OBSERVATIONS TO BE FOLLOWED, FOR THE making of fit rooms, to keep Silkwormes in: As also, FOR THE BEST MANNER OF planting of Mulberry trees, to feed them. PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY for the benefit of the Noble Plantation in VIRGINIA.  
AT LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston. 1620.   

ADVICE FOR MAKING OF CONVENIent rooms to lodge Silkwormes in, and for the most commodious planting of Mulberry trees, to have the best leaf to feed them.  
BEcause that these two things, First, the making of lodgings for the Silkwormes: Secondly, the abundant planting of the best Mulberry trees in a requisite distance one from another, whereby to have the best leaf to feed the Worms, require some good time for the due preparation of them: Therefore that no time be lost for so great and so gainful a business, (the profits whereof will be most certain, and that with small charge, after that these two provisions are once for all well accommodated) we send you these necessary instructions aforehand, till you receive a book which shortly shall be purposely printed for you and store sent, to teach all there, the exact usage and ordering of Silkwormes, the skill whereof may soon be learned, and presently put in practice.  

The lodgings of the Silk worms  Of these two preparations then, which require some length of time to fit them, the first is, that you must make the lodgings and rooms for the Silkwormes, so commodiously and conveniently for them, as they may easily do their work, to yield you abundance of silk: which is but a vain hope, if you lodge them in a place unproper, and contrary to their nature. The Chambers for to lodge and bring up the Silkwormes in, must be made spacious, lightsome, pleasant, neat, and wholesome, far from ill scents, damps, fogs, and humidities: warm in cold, and cold in hot weather: they must not be lodged in the lowest room near the ground, nor yet in the uppermost room near the tiles, because of the distempers of these two contrary situations: the lowest room may be too moist, and the uppermost too windy, too hot, or too cold for them, according to the seasons. Nevertheless, the lower room is the better of the two, and may be borne withal, if the floor be dry and boarded, and that upon it you erect one only single Stage for the Worms, three or four foot high from the floor, for the avoiding of cold damps and moistures, and so as there be too, one room above it close boarded, to the end the Silkwormes may be still placed far off from the tiles, which being near them, are always hurtful to them, because that the wind and the cold pierceth thorough them, and the heat of the Sun is there also insupportable, when it lights upon the roof in his full force. 
Thatched leaves naught  Thatched roofs are also naught for them, because they harbour Mice and Rats in them, which are great devourers of the Worms.  
The most proper and commodious rooms for the Silkwormes then, 
Middle rooms best.  are middle chambers, which must be spared for them two months only in the Spring: or else if your houseroom be too strait, you must build new lodgings expressly for them, in which they will soon quit the cost, and that durably after; but otherwise to expect profits of them in bad rooms, will not be worth your labour.  
You must cast the proportion for their rooms after this manner: 
The proportion of the rooms.  The Silkwormes coming of ten ounces of seed, to be kept and fed well at ease for the best profit, must have a middle chamber of forty two foot in length, eighteen foot in breadth, and twelve foot in height; and for more or less Worms you keep, ground yourself thereafter, upon this proportion.  
The houses wherein you keep them, 
Situation of the houses for them.  would be situated in a good, clear, dry air, for moisture is a great enemy unto them: the chambers wherein you feed them, must have casement windows to open and shut on both sides the room, being opposite one against being black, is greater, and better to taste, than that of the white, which is luscious; besides all this, the black is of far slower growth than the white Mulberry tree.  

Three sorts of white Mulberry trees.  Of the white Mulberry tree there are manifestly known three kinds, which nevertheless are only distinguished by the diverse colours of the fruit, which are white, black, and red, and severally brought forth by several trees: all which three sorts, notwithstanding the difference of the colour of the fruit, bear but one name of the white Mulberry tree. These three sorts resemble all one another, both in leaves which they bring forth, all of a mean greatness, and a smooth feeling, the wood of all being yellow within, and the difference only to be known by the fruit, as aforesaid.  

