Julr 30, 1868. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICOLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



87 



had occasion to observe. In 18G0, one colony in Mr. Kalb'n 

 apiary at Gotba whs infected, and in the summer of 180.5 three 

 more beciime diseased, and in each of these four oases a cure 

 was effected by simply removinj; the combs containing the 

 diseased brood. Probably the disease would have dL^appeared 

 spontaneously. But such expectation should not induce the 

 bee-keeper to become carele.s3 or inattentive, for not unfre- 

 quently instead of disappearing this grade of the disease will 

 (generally during the second year), degenerate into confirmed 

 virulent and contagious foul brood, such as might appropriately 

 be styled brood jii'stilenci', and which so far as we now know 

 must be pronounced utterly incurable. 



Third Grade. — Dzierzon says:— "Where this form of foul 

 brood exists the greater portion of the unsealed larv.T perishes. 

 That portion which is sufficiently advanced to be capped or 

 sealed over usually remains healthy and becomes perfectly 

 developed. A sealed and yet putrid brood cell is here a rarity. 

 The matter into which the dead larva decomposes is more 

 paste-like and less tough than that resulting from the malig- 

 nant form. It dries into a scale at the base of the cell, which 

 is easily detached, und so long as the colony remains strong it 

 will be removed in the shape of dark brown scales, dropped on 

 the floor-board and afterwards carried out of the hive. When 

 such dark brown scales are found on the floor-board they may 

 be regarded as proof positive that foul brood, even though it 

 be yet in its milder form, exists in the hive. Colonies thus in- 

 fected not unfrequently sustain themselves during two seasons, 

 because only a portion of the brood dies, and that being in 

 open cells is easily removed by the workers. The cells are 

 then again furnished with eggs by the queen, a portion of the 

 larvff from which will remain healthy and mature perfectly, 

 thus keeping up the strength of the colony tolerably well for 

 a protracted term. At times, too, the disease will disappear 

 again. Colonies which in the summer diffused a strong putrid 

 smell have been found perfectly pure and healthy in the 

 autumn." I have myself had no opportunity of witnessing 

 this stage of foul brood. — A. Von BEELErscn. 



(To be contin-aed.) 



SILKWORM-REARING IN ENGLAND.— No. 14. 



SILKWORM DISEASES. 

 ArnorHT, or wasting consumption, is the scourge of silk- 

 worms at the present day, and is but little understood. This 

 malady is more confirmed after the fourth crisis of the worms, 

 when great part of the trouble and expense of rearing them 

 is over, which makes the loss the more vexing. I have 

 noticed particularly that the insects wake from the fourth 

 sleep, presenting a dirty nankeen colour, flabby, and weak. 

 They look shrivelled, fall off in appetite instead of growing, 

 diminish in size, discharging a fojtid humour over the leaves. 

 The existence of this complaint is to be apprehended when 

 there is great inequality of time in hatching the worms, not all 

 coming out of the eggs under a week or more, instead of two 

 or three days. It is observed during the successive slow 

 development of the insects, and their not eating vigorously, as 

 those do in a healthy state. It is discernible in their being 

 less active than they should be, and by their withdrawing more 

 or less from their food. Mortality is frequent among such 

 worms. Their beds become humid, although the renovation of 

 the air has not been neglected, and the proper temperature 

 maintained. Black blotches or spots appear on the insects' 

 bodies, feet, and horn over their tail ends. The moths seized 

 with this malady indicate it by great inactivity, and do not dis- 

 charge any reddish humour like the healthy ones, tut blackish. 

 Black drops of fluid often appear on their wings, which are 

 dirty-coloured instead of a creamy white, often small and 

 shrivelled, whereas they should be of a goodly size indicative 

 of perfection. The moths sometimes present a reddish or 

 blackish swelled body. These have no desire to pair, and if 

 they lay, the eggs are few and of no use. Such moths should 

 be immediately removed when discovered. Care should be 

 taken that only healthy ones are used in the production of eggs. 

 The Beds usually shows itself after hatching, or some time 

 during the first age of the worm?. Naturally the skin of silk- 

 worms is white, and their dark appearance when hatched is 

 caused by the innumerable hairs covering their bodies. Worms 

 affected with the reds show more or less redness. Those which 

 do not succumb, little by little acquire a dirty darkish white, 

 and become languid, whereas healthy worms are vigorous and 

 active, showing the same by the manner they attack their food 



and consume it. When this complaint progresses consnmp' 

 tion generally follows, although sometimes slowly. Often the 

 insects arrive at spinning, although imperfectly. Several 

 authors aftirm that it is produced by hatching the eggs at a 

 high and sudden temperature. It is my opinion that it is more 

 likely to arise from bad preservation of the eggs than from a 

 high temperature, or from bad ventilation along with heat. The 

 silkworms do very well at Go" or 70°, and are only a few days 

 longer coming to maturity, therefore why endeavour to force 

 them on by undue means, endangering their lives by disease ? 

