60 SILKWORMS. 



before, the caterpillars being allowed more and more room as they 

 grow, and the quantity of food being also gradually increased. 

 The second and third moults are much like the first, and most 

 will probably get successfully through them. By this time, 

 however, it will have been found necessary, in consequence of the 

 rapidly increasing size of the worms, to divide the batch. This 

 can easily be done by aid of the net. If, after this has been put 

 on with a meal, it be removed when only half the caterpillars have 

 ascended to it, these can be transferred to a new box, and the rest 

 cleaned as before. During the third and fourth ages about four 

 meals a day will be required. 



The fourth moult, which introduces the last age, is accomplished 

 with much more difficulty, and apparently with much more 

 discomfort, and most likely several will perish at this stage. This 

 " sickness ' : lasts from thirty-six to forty-eight hours, and during 

 its progress there will be perceived a sickly and disagreeable smell 

 about even the cleanest trays. After this moult it is best to give 

 the forward ones a feed as soon as they are ready, without waiting 

 for the rest, for, as there are to be no more moultings, there is not 

 so much reason for keeping the batch together, and besides this, 

 the length and quality of the silk in the cocoon depends very 

 largely upon the amount of food taken during the last age. 

 Therefore let them have as much as they can eat. The amount 

 of leaves required during this last age is something enormous, and 

 in a large " education," the attendant will be kept fully occupied 

 in supplying the voracious appetites of the worms. This is 

 especially the case during the last two or three days before 

 spinning, which is the period of greatest excitement and rush on 

 the part of the attendants'. During these few days, as already 

 mentioned, about half of the entire quantity of food taken during 

 the whole larval existence is consumed. Therefore feedings and 

 cleansings must be very frequent, and the greatest care should be 

 taken to remove at once any that appear diseased, or they may 

 soon infect the rest, and cause great mortality. This is the chief 

 time for diseases to manifest themselves, and the attendant must 

 therefore be continually on the watch for them. 



At the close of the fifth age comes the " mounting ' ; or 

 " ascending " season. The silkworm ceases to eat, becomes 

 transparent like a grape, and begins to emit silken threads, mani- 

 festing, at the same time, a certain restlessness, and climbing 

 upwards wherever it can. It also shrinks somewhat in size, and 

 voids most of the excrement it contains, not as a solid mass as 

 heretofore, but in the fluid form. It must on no account be 

 permitted to form its cocoon amongst the food, as the silk will be 



