SILKWORM RAISING AS A POPULAR PURSUIT. 



3i; 



numbering' about four hundred. The 

 moths live but a short time and par- 

 take of no food. 



PROPAGATING THK WORMS. 



When the worms issue from the 

 egg they measure one-eighth of an 

 inch in length. They are ready for 

 food at once, and finely chopped tender 

 mulberry leaves should be prepared for 

 them. During this age they require at 

 least six meals daily, and at the end 

 of the fourth or fifth clay bobinet, upon 

 which some finely chopped mulberry 

 leaves have been scattered, should be 

 placed over them. The baby worms 

 soon become aware of the presence of 

 fresh food and, leaving the old food, 

 pass through the netting to the fresh 

 leaves placed above. When this oc- 

 curs, the old netting should be re- 

 moved with the remains upon it. 



About this time the first molt takes 

 place. The worms hold their heads 

 up, are motionless, and appear to be 

 asleep ; this indicates that feeding will 

 cease for at least from 24 to 36 hours. 

 During the molt the tray upon which 

 the worms have been kept should be 



cleaned so that the little worms may 

 have everything in their favor after 

 they have molted. 



\\ hen the first molt is completed the 

 worms begin their second age with an 

 increased appetite, and no food should 

 be given until several hours have 

 elapsed, allowing the little creatures 

 sufficient time to recover from the ef- 

 fects of the change. During this age 

 which is the shortest, lasting but four 

 days, six meals should be given daily, 

 and the worms should be transferred 

 twice from the old to fresh leaves. 



On the fourth day the worms molt 

 the second time and are then in the 

 third age, which lasts six days. Six 

 meals should be given daily of coarse- 

 ly-cut or whole leaves. The worms 

 are now too large to rise through the 

 netting" but they may be transferred 

 to another tray after all have crawled 

 on fresh leaves, the old debris being 

 then cleared away. 



On the sixth day of this age the 

 worms molt a third time and begin the 

 fourth age, which lasts six or seven 

 days. The insects now become inter- 

 esting objects for study, as they grow 













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Hi 1 Wm?S®> TkJ^ok 



SILKWORMS IN THE SECOND AGE. 



The worms in this age are now assuming a more whitish color and are more 

 easily handled. They are on a tray and have pretty well devoured all the food in sight, 

 the only thing that remains in the way of food being the veins of the mulberry leaves. 



