I TO THE Reader. Ingenious Reader, this Have in my Legacy of Husbandry bequeathed something unto thee concerning Silk-worms, which hath wakened many to search after the means to advance that part of Husbandry. But because the Letter of King lames to the Lords Lieutenants of the severall Shires of England, for the increasing of Mulberry Trees, and the breeding of Silk-worms, for the making of Silk in this Nation, had not annexed unto them in that Treatise the Instructions tending to that purpose, and being but few, wholly out of print, and very much desired: 1 thought good upon the occasion of the printing of this Letter to those of Virginia, to publish it also for the benefit of those who shall be willing to employ themselves in this way of industry, which seemeth to be brought unto a more perfect and speedy accomplishment than heretofore hath been known either here or in France, as by the contentes of this adjoyned Letter (wherein the Experiment of a vertuous Lady of this Nation for the breeding of Silk-worms, is addressed unto the Planters of Virginia) is set forth to encourage both them and others to set upon work, to benefit themselves and the Nation thereby. And truly the Gentleman who doth addresse this Letter to the Planters of the Virginian Colonie is much to be commended for his affection to the publick, because he doth not conceal (as some Muck-worms do for private ends) the Advantages which may be reaped by singular industrious Attempts or experiments of profit; but desires the benefit of others, even of all, to be encreased. And it were to be wished, that every one to whom God (from whom comes every good & perfect gift) doth impart any rare and profitable Secret of Industry, would open himselfe towards his Brethren, as this publick-hearted Gentleman doth; then would all hands be set a work, and every one would become instrumentall to serve himselfe and his Neighbours in Love, and overcome the burthen of povertie, which for want of employment and decay of Trade, doth lie so heavie upon very many, whose burthens might be either born, or made easie, if all the gifts of God were made use of, for the end for which he doth bestow them, namely, to profit withall towards others, as it becommeth the Members of the the same Christian, and Human, and Nationall Society; for the same rule holds in all these respects among such as understand what it is to be a good Commonwealths-man in the State, as well as in the Communion of Saints: And to this good and generous inclination, which I wish may more and more abound in them with the grace of God, I shall leave thee and rest, Thy most assured and faithfull servant, SAMUEL HARTLIB. Instructions Instructions for the increase and Planting of What ground is fit for the Mulberry-seeds, how the same is to be ordered, and in what sort the seeds are to be sowed therein. T He ground which ought to be apointed up after they be sown, you shall dig it two foot deep, breaking the clods as small as may be, and afterwards you shall divide the same into severall Beds of not above five foot in breadth, so that you shall not need to indanger the Plants by treading upon them, when either you water or weed them. The Mulberry seeds you shall lay in water for the space of 22 hours, and after that you shall dry them again half dry, or some what more, that when you sow them they may not cleave together: Thus done, you must cast them upon the foresaid Beds, not altogether so thick as you use to do other garden Seed, and then cover them with some fine earth (past through a Sive) about half an inch thick. In dry weather you shall water them every two days at the farthest, as likewise the plants that shal come of them; and keep them as clean from weeds as possibly you can. The time in which you ought to sow them for your best advantage, is either in March, April, or May, when frosts are either altogether past, or at the least not so sharp, or of so long continuance, as to indanger their upspring. There is yet another way to sow them, and that is as followeth: you shall (being directed by a strait line) make certain furrows in the Beds above mentioned, of some four fingers deep, & about a foot in distance the one from the other: After this, you shall open the earth with your hands, on either side of the aforesaid furrows, some two fingers from the bottom, and where you have have so opened it, shall you sow your seeds; and then cover them half a finger thick with the earth which before you opened. When the Plants that are sprung up of the Seeds, are to be removed, and how they are to be planted the first time. IN N the moneths of September, October, November, December, March, or April, the next yeer after the Seeds are sown, you may remove their plants, (or in the moneth of January, if it be not in frosty weather) and set them in the like Beds as before, and about one foot the one from the other, but