, and applied their labours to the production of silk. She collected them from the trees, and, with the aid of the females attached to her household, attended them with much care, in the imperial apartments, supplied them with mulberryleaves, and kept them very clean. It was soon found that they thrived much better in this manner than in the open air, where they were constantly exposed to their natural enemies, serpents, spiders, &c., and to the ill effects of changes of temperature. The cocoons, produced in rooms, were more numerous, larger, and of better quality, than those gathered from the trees. Care was afterwards taken to hatch the eggs in rooms, and the superiority of this artificial mode of culture soon became more and more manifest, which was followed by the successive sovereigns of that empire, and all the rich and affluent were dressed in garments of silk. Subsequently, it became an article of exportation, and a source of great wealth. The traders of Serica first carried the silken stuffs over the whole breadth of Asia. Their caravans performed long journeys of two hundred and forty-three days, from the "far coasts" of China to those of Syria. The culture spread from China to India, Persia, and Arabia, and was for many centuries, as t is at the present day, a great source of wealth to these countries.

The expedition of Alexander the Great into Persia and India, first introduced the knowledge of silk to the Greeks, about 350 years B. C.; and, with the increase of wealth and luxury in the Grecian court, the demand for silken goods prodigiously augmented. The Persians engrossed, for a time, the trade of Greece, and became rich from the commerce of silk, which they procured from China. Among the most active traders of that epoch were the Phoenicians, who were also engaged in the traffic of silk, and carried it to the east of Europe; but for a long time, even those who were concerned in its commerce, knew not what it was, how it was produced, nor where was situated the country of Serica, from which it originally came. Some, supposing it to be grown on trees, as hair grows on animals; others, that it was produced by a shell-fish, similar to a mussel, which is known to throw out threads for the purpose of attaching itself to rocks; others, that it was the entrails of a sort of spider, which was fed for four years with paste, and then with the leaves of a kind of green willow, till it burst with fat; and others, that it was the product of a worm which built nests of clay, and collected wax. But Aristotle, with more truth, thought it was unwound from the pupa of a large horned caterpillar.

From Greece, the use of silk passed into Rome; and, though the exact year of its introduction is unknown, it was probably about the time of Pompey and Julius Cæsar; the latter, we find, having used it in his festivals. In the reign of Tiberius, an edict was passed, prohibiting the use of silk as effeminate. Among all the articles of elegance belonging to the luxurious Cleopatra, none seemed more to excite admiration and astonishment, than the silken sails of her pleasure barge, in which she visited Alexandria. Heliogabalus, in the year 220 of our era, is said to have been the first emperor who wore a robe made entirely of silk; which then, and for some time afterwards, sold for its weight in gold. Aurelian, in the year 280, is said to have denied his Empress, Severa, a robe of silk, because it was too dear.

About the beginning of the VIth century, after the seat of the Roman empire had been transferred to Constantinople, two monks arrived at the court of the Emperor Justinian, from a mission into China, bringing with them the seeds of the mulberry, and communicated to him the discovery of the mode of rearing silkworms. Although the exportation of the insects from China, was prohibited, on

pain of death, yet, by the liberal promises, and the persuasions of Justinian, they were induced to undertake to import some from that country; and they returned from their expedition through Bucharia and Persia, to Constantinople, in the year 555, with the eggs of the precious insect, which they had obtained in the "far country," concealed in the hollow of their canes, or pilgrim-staves. Until this time, the extensive manufactures of Tyre and Berytes had received the whole of their supply of raw silk from China, through Persia. The eggs thus obtained, were hatched in a hot-bed, and, being afterwards carefully fed and attended to, the experiment proved successful, and the silkworm became very generally cultivated throughout Greece.

The silkworm and the black mulberry were introduced simultaneously into Spain and Portugal, by the Arabs, or Saracens, on their conquest of Spain, in 771. In the XVth century, the silk culture of the last-named country, is universally allowed to have been in a highly flourishing state; but it has been in a declining condition ever since; so much so, that, in the year 1833, at the time we visited that unfortunate country, it was one of the most neglected branches of agriculture in the kingdom; being almost entirely confined to a few of the southern provinces.

