{"character_count": 2889, "word_count": 508, "ccnet_language_score": [0.980400025844574], "ccnet_perplexity": [1850.5], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
years for the promotion of the important branch of agriculture to which we owe the rich material of which this flag is composed have the honor to be, with the highest respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant

 PETER S. DU PONCEAU.

 HoN. ANDREW STEVENSON,

 Speaker cf the House cf Representatives.

 Philadelphia, Dec 13, 1880.

 SR The bill for promoting the growth and manu- iacture oi silk, which was reported by you, in the name Of the Committee on Agriculture, to the House Of Representatives of the United States at their last session, having been unavodably postponed, in con sequence of the pressure of other business, have availed myself of the opportunity of the recess to cause experiments to be made, and collect as many facts as has been in my power in order to throw as much additional light as possible on subject which may be considered, in great degree, new in this country, and which, at least very little practica- ble experience has been yet obtained.

 thought it my duty so to do, in order to justify the confidence with which the committee were pleased to honor me, by giving implicit credit to the state ment of facts which laid before hem and by adopt ing and recommending to Congress the plan which, at their request, submitted the best calculated to promote the important objectwbich they had in view In many respects reoiced that that opportunity was given me by the posponement of the bill l have proceeded ut my own risk, as if the bill had been ac- tually passed and one year has been gained of the three years Whicn It's enactments required.

 I began with causing to be printed in pamphlet form two hundred copies Gone hundred in the Eng fish, and as many in the French language) of the re- port in part of the Committee Agriculture of the 12b of March last, with my letter to you annexed which transmitted to my correspondents in differ ent parts of Europe. in order to elicit opinions and obtain every possible information. They made their way as far as Vienna, in Austria, whence I have lately received valuable treatise the culture and manufacture of silk. What effects they produced elsewhere will be mentioned in the course of this letter.

 then went with M. D' D'Homergue to the State of Connecticut, where the culture of silk has been pur- sued for the last seventy years We remained five days in the town of Mansfield, where the greatest quantity of are raised, which they make in- to sewing silk, There were much surprised to find the country poor in the midst of riches. It abounds in mulberry trees of the best species which might feed, according to M D'Homergue, much greater quantity of silk worms than are raised there The soil is excellent for the production of that tree, and silk worms prosper there; though they are rais- ed without any extraordinary degree of care. The cocoons very fine, and their silk excellent; yet