IN NEW ZEALAND.

9

D.—No. 3

No. 7. [CIECULAE.] Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 10th February, 1870. The attention of Government having been drawn to the importance of the culture of silk as an industry suitable to the climate of some parts of New Zealand, I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to bring the subject under the notice of the Acclimatization Society, for the purpose of ascertaining whether tho Society can offer any practical suggestions on the subject, and especially whether they would be able to assist in the rearing and distribution of mulberry trees, or other trees suitable as food for the different varieties of silk worms, if the Government obtain the support of the Assembly for the purpose of assisting the establishment of such plantations. I have, &c, The Secretary of the Acclimatization Society. W. Gisboene.

No. 8. Mr. W. Bullee to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey. Acclimatization Society's Booms, Sir, — Wanganui, 16th February, 1870. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 10th instant (No. 70-256), on the subject of the culture of silk as an industry suitable to the climate of Now Zealand, and to inform you that I shall convene a special meeting of committee to consider the proposal conveyed therein. I have, Ac, Walter Buller, Hon. Sec, The Hon. W. Gisborne, Colonial Secretary. Wanganui Acclimatization Society.

No. 9. Mr. Thos. Kirk to the Hon. W. Gisboene. Auckland Acclimatization Society, Sir,— Auckland, Bth March, 1870. I am instructed by the Council to acknowledge the receipt of your circular relative to the culture of the mulberry and other trees for the purposes of sericulture, and to inform you that this Society will be happy to co-operate with, the Government towards the furtherance of this object which has already attracted the attention of the Council, as you will see by the enclosed pamphlet, copies of which were wddely distributed by the Society fully two years ago. May I remark personally that it appears desirable that full and particular information should be procured with regard, Ist, to packing and preparing the cocoons for transit, and 2nd, as to reeling. The remarks in the capital manual issued by the Silk Supply Association, under the first head, are scarcely sufficient. Major Caldicott (of tho firm of Gulson and Caldicott, silkbrokers, Coventry) informed mo five years ago, by letter, that his firm had lost several thousand pounds by importing cocoons. At that time he did not consider the importation practicable, but we have not chanced to touch upon the subject in our later correspondence. I have, &c, Thos. Kick, Secretary, Tho Hon. W. Gisborne. Auckland Acclimatisation Society.

Enclosure in No. 9. The Ailanthus Tree and its Silkwoem. [Reprinted from tho Daily Southern Cross, and circulated by the Auckland Acclimatization Society.] This silkworm has long been esteemed in France, where the produce of ailanthus silk has become an important branch of industry. The ailanthus silkworm has likewise been acclimated in England, by Lady Dorothy Neville, of Dangstein, Petersfield, Hants. This lady took so deep an interest in promoting the culture of silk amongst her countrymen in all parts of the world, that she exhibited cocoons of the ailanthus silkworm at tho Dunedin Exhibition in 1865. But she did not rest content with acclimatizing the ailanthus silkworm in her owrn neighbourhood. She made a translation from the French, of a most valuable paper on " The Ailanthus Silkworm and the Ailanthus Tree," from the pen of M. F. E. Guerin-Meneville, Secretary to the Council of the Imperial Society of Acclimatization, which she published as a handbook of tho culture of the ailanthus and management of the silkworm. With the view of giving wider effect to the intentions of this noble lady, we reprint the pamphlet in full, exclusive of the preface, in which we find the following valuable remark : —" One circumstance which renders the cultivation of the ailanthus and its silkworm so easy is the facility with which it can be reared in parts of the country which are lightly peopled,-and where labour is scarce and costly." Our space does not enable us to make further comments to-day, but we shall return to this subject. We annex a reprint of Lady Dorothy Neville's pamphlet:— Ailanthus Teee and its Silkworm. Europe is indebted for this species of silkworm to the Abbe Fantoni, a Piedmontese missionary in the Province of Hang Tung, who sent some living cocoons to friends in Turin in 1856, immediately after the first gathering. These cocoons began to yield moths towards the middle of June in 1857, and eggs were hatched a few days after. 3