The white Mulberry tree better than the black.  The black Mulberry tree leaf makes gross and coarse silk; but the white Mulberry tree leaf makes fine, & high-prized, (for according to the fineness of the leaf, will the fineness and goodness of the silk be:) Therefore always where it is in your power to make the best choice, store yourself with the white Mulberry tree; which as it is far better than the black, so also it springeth faster, growing more in two years, than the black in six.  

The white Mulberry tree, bearing the black berry, best of all.  Yet among the three sorts of white Mulberry trees, there is choice also to be made; for by the searching of some it hath been found, that the leaves coming of that white Mulberry tree which bears the black berries, are 〈◊〉 than any of the other white Mulberry trees, bearing either the white, or the red berry. Wherefore if it be possible, furnish your ground only of this kind, that the food of the Silkworm, and so withal, your silk may be the more exquisite.  
Next to this, is the white Mulberry tree, bearing the white berry, which some (according as there are diverse fancies) holds to be the better: nevertheless the former is generally held the best.  
Above all, 
A Rule.  keep no tree in your Mulberry yard, which bears leaves very much indented; for it is neither of so great substance, nor yields so much food as that which hath less nicks: but yet this tree will be made good by grafting upon it.  
Having chosen your best plant of the white Mulberry tree bearing black berries, 
Soil of the Mulberry, for good leaf.  the next choice to be made, is of fit ground to plant them in. Secondly, to have wholesome and profitable food for your Worms, you must plant them in such a soil as is best fitting for your Vine, namely, not in too fat a ground, nor yet in too barren and lean, but in a middling soil: rather in a dry than a moist, in a light than a heavy, in a gravely than a clay. For the quantity of the leaves, true it is, the far and rich ground is the best, but not for the quality; for the leaner ground breed the leaf, of the most profitable and perfect nourishment: the Mulberry tree having that in common with the Vine, which brings the best Wine in the like soil to this; so than the lighter ground brings forth the more exquisite, delicate, and savoury leaf for the food of the Silkworm, and the fat ground a more rank, gross, flash, and unsavoury leaf, which being an unwholesome kind, seldom fadges well with the Worm or never, unless it be helped by an excellent good season: whereas the leaf of the leaner and middling soil, never fails the effecting of your desired purpose. The leaf of the Mulberry will be then well qualified as is fitting, if you plant them in an indifferent soil, somewhat dry, far from springs of water, and from bogs, and from watery and foggy places; 
What soil best.  provided also, that they be exposed to the Sun, and kept as much as may be from the annoyance of the North and East Winds: for with the Vine too, the Mulberry hates a cold, shady, and watery situation. And though the Vine and the Mulberry bring forth more in a fat strong ground then in a leaner, yet so it is, that the little of the fruit of the leaner ground being delicate, is more esteemed and of better price, than the abundance of that out of the fatter soil, which is course and gross.  
The third thing, is to show the best time and order to plant and remove the Mulberry tree, and at what age the leaf is good. Considering there be such store of grown Mulberry trees, small and great in Virginia to be taken up, nothing shall be said now of planting the suckers or branches, nor yet of sowing the Mulberry seed (which though it be the slowest, yet it is held a sure and a good way) but we will only advise you to take choice of such well-grown Mulberries, as may soon bring profit by their forward flourishing. Experience teaches, 
The leaf of the old Mulberry, the best.  that the leaves of the old Mulberry trees are far more healthful for the Worm, and more profitable than those of the young ones, in case they be still vigorous and not fall'n into extreme decay through age: the Mulberry tree, as in many things, being in this also like to the Vine, which brings better wine old than young. And as the Vine begins to bear good Wine after the seven or eight first years of his planting, so likewise the Mulberry tree in the same age, brings forth so good leafage, whereof you may be sure to reap certain profit.  
The time and manner of removing of the Mulberry tree, is much after the fashion of others: you may remove and plant the Mulberry in September, October, November, December, February, March, or April, and in january too if it be not frosty weather. 
When to remove the Mulberry tree.  Take them up in fair weather, being neither frosty nor hot, with such care and curiousness that you may have all the roots whole and entire, without any being broken or bruised if it be possible: which to do, you must neither spare cost, nor pains, nor must you want patience, which is necessary for this action, for fear lest through rude hastiness and carelessness, your trees ill taken up, prove lost charge and labour. Before you take them up, head them, cutting off all their branches, leaving some forked arms of them only with snags, of such length as is fitting for new growth, as usually is done in removing of other trees. 
