1C1
the secreting power of the two sericteria. The silk-worm commences spinning when it is full grown, insome convenient spot affording points of attachment forthe first-formed thread, which is drawn from one part tothe other until the body of the larva becomes loosely en-closed by the thread. The work is then continued fromone thread to another, the silkworm moving its head andspinning in a zigzag way, in all directions within reach,and shifting the body only to cover the part which wasbeneath it. During the period of spinning the cocoon,which usually takes five days for its completion, the silk-worm decreases in size and length considerably; then castsits skin, becomes torpid, and assumes the form of the chry-salis.
The main object of the silkworm breeder is to obtaincocoons of a large size, composed of a long, strong, veryfine, even, and lustrous thread. These properties of thesilk have been realised in the highest degree in the spe-cimens transmitted from France , in which country thedevelopment of the silkworm has for a long period exer-cised the care and pains of many able breeders, and oflate years has beeu the object of systematic advancementby the Central Society of Sericiculture of France .
The JJomb//x mori, having been bred and reared underthe special care and management of man during a long suc-cession of ages, may be regarded as a domesticated speciesof insect; and it has become the subject, as in the higherdomesticated races of varieties—of which those called‘ Sina,’ * Syne,’ and * Novi,’ in France , are examples.
The ‘ Sina’ variety of the silkworm is known andesteemed for the pure whiteness of its silk, the thread ofwhich is fine, but weak, and not very lustrous. The‘ Syne ’ variety is of large size, produces a cocoon abun-dant in silk, but the thread is rather coarse, and inclinesto a greenish tint. The ‘ Novi' race is small, but thecocoons are firm and well made, and the silk is lustrous,but has a yellowish tint.
The specimens of silk exhibited in the French Depart-ment are numerous, and the degrees of excellence hardlyto be discriminated in the finest examples selected forthe award of the Prize Medal. In specifying the namesof the exhibitors so distinguished, the Jury propose,therefore, to limit themselves to the mention of the moreremarkable circumstances which they have found to beassociated with certain examples. The Jury select, as thefirst in order of merit—
Major Count i>e Bronno Bronski (782, p. 1218),exhibitor of unbleached silk and silk cocoons from theChateau de St. Selves, near Bordeaux , Department de laGironde. The cocoons are remarkable for their largesize and regularity of form, ami the silk for the unusuallength of the thread, its natural pure white colour, itsfineness and lustre. The circumstances under whichthis superior quality of silk is obtained are certified—ina Report by a ‘ Committee of the Agricultural Society ofthe Gironde / signed Philippar, and dated 2Stli April1847—to be as follows:—
In 18-36, Major Bronski reared separately the eggs ofthe three varieties, ‘ Sina,’ ‘ Syrie/ and ‘ Novi.’ In
1837 he set apart the cocoons of the varieties ‘ Syrie * :and ‘ Novi / and on the exclusion of the imago, or per-fect insect, he associated the males of the ‘ Novi ’ withthe females of the ‘Syrie; and the hybrid ova werehatched at the ordinary period in 1838/the same opera-tions being repeated in 1839 and 1840. With regard to therace ‘ Sina/ M. Bronski, in 1837, separated the white fromthe black worms as soon as they were hatched. He thenselected the largest and best-shaped cocoons, and madea special collection of the eggs from the moths excludedfrom those cocoons. This procedure was repeated in
1838 and 1S39; but in 1840 he associated the males ex-cluded from the large cocoons of the black worms with thefemales excluded from the largest cocoons of the white .worms. In 1841 he associated the males of the ‘ Sina’race with the hybrid females obtained from the above-described crossings of the ‘ Novi ’ and * Syne ’ breeds.
By these and similar experiments M. Bronski at length'appears to have succeeded in obtaining a race of silk-
worms not subject to disease, producing a large and equalsized cocoons of a pure white colour, the silk of whichis equal in all its length, strong and lustrous, and whichis certified to present an average length of thread of 1057metres (1154 yards English ).
The Jury, in awarding the Prize Medal to MajorCount Bronski, desire, at the same time, to give expres-sion to their unanimous opinion as to the importanceof the resumption, by the highest administrative andscientific authorities in France , of those investigationswhich had been entered upon with a view to determinethe stability and commercial value of the results of M.Bronski’s experiments and discoveries in the ameliorationof the breed of silkworms.
The French exhibitors of silks of fine qualities arenumerous; and amongst these the Jury award the PrizeMedal to—
MM. Alcan and Ljmkt (1050, p. 1229); in regard towhom the Jury desire to express their approval of thenew mode of ‘ filature & froid/ and of the mode of di-viding the silk of the grey cocoons of the Indian silk-worm (Tussar), both of which improvements are due toMM. Alcan and Limet.
MM. Arduix and Chancel (S, p. 1170).
C. Beauvais (1076, p. 1229), to whom the silk-manu-facture in France owes much, for his establishment of aschool of sericiculture, for diffusing the true principles onwhich the development, breeding, and improvement ofthe silkworm should be earned on.
L. Boudon (1105, p. 1230).
C. Chambon* (113, p. 1196).
J. Ciiampaxhet Sarceas (114, pp. 1176, 1177).
MM. Coudeuc and Soucarkt* (96, p. 1176).
MM. Drouin and Brossieu (169, 1181).
Giiiklin and Son (846, 1220).
Jamk, Bianchi, and Duseigneur (1273, p. 1238).With this senes of cocoons and of raw and thrown silksare associated twenty-five ingenious daguerreotype figures,of the silk-thread as viewed bv the solar microscope, inillustration of a valuable memoir by M. Duseigneur, incourse of publication at the charge of the Chamber ofCommerce and of the Agricultural Society of Lyons.
E. I)e Tjllancourt (697, p. 1212).
A. Duval (189, p. 1183).
Guerin, Mkneville, and Robert (784, p. 1218).
Lapkyre and DolbkaU (1292, p. 1238).
J. Mexet* (1657, p. 1256).
L. Molinks (647, p. 1209).
MM. Regard Brothers (1426, p. 1244).
MM. Ruas and Co. (1464, p. 1246).
L. SOUBEYRAND* (1490, p. 1248).
Teissier du Cros, L. and E. (1031, p. 1223).
The Jury, in testimony of their admiration of thequalities of the silk exhibited in the French Department,unanimously voted a recommendation of the award of aCouncil Medal to the Central Society of Sericicul-ture of France (see page 69).
The Jury desire also to express their estimation of thehighly promising qualities of the silk exhibited by thecolonists in Algeria ; and to specify as deserving Honour-able Mention the following exhibitors of raw silk in theFrench Department:—
M. A. Bahuet (17, p. 1172).
M. Morin (Algeria ) (39, p. 1261).
M. G. L. Affouutit (749, p. 1216).
M. C. Barral (410, p. 1197).
MM. Barres Brothers (41, p 1173).
L. I)e Barthelats (757, p. 1216.)
Madame Benouville (760, p. 1216.)
MM. V. Bonnal and Co. (429, p. 1199).
M. BoxNEToxf (771, p. 1270).
MM. Cabrit and Roux (81, p. 1175).
M. F. Carriers (1136, p. 1232).
MM. Causse and Garion* (1137, p. 1232).
M. N. ChampoiseaU (794, p. 1218).
MM. Chartron and Soxsf (796, p. 1218\
* These exhibitors’ names are inserted in the Award Listof Class xill.—W.
j* These exhibi.ors receive Medals in Class xill.