140 [Senate 



the last, every day. For this purpose, they have nets, wove or knit, of 

 cotton twine, something larger than the size of the trays, with meshes 

 of various sizes, suited to the age of the worms. For the last age, 

 they are about three-quarters of an inch square. These are used with- 

 out frames. When it is required to remove the worms from their litter, 

 the nets are laid lightly over them, and then plentifully fed. When 

 the worms have arisen upon the fresh leaves, they are removed by two 

 persons taking hold of the four corners of the net and transferring 

 them to clean trays, held and carried off by a third person. 100,000 

 worms are changed in this way in one hour. 



Description of the Silk Worm. — It will be necessary for the 

 inexperienced culturist to have some knowledge of the forms, and 

 changes, and appearance, of the silk worm, before he enters upon the 

 duties of his interesting charge. 



The silk worm is a species of caterpillar, whose life is one continual 

 succession of changes, which in due time becomes a moth, or winged 

 insect, like others of the genus. 



The time occupied in going through its different forms of existence, 

 varied in different countries — governed by climate, temperature, and 

 the quality and quantity of the food upon which it is fed, and the nature 

 of the particular variety of the insect. . 



The worm changes or casts its skin, (the ccmfnon varieties,) four 

 times before it attains its full growth. These changes are called moult- 

 ings; and the times intervening between the several moultings, are; 

 termed ages. When it is first hatched, it is of a blackish color, which 

 afterwards becomes lighter, varying almost daily to different shades, 

 and in different varieties, through every age, to the close of the last,* 

 or near the time of spinning, when it assumes a greyish yellow semi- 

 transparent appearance. 



Having tried all the varieties that have been introduced into the 

 United States, I consider the best are those known as the Chinese 

 Imperial — producing a large, salmon colored, pea-nut shaped cocoon ; 

 and a kind called the Peanut, producing a mixture of white and nan- 

 keen colored cocoon. This variety produces a larger and more firm 

 cocoon than any of that name that I have seen. 



Time of hatching, rearing, &c. — When the leaves of the mulberry 

 have put forth, to the size of about an inch in diameter, it may gene- 

 rally be inferred that the proper season for hatching the worm has 

 arrived. The papers or cloths containing the eggs, should be brought 