The white mulberry was for a long period confined to Greece; but when Roger, king of Sicily, in 1130, ravaged Peloponnesus, he compelled the principal artificers of silk, and breeders of silkworms, to remove with him to Palermo, with the determination to try the culture of this tree in that country. The Morus alba was accordingly transplanted from Greece to Sicily, and, flourishing in its fine climate, that island became the great mart of nearly all the raw silk required for the manufactures of Europe.

In 1204, the conquest of Constantinople, by the Venetians, led to the introduction of the silkworm into Venice, from which, in the course of a short time, it extended to Genoa, and other parts of Italy. The white mulberry was introduced into upper Italy, in 1440, since which time, up to the present day, the culture and manufacture of silk have constituted a very important part of the commerce both of Italy and Sicily.

The white mulberry was introduced into France by Seigneur d'Allan, under the reign of Charles VII.; and it is said that the original tree still exists at the gates of Montelimart. Silk manufactures were first established at Tours, in 1480, by Louis XI., who invited workmen from Italy to settle in his kingdom. These manufactures, however, were supplied, entirely, at first, with the raw material, from Sicily and Piedmont. In 1494, several of the great landed proprietors who had followed Charles VIII., in his Italian wars, brought with them, on their return from Naples and Sicily, an additional supply of the white mulberry, which they planted in Provence, in the vicinity of Montelimart. In 1520, Francis I., having taken possession of Milan, prevailed on some artisans of that city to estabtish themselves at Lyons; and, to encourage them to remain there, he granted them special privileges and immunities. Henry II., and Charles IX., appear to have been the next sovereigns who endeavoured to promote the culture of silk in France; and, in the reign of the latter monarch, in 1564, François Traucat, a gardener at Nismes, formed a large nursery, expressly for raising white mulberry plants, from which he supplied all the south of France. Henry IV. was no sooner established on the throne, than he exerted himself to promote this branch of industry throughout his dominions; and, by his desire, Olivier de Serres, seigneur de Pradel, in 1601, formed a plantation of white mulberry trees in the garden of the Tuileries, where was erected a large building for rearing the silkworms. In 1603, an edict was passed for encouraging the planting of mulberrytrees throughout France; promising to reward with patents of nobility, such manufacturers as had supported and pursued the trade for twelve years. Under

Louis XIII., the silk manufactures fell into neglect; but under the reign of his successor, Louis XIV., the subject attracted the attention of government, and Colbert, one of the public ministers, seeing the advantages that might be derived from the culture of mulberry-trees, resolved to enforce it by every means in his power. He reëstablished royal nurseries; gave plants to all who desired them; and even planted, by force, the lands of proprietors who would not voluntarily cultivate the trees. This arbitrary measure caused so much dissatisfaction and disgust, on the part of the proprietors, that the mulberry plantations were soon suffered to decay. Colbert next tried more gentle means, offering a premium of twenty-four sous for every mulberry-tree that had stood in a plantation for three years. This plan was crowned with success; and, in the course of a few years, mulberry plantations were general throughout the kingdom, and have so continued up to the present day. Soon after Algiers came into possession of the French, in 1830, a public nursery, occupying eighty acres, was there established, which is said to contain twenty-five thousand trees and plants for the purpose of experiment in naturalization, among which are the Morus alba and several of its varieties.

In Germany, the culture of silk was first introduced by Frederick II., who had mulberries planted extensively in different parts of his dominions; and the example was soon after followed in Saxony, Austria, and in some of the smaller states. In Bavaria, this species of culture was commenced under the auspices of government, and of the Munich Agricultural Society, in about 1820, at the recommendation of M. Hazzi. Since that time, a great number of mulberry plants have been raised in the government nurseries, and distributed throughout the provinces; but, on the whole, neither in this part of Germany, nor in any other, has the culture of silk ever been very considerable. In several of the southern states, however, pollard trees may be seen bordering the highways, and in some of the cities, goods are made from German silk; but the chief establishments of this kind are at Vienna, at Rovedero in the Tyrol, at Creveldt, at Berlin, and at Cologne.

