s 7 9 ' • '*" "^^ 'ivormt. Iff 



mon air ; and as the silk worm is in Italy always- 

 kept upon solid tables or flielves, which will prevent 

 it from sinking below them, it follows, that the worms 

 themselves, unlefs when the house is freely ventila- 

 ted, must be always kept in the mephitic region ; 

 end if they are not suffocated by it directly, like the 

 dogs which are thus poisoned in the grotto del Cane in 

 Italy, they maybe subjected to various disorders that 

 prove hurtful. This seems to be indeed one of the 

 unobserved causes of those unaccountable mortalities 

 that sometimes destroy- the best founded hopes of the 

 silk rearer. 



If this fliould be the case we fliall probably be able 

 to obviate it by adopting a cleanlier mode of manage- 

 ment than is there practised. Dr Anderson of Ma- 

 dras has thrown out some hints that will greatly fa- 

 cilitate this businefs. 



Oneof themostdiflacult branches of the management 

 ctf the silk worm hitherto is ihe cleaning without brui- 

 sing them. To avoid this inconvenience, the peasants 

 in France and Italy frequently allow the whole litter 

 to remain without ever cleaning them, which is the 

 cause of that unwholesome stench, that has been so 

 often remarked by those who visit the places for rea- 

 ring silk worms in these countries. This difficulty, 

 lie finds, may be effectually removed by providing a 

 net ; or what would be still better, a wire bottomed 

 frame, wrought into large mefhes like a riddle. Have 

 tJiat made of a size exactly sufficient to cover the 

 wooden box in which the worms are kept. When 

 you mean to fhift them, spread frefh leaves into the 

 wire basket ; and let it down gently over the worms 



VOL. xi. z ■>- 



