262 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



desired to be hatched, and gradually exposed to the heat of the outside 

 air. A sudden change from cool to very warm atmosphere is consid- 

 ered detrimental. From the middle of May to the first of June is about 

 the proper time to hatch the first crop in this State, as the rainy season 

 is generally past by that time, and the weather has become sufficiently 

 warm and settled. 



After remaining in a warm atmosphere at this season for five or six 

 or eight da}~s, the little worms will begin to show themselves, and the 

 moment they make their appearance they begin to look for food. Place 

 some tender leaves from the multicaulis on the paper, and they will at 

 once begin their occupation for life — eating. 



At the end of the first da} r after they begin to hatch, take all the 

 worms off the paper containing the eggs and place them on separate 

 papers. This can be done by removing the mulberry leaves upon which 

 they are feeding. Do the same thing for about three days. By this 

 time all the eggs that are good and strong are likely to have hatched. 

 The balance may be thrown away. All hatched the first, second and 

 third days must be kept separate, and for this purpose may be marked 

 first, second and third, by a pencil, on the papers containing them. The 

 object of this division is that you may feed and treat those of the same 

 age exactly alike. One day's difference in the age of an insect that has 

 only from twenty to thirty daj-s to live, it must be remembered, is a 

 good deal. And especially is this the case with the silkworm, which, in 

 that short period of time, goes through five different and distinct periods 

 of existence. The transformation from one of these periods to another 

 consist in shedding the skin, or, in other words, laying off the old gar- 

 ment. These changes are called moultings. While undergoing any one 

 of these five changes, which occupies from twenty to twenty-four hours, 

 dependent on the health and vigor of the worm, they will not eat, nor 

 must they be fed or in any manner disturbed. In this fact will be seen 

 the reason for keeping each day's hatching separate; for when the first 

 day's hatching is five days old they begin their first moulting, and if the 

 second da}-'s hatching are mixed with them the latter are not read}' to 

 moult, and require feeding. To do this disturbs the former and endan- 

 gers the successful operation of laying off the old garment, and even 

 endangers their lives. The same difficulty and danger will occur at each 

 several moulting. Hence the great necessity of keeping them separate. Tliis 

 is one of the necessities that must be done. 



Now we will go back and attend to those little fellows that we took 

 from the papers containing the eggs and placed upon other papers, and 

 attend to their wants. Their first and almost only want is food. There 

 is one thing, however, of almost as much importance to their healthy 

 existence that they do not want, and that is they do not want to be too 

 crowded or thick together. For the first few days tbey require to be fed 

 on the most tender leaves, which should be given to them directly from 

 the tree, perfectly fresh and only a few at a time-, removimg them as often 

 as those last given them are consumed. As the worms grow older and 

 stronger, give them older and stronger leaves. But this rule should 

 always be most faithfully adhered to : Feed them but few at a time, rt nt wing 

 them as often as those last given them are consumed. If this rule be strictly 

 followed, 3 r ou will never see wilted or dried leaves, but always fresh 

 ones, before the worms. There is but one exception to this rule of fresh 

 leaves, and that occurs on the days of moulting, when, as before remarked, 

 they should have none. There is no absolute invariable rule as to the exact 

 age when the several moultings occur, for the reason that the life of the 