The culture of silk has been introduced into Belgium with some prospect of success; and the mulberry has also been planted in the southern parts of Denmark. In Sweden, an attempt has been made to establish its culture in the southern provinces; but the experiment has proved unprofitable.

In Russia, the silk culture has been commenced in the Crimea, and all the best varieties of the Morus alba have been planted in the government garden at Odessa ; where, according to M. Descemet, they perfectly succeed.

In Egypt, the culture of silk was introduced some years since, by the Pacha Ibrahim, and is said to be in a prosperous state. In Persia, the silkworm is nourished almost exclusively on the leaves of the black mulberry. The cultivators, from a motive of economy, are accustomed to feed the worms with the boughs of the tree, with the foliage upon them, instead of using the leaf separately, as is adopted in most other silk-growing countries.

In India, the culture of the mulberry and the rearing of silkworms continue to be practised; but how far it will be influenced by the progress of this culture in Europe and America, remains to be proved. In Australia, the culture of silk has been undertaken to a considerable extent, and from the mildness of its climate, and the cheapness of labour, it appears likely to be attended with success.

The first record of silk in Britain, is of a present sent by Charlemagne, to Offa, king of Mercia, in the year 708, consisting of a belt and two silken vests. Silk is also mentioned in a chronicle of the date of 1286, in which we are told that some ladies wore silk mantles at a festival, in Kenilworth, about that perioa; and by other records, we find that this article was worn by the English clergy. in 1534. Henry VIII. had the first pair of silk stockings that were ever seen in

England, sent to him from Spain; and Edward VI., "had a pair of long silk hose," from the same country, presented to him by Sir Thomas Gresham, "a present which was thought much of." They were cut out of a piece of silk, and sewed together, like the cloth hose that were worn previously to the reign of Elizabeth. James I., when king of Scotland, was forced to beg the loan of a pair of silk stockings of the Earl of Mar, to appear in before the English embassador, enforcing his request with the cogent appeal, "For ye would not, sure, tha. your king should appear as a scrub before strangers"-a circumstance which probably led him to promote the cultivation of silk, both in England and in America. The manufacture of silk was introduced into Britain in the XVth century; but it did not appear to make much progress till the time of Elizabeth, the tranquillity of whose long reign, and the influx of the Flemings, occasioned by the disturbances in the Low Countries, gave a powerful stimulus to the manufactures of England. In 1605, James I., probably in imitation of Henry IV., passed his famous edict for introducing the culture of silk into Britain; and from the "Issues of the Exchequer," &c., of his reign, it appears that, by the year 1608, he planted largely himself. Hartlib, in his "Legacy," &c., printed in 1652, quotes some passages from Bonoeil's work on mulberries, &c., issued in 1609; and among other letters from King James to his lords lieutenants, recommending the planting of mulberrytrees, and offering them at two farthings each. Though this attempt to rear silkworms in England proved unsuccessful, the manufacture of the raw material supplied by other countries, was in an extremely flourishing condition. The silk-throwsters of London were united into a fellowship, in 1562; and were incorporated in 1629. Though retarded by the civil wars in the time of Charles I. and the commonwealth, the manufacture continued gradually to advance; and so flourishing had it become, that it is stated in a preamble to a statute passed in 1666, that there were at that time no fewer than forty thousand individuals engaged in the trade. A considerable stimulus was given to the English silk manufacture by the revocation of the edict of Nantes, in 1685; when about fifty thousand French artisans took refuge in Britain. At this period, the consumption of silk goods was so great in England, that, besides the quantity manufactured in the country, there were annually imported an amount exceeding six hundred thousand pounds sterling. After the failure of the attempts of James I., to establish the culture of silk in Britain, another trial appears to have been made in the year 1629. This may be inferred from a grant having been made to Walter Aston, of the custody of the garden, mulberry-trees, and silkworms, near St. James', in the county of Middlesex; although this may possibly have been a continuation of the project of the year 1605. In 1718, the scheme was again renewed, and a patent granted to John Appleton, Esquire, for producing raw silk of the growth of England. To accomplish this undertaking, he was authorized to raise a fund by joint-stock subscription. This he accomplished, dividing the capital into shares of five pounds each. A deed of trust was executed, and enrolled in the court of chancery; directors for managing the concerns of the company were chosen by the subscribers, and Chelsea Park, being conveniently situated, and possessing, as was supposed, a soil favourable for the purpose, was fixed upon as the theatre of their operations. A lease of this place for one hundred and twenty-two years was obtained, and two thousand mulberry-trees were soon actually planted; this forming but a small part, however, of the vast quantity which the company contemplated raising. Many large edifices were erected at a great expense, upon the spot, the remains of which, at the present day, are said to be entirely obliterated. Mr. Henry Barham, who probably was a member of this company, published, at this time, an essay on the silkworm, wherein he laboured to prove that all objections and difficulties raised against the prosecution of what he calls "this glorious undertaking," were mere phantoms. The