How to remove Mulberry trees, and to prepare the ground for t●em.  To do well, three months at least before you remove them, you must make holes in the earth ready digged for them, where you mind to set them. The longer the holes are digged before you set them, be it a whole year, so much the better; for the more the earth is seasoned and prepared by the weather, the easier the trees take rooting, and draw the better nourishment from the earth. But if necessity constrain you to dig the holes at the same instant that you are to plant them, then must you burn some small wood, bushes, or straw in the holes, that the fire may supply the want of the Sun and the frost, for the fit preparing of the earth: if otherwise, you must not fill up the holes with that earth which was taken out of them, but with other seasoned earth, pared and taken only from the very top of the ground, which is better seasoned by the Sun than that raw earth which lieth deeper. The holes must be made very large and wide for them, for to contain the roots at full ease; you may be sure you cannot make them too big. The roots must be set as deep in the ground, as they were then when they were taken up; so shall you plant them after their natural manner, which is best, neither too deep, not too shallow. There must be left half a foot of small loose earth in the bottom of the hole, to set the roots upon; which earth, if it be not well prepared before by the weather, must be taken from the top of the ground, and by this means, they will the easier and sooner take root downward. The roots must be set down easily, and put into the earth as near as may be, to the same site and natural posture that they were when they were growing, taking heed that in placing them, you make not the roots to press and cross one upon another: wherefore see that you cover the roots well, and handsomely, putting between them all soft and fine earth, pressing it down, and covering them by little and little patiently with the hand, and not treading them with the feet, or using rammers, and beaters, as some do, which spoileth them, but filling them up rather, and kneading the earth about them gently with the hand, as is said; beginning first from the lowest roots, and so going on to the middlemost, and then at last to the highest, till the ground be leveled. So shall all the roots be covered, without any hollowness being left between them; for this closeness keeps the roots from taking wind, and from water standing about them, which rots them. If in the negligent taking up, part of the roots be unbarked, bruised, or broken, that part must be cut off before you plant it, and you must put earth close about that place which is thus hurt, that water and air come not between it and the earth, to rot it.  

For Mulberry trees to spread and grow bigger.  To have your Mulberry trees grow big, and fair spread, you must shred off some two inches of the tops of all the branches round about, and especially to cut the master bough of the stock, in lopping the top of the tree, so as in the whole height of the growth, the tree be not above six, or seven foot high from the ground: for keeping your trees always at that height by shredding them, they will spread the more: for the substance going back, will be employed in nourishing of the stock; whereas if you let the branches grow at will, there will be much rank and unprofitable wood.  

In what space to plant the Mulberry tree.  The fourth point requisite for the goodness of the Mulberry leaf, is, the regard to be had in the planting of them in fit distance and space one from another, whereby the Sun may come every way freely to them, to give you a well-concocted and wholesome fine leaf for your Silkworms. The more space of ground the Mulberry tree hath freely by himself, and the more frankly the air and Sun comes to it, the greater it grows, and brings the better leaves. Therefore if you will make, as it were, whole Forests and Woods of the Mulberry trees, you must plant them in a strait line, and comely figure of a quincunx, every tree being distant one from another every way, at least four and twenty or thirty foot. Or otherwise, having such store of Mulberry trees as you have somewhere in Virginia, you may take up all trees between them, that hinder this distance from thirty foot, to thirty foot, that the Sun may come throughly to them.  
But if you will plant them in ranks in the hedges, and out-borders of your ploughlands, or other grounds, then may you plant them nearer together, yet always without pressing them too near one another; for that is ever to the hurt of the tree, and the loss of the owner. But considering that the only out-skirts of arable lands, vineyards, and other parts of your demeane lands, though indifferently large, are not sufficient to contain Mulberry trees in so great a number, as is fitting to feed the Worms in abundance; and for that on the other side, the leaves of the trees which are in the thickets and woods, are not so good and wholesome for them, as those that are set in due space in the out-borders, because the other neither have Sun, nor wind at will: a mean between these two extremes is found, conveniently to plant the Mulberry trees for the profit of good leafage, and yet without much hindering the tillage and use of good land. And this is to plant the trees amidst your grounds by line and level in double rows, one single row being even distant from the other sixteen foot, and so likewise every tree to be set in the same distance from one another; which being thus planted, the two rows on each side make one fair alley. 
