96 FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



worms culled from the rest. Good ventilation must be had, and the tem- 

 perature be kept as even as possible. At this and at all times during the 

 life of the" worms, they must be guarded against the attacks of mice and pre- 

 daceous insects. 



COCOONERY. 



When the worms show the signs of spinning, already described, the co- 

 coonery must be prepared by forming arches of the smaller twigs, well dried, 

 of different trees, intermixed with broom-corn, or of any other kind of 

 brush. If tiers of shelves have been used these arches are readily formed 

 b}" tying together small bunches of twigs exceeding a little in length the 

 distance between the shelves. The feet of these bundles, which should be 

 about a foot apart, are placed upon the lovv^er, and the tips sjn'ead out 

 against the upper shelfj insuch a manner that the worms can crawl between 

 them. Where tables are used, arches may be made by intertwining the 

 brush, roof- fashion. The worms will then mount upon this brush and com- 

 mence forming their cocoons. The thermometer should not be allowed to 

 sink below 80° F. during the spinning, as the silk does not flow so freel}^ in 

 a cool atmosphere. Such worms as do not mount readilj^, should be separ- 

 ated, and furnished with brush, laid carefully over them. If allowed to 

 remain and spin at the bottom of the arches their cocoons will be soiled by 

 the excreta from the worms above, the last fffices ejected, after the cocoon 

 is commenced, being soft and semi-fluid. 



In about a week after the last worms have mounted, or when all sound 

 of spinning has died away, the cocoons may be detached from the brush, 

 care being taken not to taint them with the black fluids of such worms as 

 may have died and become putrid — there being almost always a few such in 

 every cocoonerj'. The loose silk is then torn from the pods which should 

 be separated according to color, weight, and flrmness of texture ; those 

 which best resist pressure, indicating that the Avorm has jiroperly accom- 

 jjlished its work. 



CHOKING THE CHRYSALIS. 



In most silk-producing countries, the parties who raise the cocoons sell 

 them to the reeling establishments before suffocation is necessarj-; as these 

 establishments have better facilities for the work than are to be found in pri- 

 vate families. The cocoons, which if left over a fortnight would be pierced 

 b}' the moths, in their egi'ess, are choked either by steam or dry heat. By 

 steam they can be choked in 20 minutes; b}' dry heat from 2 to 24 hours 

 are required, with a temperature of about 200 ° F. They are placed in shal- 

 low baskets, and these slipped on iron drawers into an oven. A certain 

 humming noise continues as long as there is any life, and its cessation is an 

 indication that the chrysalides are all dead. Where the choking is well 

 done, there is little loss, only about one per cent of the cocoons bursting at 

 the ends. After choking, the cocoons are strewn on long wooden shelves 

 in the shade, with plenty of air, and for the first few days are frequently 

 stirred. After remaining on these shelves for about two months, with occa- 

 sional stirrings, the chrysalides become quite dry and the cocoons will pre- 



