The most important of the wild silks of India is the tusser (very variously spelt), or Antheroea paphia (with about a dozen synonyrns). The worms feed indiscrimivately on Rhizophora calceolaris ; Terminalia glabra (the assum), T. tomentosa (the saj), and T. catappa (the country almond); Tectona grandis (teak); Zizyphus jujuba (the ber); Shorea robusta (the sal); Bombax heptaphyllum (the semul); Careya sphwrica ; Pentaptera tomentosa and P. glabra; Ricinus communis (castor-oil) ; Cassia lanceolata. The cocoons are curiously suspended from the branches of the trees. The insect is distributed over nearly the whole of India. In the Central Provinces, the silk is utilized in Rajpore, Bilaspore, Sumbulpore, the Upper Godavery, Chanda, Bhundora, Nagpore, Balaghab, Seouee, Chindwara, Betool, and Nursinghpore. Sumbulpore is said to yield yearly 7000 lb. of the silk ; Rajpore, 12,000 lb. ; Bilaspore, 1800 lb. ; Chanda, 45,000 lb. Major G. Coussmaker, who has done so much to establish the domestic cultivation of this worm in the Deccan, finds that it thrives well on Lagerstrwmia indica, and still better on Carissa carandus ; the former resumes thick foliage within a fortnight after having all its leaves eaten off. The filament of this kind of silk is of tape-like form, and not cylindrical as is commonly the case.
The eria worm is so called from the Assamese name of the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis), on which it is almost exclusively fed. It is reared entirely indoors. The duration of its life varies with the season : ia the summer, it is shorter, and the product is both better and more abundant. At this season, 20-24 days elapse from the date of its birth to the time when it begins its cocoon, 15 days later the moth is produced, in three days the eggs are laid, and in five more they are hatched, making the total duration of a breed 43 days. In winter, its life extends to nearly two months. Seven broods are reckoned upon annually. When the worms have ceased feeding, they are placed in baskets filled with dry leaves, amongst which they form their cocoons. In four days, the latter are complete. A selection having been made for the next breed, the remainder are exposed to the sun for 2-3 days, to destroy the vitality of the chrysalis. The cocoons are next generally put into water containing potash (wood-ashes), over a slow fire ; when removed, the water is gently squeezed out. At other times, they are massed together for some days with amrita Q C'arica papaya) or madhu fruit. The object is the same in 6ither case, viz. to facilitate the drawing of the silk. It is coarse, aud none of it ever finds its way int4engal.
The muga moth is found-wild in the jungles of Assam, but all the si:k produced by iris from domesticated worms. They are reared on trees in the open air. There a'Ke generally five breeds in a year, viz. January-February, IVIay-June, July-August, September-04ober, aud November.
The first and last yield the best crops, as regards both quantity and quality. \Constant watching of the trees is necessary. The worms thrive best in dry weather, but a very ho` sunny day at tho moulting time proves fatal to many. Indeed, at this period, rain is considered- very favourable ; and even thunderstorms are not injurious, as they are to the mulberry worm. Continual heavy rains do mischief by sweeping the worms off the trees ; but showers, however violent, cause no great damage, the worms generally taking shelter under the leaves -with perfect safety. -De total dura tion of a breed varies from 60 to 70 days. The chrysalis not being easily killed by eixosure to the sun, a number of cocoons are placed upon bamboo stages, and covered with leaves, whil4 a quantity of dry grass is ignited below them, and in a short time destroys them. The cocoons are then boiled for abont an hour in water containing potash (the ashes of mustard and other plants). When taken out, they are laid between folds of cloth. The fioss ia removed by band, and the cocoons are thrown into hot water. The instrument used for winding off the silk is the roughest imaginable. The Assamese consider it a good annual return if an acre of trees support 50,000 cocoons, :iielding upwards of 24 lb. of silk. It must be very profitable, as 1000 cocoons are reckoned to afford 6-81 oz. of silk thread, selling at 10-12s. a lb. The labour and expense of maintaining a plantation of the trees is very trifling. Lakhirnpur, in 1871, exported 111 tons of muga silk thread, value 6090/.
The mujankuri spelt) worm is really a variety of muga, feeding on the mujankuri or adakuri plant (Tetranthera polyantha). The silk is whiter and better, some of the thread produced in Sibsagar selling for 36s. a lb. It is rarely in the market.
The exports of Indian raw silk were 1,656,015 lb., value 766,4621., in 1875; and 1,329,599 lh., 570,2291., in 1879. Our imports of Indian raw silk fell frorn 150,232 lb. in 1876, to 105,006 lb. in 1880; and of knubs, busks, and waste, from 4396 cwt. in 1877, to 3404 cwt. in 1880. The approxi mate London market values of Indian raw silks are as follows :—Radnagore, 10-16s. a lb.; Snrdali, 14-18s.; Gonatea, 11-17s.; Cossimbuzar, 11-17s. ; Comercolli, 10-16s.; Hurripaul, 8-10s.; Juugy pore, 11-15s.
Persil-1.—Thu exports of Persian silk, the produee of Ghilan, to Russia, in 1879, were 109,6001. worth of raw, 16,150/. husks, 11501. coeoons. The exports of silk via Gez were 200 ballots, value 92301., from Asterabad, and 400, value 27,6901., from Khorassan and Subzevar ; while the refuse amounted to 400 ballots, 38401. Bushire, in 1879, exported 2,30.000 rupees' worth of raw silk to India. The approximate London market value of Persian raw silk is 9-11s. a lb.