14 SILK CULTURE. 



from the nursery in rows lo to 15 feet apart, and 6 to 8 feet between the 

 rows — from the top of the tree by cutting down to a foot from the ground. 

 The height and form of the tree are regulated by pruning, and the vigorous 

 growth of the tree and the ease with which the leaves can be gathered 

 depends on this process. Pruning should be done in February or March, 

 either every, or every other, year. Remove all dead twigs and dried bark, 

 and keep the limbs as smooth as possible. Plant in the fall from frost till 

 December, and in the spring from March till May. The following directions 

 are from a practical raiser for growing standard trees: The cuttings should 

 remain in the nursery 2 years without pruning. The 3d year cut close to 

 the ground and transplant. Allow the finest shoot to grow, and if the land 

 is good it will grow 8 to 10 feet in height in one season. The 4th year cut 

 it back to about 6 feet. Then allow the 3 or 4 terminal buds only to grow, 

 removing the others as often as they appear, by passing the hand along the 

 stem. The " Morette," a variety of white mulberry, is profitably grown in 

 hedges. It is very desirable on account of the large size of its leaves. The 

 cultivation of the Osage Orange is well understood in this country. As it 

 is generally used as a hedge in those parts of the country which are speci- 

 ally adapted to silk culture, the leaves may be readily obtained, and as the 

 hedges need trimming, the cutting off of the new growth each year as the 

 leaves are wanted for food, is a saving rather than an expense. Those 

 using this plant for food for silk worms must remember that as the shoots 

 from a hedgerow become more vigorous, milky and succulent by the time 

 of the last age of the worms, the terminal leaves should not be used but 

 thrown aside, as they are likely to induce disease. If care be taken in this 

 respect there will be no apparent difference between the silk crop and that 

 of the mulberry. Should the worms from any cause hatch before either 

 Mulberry or Osage Orange leaves can be obtained, they may be successfully 

 fed for a few days on well dried " lettuce leaves" — but it is worse "than a 

 useless waste of time to attempt feeding them entirely on these, or the leaves 

 of any other plants than the two here recommended. 



REELING, 



The reeling of the silk is by no means a simple operation, as the 

 greatest skill is required to do the work properly ; and the value of the silk 

 depends as much on the skill of the reeler, as upon its original quality. The 

 thread of silk as it unwinds from the cocoon, is of no value for manufactur- 

 ing purposes — as several of them must be combined to make the staple silk 

 of commerce. Where there are steam-reeling establishments or "filatures" 

 it is more profitable to sell the cocoons or have them reeled there, than to 

 have the trouble and expense of reeling by hand with the chances all in 

 favor of the silk after all not being marketable. There are probabilities of 

 "filatures," being erected in this country during the coming season, which 