The best way to plant Mulberry trees in good order: like to the first of More field walks.  And you must dispose these allies on this manner; namely, both along, and across the field, the one alley thwarting and intercrossing the other, leaving on the outsides on them great empty squares of ground, every square containing an acre, or more, as a man pleaseth, for to sow corn there, which may be reaped, without being trod down by the gatherers of the leaves; for when they gather the leaves, they shall tread only on the allies, or near them; which allies taking up but small room, there will be but little loss of ground, either for your come, or for other uses. You must also plant the trees in these allies in such sort, that they be not set just right over one against another, lest they be pestered together, but set a tree of one row, still against the empty space of the other row: so shall they have room and air enough to grow lustily and freshly, having thus the benefit of the Sun, which will always come most freely upon them, especially upon the open sides of the great squares. In which squares you may, if you will, conveniently sow corn, specially O●es, and field Pease, or such like; which though they be trodden down in the gathering of the leaves, yet can they have no great hurt, by reason that the blades of these grains will be then backwards, and they will rise again, though they be beaten down to the ground; so will not Wheat, Rye, nor Barley, which for that reason would not be sown in your Mulbery-yard, but upon necessity.  
There is another commodity comes also of ploughing your Mulberry grounds: for the Mulberry tree prospers much better in the loose ploughed or digged ground, then in the hard cloddy meadows and pastures, so as you take heed lest in ploughing or digging about them, you hurt not the roots. In the same squares you may also plant Vines, where they will profit, as being not much hindered by the shade of the trees; or you may, if you had rather, have meadows or pastures in them, after the trees have had four or five years' rooting, so as you dig the earth lose about the roots, and sometimes dung them. In this sort, without hindering your demeanes better, than any other way, near to your house (for so is most fitting) may you plant your Mulberry yards with great profit, both for the goodness of the leaf, & for the pleasure and beauty which will be in the walks, in which also if you please, you may sow, or set somewhat, that may be for use and profit, and quit the cost of labouring the ground.  
Now you must not content yourself in planting a few; for the Mulberry trees being the main foundation of this revenue, that must be the chiefest thing whereat you must aim, for to plant so great a quantity of them, and so soon, that in a short time you may reap the sweetness of this rich profit to your contentment.  
Those that are perfectly experienced in this business, advice a man by all means to have as great abundance of Mulberry trees as is possible, and for one that is a good husband to reap good profit, they prescribe the quantity of two or three thousand trees; 
One man should have two or three thousand Mulberry trees in hi● yard for good profit.  for with a less number a man that will be a master of this work, ought not to enterprise this business; for here is no question of good profit which must grow out of a sufficient number of trees.  
Therefore it is necessary to employ this work here in a great volume, or else the play will hardly be worth the candle. It is only for women wantonly to keep a few Silkwormes, with a few Mulberry trees, more for pleasure, than for profit. So then, if you mind to be very rich indeed in this commodity, you must not stay at that number of trees abovenamed, but always still augment your Mulberry yard, adding thereto certain hundreds of trees yearly, both for feeding plenty of Worms, and also for the succour of the trees, whereof you shall do well to let some part of them every year rest unleaved; as Lands that be fallow, to have them in better heart. Now the profit rising by the leaves, is thus estimated: 
A thousand weight of leaves feed an ounce of seed.  A thousand weight of Mulberry leaves, is sufficient to feed an ounce of seed in Silkwormes: and an ounce of seed, if the race in goodness, the convenience of the lodging, the perfectness of the leaf, and the seasonable time for the work of the Silkwormes, and the careful diligence of the Governor, all agree together, (for there must be a consort of all these) then (I say) an ounce of good seed, makes easily five or six pound of silk, which what it is worth every one knows. And this thousand weight of leaves, some twenty, or five & twenty trees of a mean size, will always bring forth. Yea a much less number of trees sufficeth for so much weight, if they be old and great. As there are some Mulberry trees in some places near avignon, so large and so abundant in branches, 
One great tree sometimes bear in thousand weight of leaves  that one tree will furnish leaves sufficient to feed an ounce of seed. The cost and charge of the business yearly, is thus rated in France, a fourth of the total defrays it all, and so there remains three parts of clear revenue to the owner.  