event however proved him to be wrong; and showed that difficulties did exist of an insurmountable description; for, although it was confidently predicted that in the ensuing year, a considerable quantity of raw silk would be produced, the expectation was disappointed, and the company soon sunk into oblivion. In 1825, a company was established in England, under the name of "The British, Irish, and Colonial Silk Company," with a large capital, and under the direction of the celebrated Count Dandolo, whose treatise on the management of the silkworm, &c., is considered the best work extant on the subject, in Italy. This company formed extensive plantations in England and Ireland, particularly near Slough, and in the vicinity of Cork; and Mr. John Heathcoat, of Tiverton, Devonshire, one of the most influential members, invented a method of reeling, which was attended with the most complete success. The company also formed plantations in the county of Devon; but, after numerous trials, it was found that the climate of the British Isles was too humid for the production of good silk; and the company was finally broken up, and its plantations destroyed, in 1829.*

The first introduction of the silk culture into the British North American colonies was made by James I., who, on several occasions, urged the Virginian Company to promote the cultivation of mulberry-trees, and the breeding of silkworms. În 1622, he addressed a letter to them expressly on this subject, conveying to them strict injunctions that they should use every exertion for this purpose, and should stimulate the colonists to apply themselves diligently and promptly to the breeding of silk worms, and the establishment of silk works. The company, thus incited, showed much zeal in their endeavours to accomplish the king's wishes They lost no time in transmitting his majesty's letter to the governor and council of Virginia, together with particular instructions how the colonists might best apply their labours in the production of silk. For the furtherance of this object, their instructions were accompanied by several copies of Bonoeil's "Treatise on the Art of Making Silk," &c., and a quantity of mulberry-trees and silkworms' eggs, which had been sent from England to that colony. Mr. Bonoeil, who was a member of the Virginian Company, engaged warmly in the undertaking; and was so fully convinced of its practicability, as to assert that, with an adequate number of hands, such a quantity of silk might be produced in Virginia, as in a very short time, would sufficiently supply all Christendom. The misfortunes soon after this time experienced by the colony of Virginia, and which involved the dissolution of the company, materially checked the execution of this project. A considerable number of mulberry-trees were planted, and flourished; but little silk was produced. In the year 1654, the rearing of silkworms again became a subject of interest in Virginia. This revival was principally owing to the exertions of Mr. Edward Diggs, who confidently asserted that he had conquered all the main difficulties attending the experiment. He endeavoured to persuade the Virginians that, in a short time, a great quantity of silk might very profitably be obtained. About this period, it was also enacted by the British government that every planter in Virginia, who should not have raised at least ten mulberry-trees for every hundred acres of land in his possession, should be fined ten pounds of tobacco. Five thousand pounds of tobacco were promised to any one who should produce one thousand pounds of wound silk in one year. In 1664, Mr. Walker, a member of the legislature, stated that he had seventy thousand mulberry-trees on his estate. In 1666, all statutory provisions were repealed, because, it is said, the business was in so thriving a condition as no longer to require protection. This branch of industry, however, was soon after suffered to decline; and it does not appear that the production was ever carried to any great extent in that colony. The decline was probably owing to new immigrants, who brought with

*See Loudon's Arboretum Britannicum, iii., pp. 1350 et seq.