52 SILKWORMS. 



numbers, and their selection becomes an important matter, as 

 they and the insects reared from them have a definite monetary 

 value. Throughout the present chapter we shall endeavour to 

 give such information as shall enable the amateur, who takes up 

 the matter solely as a pastime, successfully to rear his charges, 

 but in addition to this we shall describe the method in which 

 the " educations " are carried out in those countries where silk- 

 worm-rearing is a staple industry. Commercially, the eggs go 

 by the name of "seed," and are sold by weight, and in some 

 parts of the world form a very important article of export. Their 

 value is about twenty-five shillings the ounce, and at first sight 

 this may seem rather expensive ; but when we remember that an 

 ounce contains about 40,000 eggs, the product of at least a 

 hundred moths, the price is evidently cheap enough, the rate 

 being about one hundred and thirty eggs a penny. 



Some years ago much damage was done to the European races 

 by the rapid spread of some exceedingly destructive epidemics 

 among the insects, and, in consequence, foreign eggs had to be 

 imported, to replenish the stock and improve the breed. Japan 

 was largely drawn upon for this purpose, and still supplies Europe 

 and the United States with great quantities of eggs, no less than 

 six million dollars' worth being said to be annually exported from 

 Yokohama to San Francisco alone. Of course the eggs must 

 perform the long sea voyage during the winter; they are generally 

 bought in Japan in September and then despatched to their 

 different destinations in the winter months. The two principal 

 varieties thus used are called the White and Green Japanese 

 Annuals. 



The eggs are usually laid on pieces of cloth or paper, to which 

 they adhere by their natural gum, but some races have no power 

 of adhesion, and are therefore deposited loose ; such are, for 

 example, the " Adrianople Whites." When kept by amateurs the 

 moths are usually confined in cardboard boxes for laying, and 

 therefore the eggs are attached to the bottom of the box or to 

 paper. For commercial purposes, the eggs are usually detached 

 during the winter ; this is done by washing the cloths gently in 

 water, which dissolves the natural gum by which they are fastened, 

 and they can then be gently removed by the edge of a paper- 

 knife or other similar instrument. The washing does not in the 

 least injure the eggs, provided they are well dried afterwards, that 

 mould may not attack them. If any float when they are in the 

 water, such are considered worthless and are thrown away. The 

 fertile eggs will be of a slaty grey or dark green colour, and any 

 which permanently retain their primary yellow tint are thereby 