first you must cut off their roots about eight inches in length, and their tops about half a foot above their roots, more or lesse, according to the strength of the said plaints, for the weaker they be the lesse tops you shall leave them. In this sort you may suffer them to remain weeding and watering them (as need shall require) till they be grown six foot in length above their roots, whereunto when once they have attained, you may cut their tops, and suffer them to spread, alwayes having a care to take away the many branches or succours, that may any way hinder their growth untill they be come to their full length of six foot, as aforesaid. When, and how the Plants are to be removed the second time, and in what manner they are to be planted where they shall remain. IN N the moneths aforesaid, (according as your plants are waxen strong) you may remove them either into the hedges of your fields, or into any other grounds. If in hedges, you must set them 16 foot the one from the other: if in other ground, intending to make a Wood of them 18 foot at the least. But a moneth before you do remove them, you must make the holes (wherein you purpose to set them) about four foot in breadth, and so deep as that their roots may be well covered, and some half a foot of loose earth left under them, having alwayes a special care so to place them, that they may receive the benefit of the Sun, and not to be shadowed or over-spread by any neighbouring trees. When, and how the Eggs of the Silk-wormes are to be hatched, and how to order the Wormes that shall come of them. Hen the leavs of Mulberry-trees begin a little to bud forth, take the eggs of your Silk-worms, and lay them in a piece of Say, or such like stuff, and in the day time carry them in some warm place about you, in a little safe box, but in the night either lay them in your bed or between two warm pillows, untill such time as the Wormes begin to come forth: then take a piece of paper of the wideness of the said box, and having cut it full of small holes, lay it within the same upon the eggs, and upon upon that again some few Mulbery-leaves, to which the Wormes as they are hatched, will continually come. These leaves with the Wormes upon them, you must still remove into other boxes, laying fresh leaves as well on those that are removed as on the paper where the eggs are; and this is the course which must be duly kept and observed, untill such times as all the Wormes be come forth of their shels, still keeping their boxes warm, as aforesaid; but no longer about you, but untill the Wormes begin to come forth, out of which boxes you may safely take them, when once they have past their second sicknesse, and feed them upon shelves of two foot in breadth, and 18 inches one above the other. The said shelves are not to be placed in any ground-room, nor yet next unto the tiles, but in some middle room of your house which openeth upon the North and South, that you may the more conveniently give them either heat or aire, according as the time and season shall require. Besides you must not make thein close unto the Wals, but so as you may passe about them the better to look unto the Wormes, and keep them from Rats and Mice, which otherwise might devoure them. You must observe the times of their comming forth, and keep every one, one or two dayes hatching by themselves, that you may the better understand their severall sicknesses or sleepings, which are foure in the time of their feeding. The first commonly some twelve dayes after they are hatched, and from that time at the end of every eight dayes, according to the weather, and their good or ill usage, during which time of every sicknesse, which lasteth two or three dayes, you must feed them but very little, as onely to relieve such of them, as shall have past their sicknesse before the rest, and those that shall not fall into their sicknesse so soon. The whole time that the Worms do feed, is about nine Weeks, whereof until they come unto their first sicknesse, give them young Mulbery-leaves twice every day, but few at a time; from thence untill their second sickness, twice every day in greater quantity; and so from their second to their third sicknesse, increasing the quantity of the leaves, according as you perceive the Wormes to grow in strength, and clear of sicknesse: from the third untill their fourth sicknesse, you may give them leaves thrice every day, and the fourth being past, you may let them have so many as they will eat, alwayes having a care that you give them none, but such as are dry, and well aired upon a Table or cloth, before they be laid upon them, and withall gathered so neer as may be ; at such times as either the Sun or Winde hath cleared them of the dew that falleth upon them. For the feeding of Worms you need observe no other order then this, lay the Mulberry-leaves upon thein, and every two or three |