No. 85.] 473 



In Naples they keep their eggs in bottles, which you will see for 

 sale in all the little groceries and shops, as we should call them. The 

 fact is, they never hatch without artificial heat ; and this I afterwards 

 learned from books. The discovery was surprising to me, and con- 

 vinced me that our climate must be better adapted to the silk worm, 

 and of course to the silk culture, than Europe. I began to make 

 known these facts on my return ; and this is the beginning of our par- 

 ticular acquaintance with the fact 



In Europe, they are never hatched, unless by the heat of the human 

 body, or that of manure. They are first scraped off the papers, to 

 which they naturally adhere, and that destroys one-half. I will re- 

 quest Mr. Barbour to make some experiments on sealing tight, and 

 report at our next convention. 



Mr. Barbour. I will endeavor to do so. Eggs must be from a 

 healthy stock, and in a healthy state. If the incipient process of hatch- 

 ing commences before they are brought out, where they will proceed 

 without interruption, you cannot be certain that they will be healthy. 

 If they hatch in less than ten or twelve days after being exposed to 

 the warmth of the atmosphere, you may be sure the hatching began 

 before the exposure. There has been many a case of disappointment 

 arising from this source. 



They appear, at first, well ; at the first moulting you lose some ; 

 at the second, some more, and then perhaps an epidemic breaks out, 

 and sweeps off all. Moulting is a crisis in the constitution of the 

 worm, and then disease shows itself. It is reasonable to presume that 

 when hatching begins in the ice-house, evil consequences will follow. 



Imbed the eggs in the ice. Few ice-houses are cold enough above 

 the ice, to secure them in warm weather. My experience accords 

 with Mr. Van Epps's. I have a tin trunk, and imbed it in the ice. 

 Perhaps cotton or sand may not be necessary. Surround the box 

 with ice. Make a hole, line it with straw, and put the box into it. 

 You may keep them till midsummer, and I believe for ten years. 

 The transition should not be sudden when you bring them out. Put 

 them in a cellar for a day or two, and then bring them into the air, and 

 they commence hatching sometimes at 40° or 45°. Let us follow nature. 

 The worm lives on a tree like all caterpillars. The very same warm 

 weather that brings out the leaf, hatches the little worm to eat it. 



Ji Member. Are early worms most healthy ? 



Yes, because most natural. A year ago, however, I had as good 

 success in September as in June ; and that was the only case in which 

 I have had good success in late feeding. But the case was peculiar. 

 There was a drouth early in the season, and in August the leaves 

 came out fresh, while September was dry and favorable ; so that the 

 season was a good one for late feeding. The cold cannot be too great 

 for eggs. My experience is in favor of as early feeding as possible. 



Ji Member. Have dried leaves been tried 1 



Yes, by Dr. Stebbins, of Northampton. They must be moistened. 

 Eggs are sometimes not put into the ice-house until in April. They 

 should be in mid- winter, to guard against early warmth. 



Mr. Barbour remarked that Mr. Van Epps's method secured venti- 

 lation. An under current of air passes below the worms and up 



