62 SILKWORMS. 



During the process of spinning, the temperature ought to be 

 kept tolerably uniform, and should not fall below 80 F. 



The cocoons must not be interfered with till the caterpillars 

 have changed to pupae, and these have become hardened. Not 

 until eight days after the commencement of spinning, therefore, 

 should they be gathered. Then they may be removed from the 

 paper bags, or picked off the heather sprigs. It will most pro- 

 bably be found in all large rearings, that some cocoons are 

 stained with black spots ; in these, either the insect has been 

 accidentally crushed, or has died and become putrid, and so 

 spoilt the silk. All such must be very carefully removed, or they 

 will speedily damage the rest. The cocoons ought to be fairly 

 hard to the touch, and able to resist considerable pressure, and 

 any which seem at all soft and yielding should at once be set 

 aside, for they stand a good chance of being crushed, and then 

 if allowed to remain with the rest, would certainly stain and so 

 ruin them. 



After these needful separations have been made, the " floss " 

 may be torn off and set aside, and if the cocoons are numerous, 

 they may be divided into groups according to colour, size, etc., 

 preparatory to reeling. In extensive "educations" the number of 

 cocoons is far too great to permit of their being reeled during the 

 few days that elapse before the moths may be expected to issue ; 

 therefore, in such cases, the insects have to be killed, lest the 

 moth should pierce the cocoon before it has been reeled. Con- 

 sequently if it be contemplated to continue the breed the next 

 season, some cocoons must be selected for breeding purposes, 

 before this great slaughter takes place, and if it be really desired 

 to obtain the best possible results, the very finest cocoons should 

 be selected for the purpose. The silk of these will be sacrificed, 

 for they are to be set aside without being unwound, in order that 

 the insects may complete their development, and then the moths, 

 in issuing from their confinement, will pierce the cocoons, which 

 will thus be rendered unfit for the market. But where only a 

 very small number are concerned, there is not such necessity to 

 kill the chrysalises, as there will probably be plenty of time to 

 reel all the cocoons before the moths appear. Even in such 

 cases, however, it is best to select for breeding purposes some 

 whose silk may be sacrificed, in order to provide against the 

 possible failure of the breed through any damage to the pupae 

 during the process of reeling. 



In selecting for breeding purposes, of course an equal number 

 of males and females should be saved. But here comes a little 

 difficulty ; there has been no such thing as a distinction of sex up 



