142 [Senate 



aTid22d days after hatching. It may be known when the worms are 

 about to cast their skins, as then they cease to eat, and remain sta- 

 tionary, with their heads raised, and occasionally shaking them. This 

 operation will be more distinctly observed, as they increase in size 

 through their succeeding ages. 



Assuming the above temperature as a standard, the quantity of 

 leaves for the three first days of the first age, must be gradually in- 

 creased at each feeding, after which they will require less at each 

 succeeding meal, until the time of moulting arrives, w^hen for about 

 twenty-four hours they eat nothing. But as it is seldom the case 

 that all cast their skins at one and the same time, some will still be 

 disposed to eat, when a few leaves must be cut fine and sparingly 

 scattered over them, so that those that remain torpid be disturbed 

 as little as possible. They must now be carefully fed in this way 

 until it is discovered that some have moulted, when the feeding must 

 cease altogether, until the most of them have recovered. This rule 

 must be particularly regarded through all the succeeding moultings, 

 otherwise, some of the worms will be far in advance of the others, 

 and this want of uniformity will increase throughout each succeding 

 age, and to the period of winding, which will not only result in 

 great inconvenience in gathering the cocoons, but will materially in- 

 jure the worms and consequently lessen the crop of silk. 



When the greatest portion of the worms have moulted and appear 

 active, leaves a little wilted are laid over them, by which they are 

 passed to clean trays. If any still remain that have moulted, they 

 must be transferred in the same manner by laying more leaves upon 

 them. The remnant of worms that have not changed their skins should 

 be left upon the litter, and added to those of the next day^s moulting. 

 By closely regarding these rules [and they are of the first importance,) 

 throughout the several ages, the worms will generally, all commence 

 the formation of their cocoons about the same period. 



After having gone through and furnished all the worms with a 

 quantity of leaves, it is well to go through a second time and add 

 more where they seem to require it. 



Very young and tender leaves must be given to the worms in the 

 first age, after which, older ones can be given, as they advance in 

 age, until after the last moulting, when they should be fed upon 

 sound full grown leaves. 



