37 [ 175 ] 



few silkwftrm eggs from Philadelphia, which were kept in an upper 

 room, without a tire, and hatched early in April: they were fed the 

 first week on lettuce, afterwards on the leaves of the white and na- 

 tive mulberry tree, and came to maturity within from twenty-four to 

 thirty days, and spun their cocoons before the 12th of May. On the 

 last days of May, and first of June, the moths came out and laid 

 their eggs on paper, which was loosely rolled up, and placed in an up- 

 per room. Within eight or ten days from the time the eggs were laid^ 

 they began to hatch, and, before the 15th of June, nearly one-twen- 

 tieth part had hatched; the worms were healthy, fed well, grew mere 

 rapidly, and came to maturity in a few days less time than the first, 

 erop. They wound their cocoons in the first days of July; on the 

 last of that month, and first of August, the moths came forth, and 

 laid their eggs, which were placed in the same room as the first eggs. 

 In about the same length of time, they also began to hatch, and all the 

 worms came out between the 12th and 18th of August. They came to- 

 maturity, and spun their cocoons, in somewhat less time than the first, 

 \*iz. before the middle of September: ' the moths came forth, and 

 laid their eggs the first days of October." 



On the subject of these repeated productions, Mr. Millington says: 

 " I feel confident that, in most parts of the Union, the climate will ad- 

 mit of more than one crop of silkworms being raised in the course of 

 a year, as in Asia. Our weather is equally favorable for their health 

 for more than five months in the year, and if the leaves of our mul- 

 berry trees are frequently taken from them, they will continue to put 

 out fresh leaves for the same length of time. Between the three succes- 

 sive crops which I raised the past summer, there were two intervals 

 each long enough to have raised other crops, when the weather was a» 

 favorable for their growth, and the mulberry trees were puttino- out 

 leaves as luxuriantly as at any time during the summer-. These inter- 

 vals were from the 12th May to the 12th June; and from the 10th July 

 to the 12th August, each long enough to have raised a crop of silk- 

 worms which would have made five crops. I am convinced, from the 

 produce of the crops, that when five crops are raised the same year 

 the second, third, and fourth, will spin the largest and best cocoons. 

 Our middle summer months are not too warm for such worms as are 

 hatched out in, and constantly live in this warm temperature: but the 

 first and last crops will be more apt to experience frequent changes 

 in the weather, and will be more liable to be injured by both heat 

 and cold. 



*' I do not doubt but that the following plan will effect the object of 

 rearing successive crops: The eggs for the first crop, must be kept 

 over winter, and be hatched, in the usual manner, about the middle of 

 April. If the mulberry leaves are small, they may be fed a part of 

 the time on lettuce; they will come to maturity, and wind their co* 

 eoons, within thirty days. The eggs for the second crop must also 

 be kept over winter, and their hatching retarded in the spring, by 



* Owine?, doiiblless,^ to the 5ncTea'=cti heat of thft weatliev. 