 TnK Jaundice. — Another mortal complaint, generally mani- 

 festing itself at the second age of the worms, and sometimes 

 later. Of the insects having this disease the heads swell or 

 the skins wrinkle. They look shining, as though varnished, 

 having more or less a yellow appearance. They crawl slowly, 

 and at last perish. Count Dandolo attributes this disease to 

 humidity, too much heat, fermentation of beds, vitiated air, 

 etc. Doubtless, the noxious gas from fermenting beds entering 

 the worms' breathingholes, and mixing in the fluids, causes a 

 general tension of the body, accompanied by death. This 

 complaint is of an epidemic nature, and as soon as any worms 

 are discovered with it they should be removed from the healthy 

 ones, and any dying of it should be buried. 



Suffocation. — There are no noticeable symptoms in this 

 malady, for the worms die almost in their natural state without 

 indicating any altered appearance. Their form and colour are 

 preserved, but they soon putrefy after death. In Italy I have 

 particularly noticed this disease. It occurs during hot close 

 weather. Sometimes it occurs at the mount, and the insects 

 having spun feebly imperfect cones, die therein without chang- 

 ing to the chrysalis state, spoiling the little silk produced with 

 their decomposed bodies. Other worms die immediately they 

 are mounted, and are often to be seen hanging, head down- 

 wards, from the spinning materials. To prevent the effects of 

 this malady, renovation of the air in the room, and keeping 

 the worms as much as possible in a state of nature, having 

 plenty of room to crawl about, and never neglecting to main- 

 tain cleanliness, are the means to be adopted. 



Lucidity or Transparency is a complaint appearing after 

 the fourth sleep, but the causes of it are not altogether clear. 

 I find Signor Nisten believes it proceeds from deficiency of 

 leaves, and Signor Moretti, a good authority, that it is caused 

 by feeding the worms with those that are too hard ; and infected 

 air, and sudden changes of temperature may produce it. Worms 

 having this complaint become somewhat transparent, present- 

 ing a rose colour, and having a clear discharge from their 

 mouths. They contract or shorten, and then die, their bodies 

 becoming black and corrupt. Sometimes they mount, but fall 

 without forming their cocoons. Some walk aliout wasting their 

 silk, but if taken and placed in a basket containing small 

 branches, shavings, straw, itc, will go to work and spin. 



The Spot. — This is a terrible disease, more general after the 

 fourth sleep of the worms, and before or after spinning. It is 

 indicated by black, yellow, livid, or rose-coloured spots usually 

 appearing on the head, and afterwards on other parts. It is 

 not uncommon to see an eruption of black spots over the entire 

 bodies of the insects. It is attested by Signor I'ltaro, that he 

 has seen worms with this malady covered with numbers of the 

 most minute lice, generated from neglect of cleanliness. I have 

 never noticed the lice, but they may occasion the black spots 

 by biting, although no suspicion of their existence be enter- 

 tained. When the disease makes progress, the surface of the 

 worms' bodies, especially the anterior parts, becomes of a 

 cinnamon colour. The insects die, but do not become corrupt. 

 They harden, so as to resist being cut, and remain in this state 

 until acted on by atmospheric humidity. 



The Dropsy. — This malady generally appears after the third 

 sleep. The worms gradually swell, appearing as though they 

 would burst their skins. From the great tension, the skin 

 cracks, and a whitish yellow humour comes forth, which wets 

 the leaves, and death puts an end to their misery, when they 

 immediately putrefy. Some persons assert that this disease is . 

 caused by too tender leaves, but I do not thick this at all 

 feasible, unless, indeed, they be bad leaves, or what I would 

 term " watery," from having grovra on stagnant and wet soil. 



Diarrhcea.— Silkworms having this malady discharge an al- 

 most liquid greenish matter, which daubs over and wets the 

 leaves, producing corruption of the air in which they live. It 

 is said to be produced from feeding the worms with leaves 

 covered with honeydew ; also in conjunction with this the fruit 

 of the mulberry. " The suppression of respiration, producing 

 indigestion, also causes it, and then the cure is to raise the 