Besides this profit of silk to be made of the Mulberry tree, which is of infinite commodity alone; it is also good for many other singular uses. By trial made, it hath been found, that the bark of the white Mulberry tree makes good linen cloth, 
Other profits of the Mulberry tree  and Cordage. The wood also is good to make hoops for tubs and barrels, and it is fit for all joiners' work, and for any use that is yielding and pliant: it is also good about ships and boats: the boughs shred off, are excellent for Coneys: the berries are much desired of poultry, and is good feed for them; and the leaves, all that fall of themselves to the ground in the end of Summer, being laid by in some place, and taken thence day by day, as you need, and given boiled to swine, keep them in good state, and begin to put them into flesh. These, and diverse other commodities come of this excellent tree; which above all others therefore, you must preserve and multiply still in Virginia.  
To this abovesaid shall be added and taught the way how to make Silkwormes, which is reported by some, the experiment whereof is so much the more necessary to be tried, because there is great danger in carrying of the Silkwormes seed, so long a journey by Sea to Virginia. 
The Sea by contrary qualities corrupts the Silkworm seed.  For the Sea is much contrary to the nature of the Silkworm seed, and easily corrupts it, by reason of the moisture, and cold rawness, especially carried in winter time; and therefore it is very hard to send it by Sea in his perfection. Now then, besides the gathering together of the natural Silkwormes, said to be in Virginia, (which out of all question must needs be the best, both for work, and for to have good race of seed from them) you shall do well to try this experiment commended by some Authors.  
In the Spring time, 
How to make Silk-worme●▪  shut up a young Calf in a little dark and dry stable, and there feed it only with Mulberry leaves some twenty days, mean while let it not drink at all, nor eat any other thing; at the end of this time, kill it by strangling, and put it whole into a tub, to rot there, and cover it all over with Mulberry leaves: out of the corruption of this carcase, come forth abundance of Silkwormes, which you may take up with the Mulberry leaves, they fastening themselves unto them; these fed and handled according to art and common fashion, in their due time bring forth both silk and seed, as others. Some, to lessen this charge, take only the leg of a sucking Calf, and cut out of it as much flesh as weighs seven or eight pounds, and putting it in some wooden vessel with Mulberry leaves about it, leaving it to rot, take the worms coming out of the flesh, from the Mulberry leaves to which they cleave, and so use them in like manner as others. Considering, that Bees are made but of the rottenness of a young Bull or Heifer, and according to the Scripture of the Lion, and that we see daily many creatures come of putrefaction: this is no improbable thing, and therefore is worth the trial, to save the labour and danger of sending Silkworm seed by Sea, which to do well, would be changed every four years, as you use to do your grain that you sow.  
Other things concerning the ordering of Silkwormes, you shall know by another book which is to be printed. Mean while, with all speed make these timely and necessary provisions aforesaid, for the groundwork of the business, as to plant store of the best Mulberry trees, in a good air, in proper soil, & fit distance, & dig store of holes in the ground betimes for the preparing of the earth, the better to plant the trees in: provide also fair and fit middle lodgings for the Silkwormes: for this delicate creature, which clothes Princes, and pays his charges so bountifully, cannot endure to be lodged in base and beggarly rooms, but in those that be large, sweet, neat, well ayred, and lightsome. It is a thing well known, that a few Silkwormes, fed at large, and ease, make far more silk than a greater number, penned in narrow and ill-savoured rooms. No ill smells must come near them, they must be kept sweet, and oft perfumed; therefore having such store of sweet woods in Virginia as you have there, you shall do well to make their rooms and tables of those woods: sweet scents being a thing most agreeable to them. Be careful to do things curiously and thoroughly well for them at the first, for your more plentiful and certain gain after: considering the charge to you is all one: and a thing once well done, they say, is twice done, which will thereby also bring you twice double profit, with long continuance.  
