Touching their _Generation_, he prescribeth that there be chosen as many male as female _Cases_ (which are discerned by this, that the males are more pointed at both ends of the _Cases_, and the females more obtuse on the ends, and bigger-bellyed) and that care be had, that no _Cases_ be taken, but such wherein the _Worms_ are heard rolling; which done, and they being come forth in the form of _Butterflies_, having four wings, six feet, two horns, and two very black eyes, and put in a convenient place, the males fluttering with their wings, will joyn and couple with the females, after that these have first purged themselves of a kind of reddish humour by the fundament: in which posture they are to be left from Morning (which is the ordinary time of their coming forth) till evening, and then the females are to be gently pulled away, whereupon they will lay their eggs, having first let fall by the Fundament another humour, esteemed to proceed from the seed of the males; but the males are then thrown away as useless. He advertiseth, that if they be coupled longer than 9. or 10. hours, (which they will be, and that sometimes for 24. hours together, if they be let alone) either the female will receive very great hurt by it, or much seed will remain in her belly. {91} The seed at first coming out is very white, but within a day it becoms greenish, then red, at last by little and little gray, which colour it retains alwaies, the most coloured of an obscure gray, being the best; those grains which never quit their whiteness, having no fecundity in them. Each female emits ordinarily some 300 grains, more or less, some of them not being able to render them all, and dying with them in their belly. One ounce of seed will require an hundred pair of _Cases_, of as many Males as Females. Care must be taken, that no Rats, Mice, Ants, or other Vermin, nor any Hens, or Birds, come near the Seed, they being very greedy to eat them. This is the substance of what is contained in this _French_ Author, published at _Paris_ on purpose to promote the _Making_ of _Silk_ there, as well as it is practised already in other parts of that Kingdom; which is represented here, to the end, that from this occasion the design, which the English Nation once did entertain of the _increasing of Mulberry trees_, and the _Breeding of Silk-worms_, for the _Making of Silk_ within themselves, may be renewed, and _that_ encouragement given by King _James_ of Glorious memory for that purpose (witness that _Letter_ which he directed to the Lords Lievtenants of the several shires of _England_) and seconded by his _Most Excellent Majesty_, that now is, be made use of, for the honour of _England_ and _Virginia_, and the increase of wealth to the people thereof; especially since there is cause of hope, that a _double Silk harvest_ may be made in _one_ Summer in _Virginia_, without hindring in the least the _Tobacco_-Trade of that Countrey. * * * * *