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Silk Worms (Known by their new aspect)

known by their new aspect. The latest worms should be placed apart, as their next moulting will be a day later also, or they may be put in the hottest part of the room to hasten their growth. This rule must be observed in the next moulting-increase the spaces. The second day the first two meals are to be the least copious, the last two the greatest, because towards the close of the day the worms grow very hungry. The third day will require about the same quantity as the preceding last meals; but on the fourth day, as the appetites of the worms sensibly diminish, not more than half the former feed will be required. The first meal is to be the largest: feed those that will eat at any time of the day. The fifth day still less will suffice, as the greatest part are moulting; the sixth day they begin to rouse. Remove the litter, or even before they are moulted, if the worms are numerous.

Fourth Age.

The thermometer should range between 68° and 71°. If the weather be warm, and the glass rise several degrees higher, open the ventilators, exclude the sun, and make a slight blaze in the chimney, to cause a circulation of the air. Widen the spaces for the worms. The leaves must now be regularly chopped in a straw-cutting box, or with a chopping-knife. The food is to be greatly increased on the second, third, and fourth days.

On the fifth less will be required, as in the course of this day many become torpid; the first meal on this day should therefore be the largest. On the sixth they will want still less, as nearly the whole will be occupied in effecting their last change of skin. Renew the air in the apartment by burning straw or shavings in the chimney, and open the ventilators. If the evenings be cool, after a hot day, admit the external air for an hour. None but full grown leaves should be hereafter given to the worms, and they must be all chopped; avoid the fruit, as they would prove injurious, and add greatly to the litter, On the seventh day all the worms will have roused, and thus finish their fourth age. The litter must be again removed.

Fifth Age, or until the Worms prepare to Mount.

The thermometer should be about 68°. The constitution of the worms being now formed, they begin to elaborate the silk-vessels, and fill them with the silky material, which they decompose, and form from the mulberry leaves. Give abundance of room: do not let the worms lie so close as to touch one another, for their respiration will be thereby impeded. Continue to feed regularly and fully, as the appetite of the worms now beappetite of the worms now becomes voracious: give food rather five times a day than four; even six meals will not be too many. The last meal should be late at night, and the first the next day in the morning, at an early hour. The worms are not again to be moved, and the hurdles or feeding frames must be cleaned.

On the seventh day of the fifth age they have attained their largest size, viz., three inches long, and begin to grow shining and yellow. The apbegin to grow shining and yellow. The appetites of some diminish, but that of others continues, and must be supplied, to hasten their maturity. The litters must be removed every two days during the fifth age, but not when the worms are moulting, unless it can be done without disturbing them.

The preservation of the proper temperature of the apartment at this stage cannot be too seriously impressed upon the cultivator. If sudden and great heat in the weather should take place, as often happens at this time, serious loss may be suffered, without proper precautions. The increased heat to which the worms are exposed causes them to cease eating, to leave their feeding shelves, and to wander about the room in order to find corners and places to form their cocoons in before the silk fluid has been fully elaborated or matured; thus defeating, in a great measure, all the care previously bestowed upon them. In the summer of the year 1825 vast numbers of worms were killed by hot weather in Mansfield, Connecticut. To guard against sudden heat in the weather, close the window shutters while the sun is beating on them, and keep the ventilators in the ceiling or other parts of the room open; and, if possible, tubs of ice should be brought into the apartment until the thermometer shows a diminution of temperature to the proper degree. The windows must also be kept open every evening, and until sunrise next morning, and water sprinkled on the floor to promote evaporation, and consequently a freshness in the air. If the worms should become diseased during the fourth or fifth ages, oak leaves may be given to them. These are stated to have been found very beneficial ; but the species of oak is not mentioned. The white oak may be tried.

Of the rearing of Silk Worms in the last period of the Fifth Age; that is, until the Cocoon is Perfected. The fifth age can only be looked on as terminated when the cocoon is perfect. The cleanliness of the feeding frames in these last days of the fifth age requires great attention to preserve the health of the silk worms.

About the tenth day of the fifth age the worms attain perfection, which may be ascertained by the following indications: 1st. When on putting some leaves on the wickers, the insects get upon the leaves without eating them, and rear their heads as if in search of something else.

2d. When looking at them horizontally the light shines through them, and they appear of a whitish-yellow transparent color.

3d. When numbers of the worms which were fastened to the inside of the edges of the wickers, and straightened, now get upon the edges and move slowly along, instinct urging them to seek change of place. 4th. When numbers of worms leave the centre of the wickers, and try to reach the edges and crawl upon them.

5th. When their rings draw in and their greenish color changes to a deep golden hue. 6th. When their skins become wrinkled about the neck, and their bodies have more softness to the touch than heretofore, and feel like soft dough. 7th. When in taking a silk worm in the hand, and looking through it, the whole body has assumed the transparency of a ripe yellow plum. When these signs appear in any of the insects, everything should be prepared for their rising, that those worms which are ready to rise may not lose their strength and silk in seeking for the support they require. Handle the worms at this stage with the greatest gentleness, as the slightest pressure injures them. When moved, they should be left on the twigs or leaves to which they are fastened, to prevent their being hurt by tearing them off. A blunt hook should be used to take up those not adhering to leaves or twigs.

Preparation of the Hedge.

