ON SERICICULTURE. 103 



throughout tlieir life; they "will thus all pass their moults 

 together, if properly fed and if healthy and vigorous, and spin 

 their cocoons at the same time. 2nd. In changing the worms 

 it is desirable to place over them either a net or papier filets 

 (which consists of a sheet of paper pierced by machinery 

 with numerous holes), and to place the food above this ; the 

 worms crawl through the interstices to the fresh food; in 

 about six hours all are away from the litter, which may 

 then be removed and thrown away. 3rd. A mulberry-leaf 

 cutting machine will in a few minutes cut up the leaf to any 

 requisite fineness, and in one hour do the work of a day's 

 cutting up by hand — these and other devices greatly econo- 

 mize labour, and therefore the expense of rearing the worms ; 

 the labour of getting the leaves still remains an expensive 

 item. 4th. It is generally supposed that the common hand 

 reel suffices to reel silk ; this is a mistake, first, the threads 

 of three, four or more cocoons must all be united, slightly 

 twisted and passed up to the reel, where they are wound on 

 the cross, that is, the thread, being guided by a to and fro 

 lateral action, is wound diagonally and not straight over the 

 preceding threads ; the result is, that the thread unreels 

 throughout from the skein on to the swift or bobbin without 

 check, but if reeled without the cross system the threads 

 draw up and tangle; another point of importance is that the 

 thread should be of even thickness throughout. The pro- 

 ducer is therefore advised, as the safest plan, to place his 

 cocoons in the market for sale, in preference to reeling the 

 silk himself; cocoons will always fetch their price, and, if 

 properly dried and pressed into a bale, will travel safely long 

 distances. The risk of deterioration by improper reeling, as 

 well as the cost of skilled labour and of the necessary ma- 

 chinery, is also avoided. With regard to other countries: 

 in Egypt, Mr. Maxwell Anketell has been appointed by the 



