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Silk Manufacturing in Westbrook

Journal of the American Silk Society, Baltimore, 1840

Journal of the American Silk Society, Baltimore, 1840

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From the Mid-Atlantic to Maine people took up sericulture, which involves raising silkworms and mulberry cultivation to feed the silk worms.

Stacks of worm trays filled attics and barns. Attendant to all this was mulberry growing, leaf harvesting to feed worms and finally cocoon collecting.

Inexperience, and lack of proper care often resulted in small cocoons and poor quality filament.

To improve results people consulted journals like The American Silk Grower, published by the Cheney Brothers who later founded one of the most successful American silk companies.

Maine's ambitious sericulturists included J. Herrick of Leeds and James Walker of Fryeburg.