A BOOK OF INSTRUCTION 



-ON- 



SILK CULTURE, 



Compiled from personal experience and gathered from 

 the best authorities. 



THE WORM. 



The " Bivoltin," or two crop Silk Worm (Bombyx Mori) which in this 

 country supplies the silk ordinarily used in commerce, and is often called 

 the "Mulberry Silk Worm, " is produced by a cream- colored moth, with 

 brownish markings more or less distinct across its wings. This moth is 

 called, scientifically, "Sericaria Mori." This worm gives two crops of silk 

 each season, and by following the directions given in this work — with strict 

 attention to details, success will follow. 



The great secret of success in raising silk is, first, have plenty of food 

 for your worms ; for if not well fed they will not thrive, nor give silk in large 

 quantities or of good quality. And second, even with plenty of food at 

 command, if the worms are not properly attended to, fed as often as they 

 require to be, and strict attention paid to cleanliness, your time and labor 

 will be thrown away. These points it will be well to pay attention to. 



THE EGG. 



The eggs of the Moth, called by raisers the "seed," are nearly round 

 and very small in size. When first laid they are yellow, and if they retain 

 this color they are worthless. If, however, in 12 or 15 days they change 

 to a darker color (gray or slate), it shows they are impregnated and are good 

 for seed. They also become slightly indented, and are fastened to the 

 card on which they are laid by a natural gum produced by the moth. As 

 the hatching time approached, the egg becomes lighter in color, its fluid 

 contents becoming concentrated in the centre where the worm is forming, 

 leaving the space between it and the shell transparent. Just before hatch- 

 ing the worm becomes active, sometimes producing a faint clicking sound. 

 After it has hatched, the shell becomes quite white. All eggs not hatching 

 by the 4th day from the appearance of the first worms, had better be thrown 

 away, as they are probably sickly or diseased. 