FINIS.   

A valuation of the Commodities growing and to be had in Virginia: rated as they are there worth.  
IRon ten pounds the Tun.  
Silk Cod, two shillings sixpences the pound.  
Raw Silk, thirteen shillings four pence the pound.  
Silk grass to be used for Cordage, sixpences the pound: but we hope it will serve for many better uses, and so yield a far greater rate, whereof there can never be too much planted.  
Hemp, from ten shillings, to two and twenty shillings the hundred.  
Flax, from twenty shillings to thirty shillings the hundred.  
Cordage, from twenty shillings, to four and twenty shillings the hundred.  
Cotton wool, eight pence the pound.  
Hard Pitch, six shillings the hundred.  
Tar, five shillings the hundred.  
Turpentine, twelve shillings the hundred.  
resin, five shillings the hundred.  
Madder Crop, forty shillings the hundred, course Madder, five and twenty shillings the hundred.  
Woad, from twelve shillings, to twenty the hundred.  
Annisseeds, forty shillings the hundred.  
Powder Sugar, Panels, Muscavadoes and Whites, five and twenty shillings, forty, and three pounds the hundred.  
Sturgeon, and Caviar, as it is in goodness.  
Salt, thirty shillings the weigh.  
Mastic, three shillings the pound.  
Salsa Perilla wild, five pounds the hundred.  
Salsa Perilla domestic, ten pounds the hundred.  
Red earth Allenagra, three shillings the hundred.  
Red Alum, called Carthagena Alum, ten shillings the hundred.  
Roach Alum, called Romish Alum, ten shillings the hundred.  
Berry grain, two shillings six pence the pound: the powder of grain, nine shillings the pound: it groweth on trees like Holly berries.  
Masts for Shipping, from ten shillings, to three pounds a piece.  
Pot-ashes, from twelve shillings the hundred, to fourteen.  
Soap-ashes, from six shillings, to eight shillings the hundred.  
Clapboord watered, thirty shillings the hundred.  
Pipe staffs, four pounds the thousand.  
Rapeseed oil, ten pounds the ton, the cakes of it feed Kine fat in the winter.  
Oil of Walnuts, twelve pounds the ton.  
Linseede oil, ten pounds the ton.  
Saffron, twenty shillings the pound.  
Honey, two shillings the gallon.  
Wax, four pounds the hundred.  
Shomack, seven shillings the hundred, whereof great plenty in Virginia, and good quantity will be vented in England.  
Fustick young, eight shillings the hundred.  
Fustick old, six shillings the hundred, according to the sample.  
Sweet Gums, Roots, Woods, Berries for dies and Drugs, send of all sorts as much as you can, every sort by itself, there being great quantities of those things in Virginia, which after proof made, may be here valued to their worth. And particularly, we have great hope of the Pocoone's root, that it will prove better than Madder.  
Sables, from eight shillings the pair, to twenty shilling a pair.  
Otters skins, from three shillings, to five shillings a piece.  
Luzernes, from two shillings, to ten a piece.  
Martin's the best, four shillings a piece.  
Wild Cats, eighteen pence a piece.  
Fox skins, six pence a piece.  
Musk Rats skins, two shillings a dozen: the cod of them will serve for good perfumes.  
Beaver skins that are full grown, in season, are worth seven shillings a piece.  
Beaver skins, not in season, to allow two skins for one, and of the lesser, three for one.  
Old Beaver skins in Mantles, gloves or caps, the more worn, the better, so they be full of fur, the pound weight is six shillings.  
The new Beaver skins, are not to be bought by the pound, because they are thick and heavy leather, and not so good for use as the old.  
Pearls of all sorts that you can find: Ambergris as much as you can get: Crystal rock: Send as much as you can, and any sort of Mineral stones, or earth that weighs very heavy.  
Preserve the Walnut trees to make oil of, and cut them not down: so also preserve your Mulberry and Chesnut trees very carefully.  
In the month of june, bore holes in diverse sorts of Trees, whereby you shall see what gums they yield, and let them be well dried in the Sun every day, and send them home in very dry Cask.