On 26/07/2014 8:10 AM, Pam Moore wrote:

It was Charles 2nd I think who wanted to start an English silk
industry, and bought in lots of young trees and had them planted in
all the stately homes, only to find that it is the white mulberry
which is favoured by the silk worns. They feed perfectly well on black
mulberry though. I have 2 skeins of silk to prove it!

I've also used my black mulberry to feed silk worms and, like you foudn
that they eat the black mulbery leaves and grow well.

I never managed to harvest their fibre though even though I am a
spinner. I really enjoyed raising the silk worms - they have the most
gorgeous little faces once they reach the moth stage.