THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 95 



begin to lose appetite, become more shiii}-, and especially when the trian- 

 gular dark spot appears above the head, feeding should cease, and the 

 shelves or trays be rendered as clean as possible. At each moult there will 

 alwaj's be some few which remain sick after the great majorit}^ have cast 

 their skins. These should either be set aside and kept separate, or de- 

 stroyed; as they are usually the most feeble and inclined to disease; other- 

 wise the batch will grow more and more irregular in their moultings, and 

 the diseased worms will contaminate the healthy. Eegularity may also be 

 insured by causing those which tirst shed their skins to wait on their more 

 tardy brethren for one or even two days without feeding; for they can at 

 this time fast without any injury. Indeed, no food should be given till the 

 majority of the batch have moulted. 



As the worms increase in size, and become crowded on their shelves or 

 in their trays, they are readily divided by removing the net, when about half 

 the worms have mounted, and replacing it by an additional one. 



The food must be renewed as often as the leaves are devoured or as 

 they become in the least way dry, and of course thej^ get dry much quicker 

 when young and tender than when mature. 



Many rules are laid down for regularity of feeding, and much stress is 

 put upon it by some writers; but I am convinced that rules are of no avail, 

 as so much depends on circumstances and conditions. In jjarts of France, 

 for instance, they chop the leaves; but in this country such chopping is 

 worse than waste of time; for Nature has furnished the worm with far bet- 

 ter chopping instruments than man can invent; and the chopjied food dries 

 much sooner than does the whole leaf. Where the nets are not used, there 

 is an advantage in feeding the worms upon leaf-covered twigs and branches, 

 becaiise these last allow free passage of air, and the leaves upon them keep 

 fresh for a longer time than when plucked. In thus feeding with branches, 

 consists the whole secret of the California system so much lauded and ad- 

 vocated by M. L. Prevost. 



The meals most relished are those given early in the morning and late 

 in the evening, and the best time to give them is between 5 and 6 A. m. and 

 10 and 11 p. M. One or two intervening meals during the day may be 

 given according to circumstances. The leaves given in the morning are 

 best plucked the evening before, as, if plucked and fed with the dew on, they 

 are injurious. During the night the temperature may be lowered a few" de- 

 grees with impunit}", as such lowering is natural and the worms will be more 

 quiet during their night fast. A mean temperature of 75° or 80° F. will 

 usually bring the worms to a spinning point in from 35 to 40 days after 

 hatching, but the rapidity of development depends on a variety of other 

 causes, such as quality of leaf, race of worm, etc. If it can be prevented, 

 the temperature should not be permitted to rise above 80 ° ; and it is for this 

 reason that in our climate a room with a northern or northeastern exposure 

 is preferable to any other. 



During the fifth or last age the worms require the greatest care and at- 

 tention. Frass and litter must be removed often, and all sickly and diseased 



