SERICULTURE 



1645 



of the practice, the sale of unreliable graine became common and led finally 

 to a season of complete and general failure after which autumn rearing fell 

 into disrepute and was abandoned. 



1203 ~ The Work of the Experiment Station for Silk Worms at Murcia, Spain, 1910 to 



1914. — V'iRGiLi A., in Ministcrio (if Fomcnto, Dircccon general dc Agrcultiini, Minas y 

 Monies, Eslacion scricola di Murcia, Mcmoria descriptiva de los principales trabajos reali- 

 zados y resultados oblenidos desde 1° de Diciemhre de 1910 hasla el 13 Enero de 1914, traslado 

 de la estacion y aplicacidn de los servicios, pp. i-ioo. Murcia, 1915. 



i) Variety Trials. During the three years 1911 to 1913, 210 gms. 

 of graine was obtained from Italy, France, Japan, China and other Spanish 

 provinces and tested at Murcia ; the more suitable varieties were then 

 selected and acclimatised for subsequent distribution to rearers. Some 

 Italian varieties proved particularh- successful, being heavier 3'ielders 

 than the native varieties and producing a silk which finds a ready mar- 

 ket both in Spain and at Marseilles. The}' have not, however, reached 

 the stage of distribution as they are not yet fully acclimatised. 



2) Inciibaiion of graine for rearers; inspection of home incubation. — 

 A new State service was instituted 1913 to revise and bring irp to date the 

 old fashioned systems of incubation practised in the district. A new incu- 

 bator of 120 oz. capacit}^ was invented and built \>y the vStation for its own 

 use, while 35 small 10 oz. machines and a nimiber of Orlandi incubators 

 (80 oz.) were lent to rearers in the neighbourhood. The co.st of the small 

 incubators (10 oz.) was 17.5 pesatas (145) and the heating arrangement 

 for each would come to another 2 pesetas. Full instructions for working 

 were supplied with each incubator. Inspectors from the Station also 

 visited 135 farms where 314 oz. of graine were being dealt with, and at the 

 vStation itself the incubation of 123 oz. was carried out for 128 rearers. 



3) Microscopical examination of silkworms and their eggs. — Rear- 

 ers were invited to have their eggs tested for pebrine and a considerable 

 amount of this kind of work was carried out (Table I). At the same time a 



Table I. — Results of the microscopic examination of silli-worm eggs. 



free course of instruction was offered to rearers on the technique of exam- 

 ination and the .provincial council awarded a microscope as a prize to 

 all those who became thoroughly proficient. vSonie rearers took full advan- 