A week or ten days before the worms are ready to mount, bundles of twigs of chestnut, hickory, oak, or of the birch of which stable-brooms are made, must be procured, prepared, and arranged in bunches, so that the worms may easily climb up them to work their cocoons. As soon as it is observed that the worms want to rise, the bundles of twigs must be arranged on the feeding trays, leaving fifteen inches between them. The top branches should touch the lower part of the tray above that on which they are placed, so as to form an archand be placed a little aslant, that the worms, when climbing, may not fall off. The branches should be spread out like fans, that the air may penetrate through all parts and the worms work with ease.

When the worms are too near one another they do not work so well, and form double cocoons, which are only worth half a single round cocoon. round cocoon. Leave openings at the tops of the worms to form their cocoons in.

As soon as the worms are prepared to rise, the feeding frames should be cleaned thoroughly and the apartment well ventilated. Put the worms which are ready to rise near the hedges, and give a few leaves to those that are still inclined to eat.

After they have begun to rise, those that are weak and lazy do not eat, do not seem to be inclined to rise, and remain motionless on the leaves. These should be taken away, and put in a clean dry room of at least 75 ° of heat, where there are hurdles covered with paper, and the hedge prepared for them.

The increased heat will cause them to rise directly.

All the silk worms being off the hurdles, they should be immediately cleaned. The temperature of the room should be between 68° and 71°. When the worms are forming their cocoons the utmost silence must be preserved in the room, as they are very sensible to noise, and, if disturbed, will for a moment cease to spin; thus the conthe thread will be interrupted, and the value of the cocoon diminished. When the cocoons have attained a certain consistency, the apartment may be left quite open.

Sixth Age, beginning in the Chrysalis State, and ending when the Moths Appear.

The following are the necessary things to be done :

I. To gather the cocoons.

II. To choose the cocoons which are to be preserved for the eggs. III. Preservation of cocoons until the appearance of the moth. I. Gathering of the Cocoons.

Strong, healthy, and well managed silk worms will complete their cocoons in three days and a half at farthest, reckoning from the moment when they first begin casting the floss. This period will be shorter if the silk worms spin the silk in a higher temperature than that which has been indicated, and in very dry air.

It will be better not to take off the cocoon before the eighth or ninth day, reckoning from the time when the silk-worm first rose. They may be taken off on the seventh, if the laboratories have been conducted with such regularity that the time may be known with certainty, when this may be done.

Begin on the lower tier of hurdles and take the cabins down gently, giving them to those who are to gather the cocoons; place a basket between two of the gatherers to receive the cocoons; another person should receive the stripped bushes, which may be laid by for another year. All the cocoons that want a certain consistency, and feel soft, should be laid aside, that they may not be mixed with the better . Empty the baskets upon hurdles or trays placed in rows, and spread the cocoons about four fingers deep, or nearly to the top of the feeding frame. When the cocoons are detached, the down or floss in which the silk-worms have formed the cocoon should be taken off. If the cocoons are for sale, weigh them and send them to the purchaser. The baskets, the floor and all things used, should be cleaned. ments: 1st. Those designed for breed. 2d. The When gathering the cocoons, make four assortfour assortdupions, or double ones. which are to be reeled. 4th. Those of a looser 3d. The firmest of those texture.

II. Choosing the Cocoons for the Production of Eggs.

About two ounces of eggs may be saved out of one pound and a half of male and female cocoons.

The small cocoons of a straw color, with hard pressed in the middle, as if tightened by a ring or ends, and fine webs, and which are a little decircle , are to be preferred. There are no certain signs to distinguish the male from the female cocoons; the best known are the following: and depressed in the middle, generally produce The small cocoons sharper at one or both ends, the male . The round full cocoons without ring or depression in the middle, usually contain the female. by the extra size, the clumsy shape, rather round These may be distinguished from the dupions than oval, of the latter. As however all marks may fail, an extra number may be kept, of the best of those which are spun double; and when the moths come out, the males and females being easily distinguished, an addition can be made from them to the defective side. generally ascertain whether the chrysalis be alive.

By shaking the cocoon close to the ear, we may , we may If it be dead, and loosened from the cocoon, it yields a sharp sound. When dead it yields a mufsound, more confined in the cocoon. III. Preservation of Cocoons intended for Seed, or until the Appearance of the Moth. of the room is above 73º the transition of the Experience shows that where the temperature chrysalis to the moth state will be too rapid, 66° the development of the moth is tardy, which and the coupling will not be productive; if below weak and sickly moth; the apartment should, is also injurious . Damp air will change it into a therefore, be kept in an even dry temperature, becocoons on a dry floor, or on tables, and strip tween 66° and 73°. When collected spread the of the moth from being entangled in it when them clean of down or floss, to prevent the feet coming out. While cleaning them, all those that appear to have any defect should be laid aside; this is the time, also, to separate the male and female cocoons, as far as we can distinguish them. and keep the cocoons of the same day's mounting Select an equal number of males and females, separate, that the moths may pierce them at the whole parcel, are all first mixed, and the selection same time.

If the good cocoons taken from the for those intended for breeding be made from this formed by worms that had mounted upon different general heap, many will be set aside, which were days, and which will be pierced by the moths unequally , and hence there will not be an equal number of males and females produced at the same time ; this irregular appearance may cause the loss of a great many moths, or of several thousand eggs.

When the selection has been made, the sorted cocoons must be put on tables, in layers of about them, that it may not be necessary to stir them two inches, allowing the air to pass freely through frequently ; but it is beneficial to stir them round once a day, if the air be moist. When the seed cocoons are not very numerous, they may be