In this book, Lilly provides an in-depth history of the silk industry in the United States from its inception in 1766 until 1874. He explores the various challenges and successes of the industry and its impact on the broader economy. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of American industry and trade. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.