The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-03-21
NEw SuK-WoRm-It is "

A. NEW SILK-W ORM.-N is with
more than ordinary interest that those
engaged in the culture of the silk-worm
have learned that a silk-worm of the
oak has been lately introduced into
France from Japan. This insect, which
seems at present perfectly healthy, has,
it is said, been found by experiment PEI
fectly adapted TO the climate of Nor
mandy. If this report be correct 1t may
also be introduced with success into the |
northern portions of America. /
The history of the introduction of
this worm into Europe IS interesting.
The oak-worm, or yama-a-Inai of Japan,
| is said to be a monopoly of the royal
family, and to sell or export the eggs Is
punishable with death. To this fact Is
attributed the ignorance which for so
long has obtained in relation TO this IN
sect. In 1861, Mr.. Duchesne de Belle
court, the French Consul-General in ia
nan, forwarded some of these eggs TO the
= Societe d Acclimation, but as nothing
was known of the habits of the insect.
only one worm lived long enough TO
! make its cocoon. This one specimen,
j however, was enough to establish It's
value in the minds of the Society, and
= cause a thorough investigation. Accor-
: dinolv. in 1862, a scientific commission
IS was directed to search for and send a
quantity to France, which the commls-
q sion has lately accomplished through the
aid Of a Dutch marine officer, NJ. Ponyse
N Won Neprdeuorth, Director OF the lmpc-
lg neriaI Medical School at Nagasaki. j
10 Monsieur Personnat of Laval received
rs from the commission few Of the eggs,
and after three generations he had IN
he Nav, 1865, 10000 worms on his oaks
IN ~ at Laval. In his report to the Societt
d, d,Acclimation upon the subject, he says
re- The eggs are easily preserved
aft through the winter if kept dry, and II
at 'at the spring, when the oaks come into Leaf
di- to hatch the eggs it only requires tha
50, they should be placed in room with
a tc- southern aspect The worms teed upol
1eP nP any kind Of oak, grow rapidly, cast thel
ely skins four times, and in 90 or 60 day
the beoin their cocoons. After the frs
10 change or even from the egg they ma
md be exposed to the open air, as they al
tin- unaffected by the weather. The weigi
tile oftbe cocoons is much greater than thu
.ul- .ua Of the mulberry worm. An empty OIL
weighs 70 centigrammes III grams
ives while one Of the mulberry worms onl
ave weighs 80 centigrammes (53 grains
SIS, sE takes 45O to 500 full or fresh nulberr
lent cocoons to weigh kiIograInme, WIN
, to 300 of the oak worm will make the san
and weight. One square metre, nearly
10 inches square, of oak underwood W
cry, G support 15 or 20 cocoons; but taxi, ak,n,
it at only ten, then a single hectare (:
nov, acres will produce 100000 cocoons'
late 500 kilogrammeS.
5 to There are many thousand acres
stie oak in the United States, both at t
IN; the North and at the South and accordl
lads lad 70 the report of Mr.. Personnat nothI
Rein can be easier than to make them OF gre
the utility in the production of silk.
sup various States vast eXtents OF scrub o
-teen barrens exist, at present of no USE VIII
,ston could be very well brought into servl
ring and which at least afford fields for
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