87 [ 175 j 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE ART OF REARING SILKWORMS. 



0/ the care necessary previously to the hatching of the Silkworm-^ 



five oitnces. 



The first thing necessary to commence the operations of the year, 

 is to detach the eggs of the silkworm from the cloths upon which 

 they were deposited, and to prepare them for hatching.* 



In past times, the cultivators imagined that the silkworm might 

 be hatched at random, and spontaneously ; And that, if it were neces- 

 sary to make an artificial climate, it Was enough to use the heat of 

 beds, or the natural heat of the body, or the kitchen fire, &c. and 

 similar means. t It is now allowed that these methods, at best uncer- 

 tain, are often pernicious to the insect. However, since luxury has 

 invented the hot-house, to enable us by an artificial atmosphere to 

 raise exotics, it was surely natural to apply this invention to the im- 

 provement of the cultivation of silkworms; and yet it is but very 

 lately that this application of the invention has been thought of, which 

 enables us in a 'Lew days to hatch, with ease and certainty, any o-iyen 

 quantity of silkworms, and rear them favorably. 



It is proposed to state, in this chapter, the care which the eo-o-g re- 

 quire, to prepare them for the favorable developement of the worm, 

 and the care necessary to fix and continue the requisite degree of tem- 

 perature. We shall thus treat of. 



First. The preliminary preparation of the eggs. 



Second. Of the necessity of fixing, by the thermometer, the tem.- 

 perature calculated to favor the hatching of the eggs, and the rearing 

 of the silkworm . 



Third. Of the hot-house, or stove-room_, in which they must be 

 hatched. 



Fourth. Of tlie hatching. 



I. We suppose the eggs to be good, and well preserved, as shall he 

 indicated in the course of this work. 



When the mulberry leaves are about to open, the cloths upon which 

 the eggs are fastened, should be put into a pail of water, steeped up 

 and down, that they may be thoroiiglily soaked, for nearly six minutes, 

 which will be sufficient to dissolve the gummy substance by which 

 the eggs are stuck to the cloth. There must be, in this room, tables 



* These directions to scrape off the.eggs from the cloth or paper upon wliicli thfv 

 were laid bytlie moth, are given in the European books on silkworms, andyet would 

 seem to be unnecessary. Careful observation of the insects when hatching,' has satis- 

 fied the writer tluit they even lind less difficulty in leaving their shells wlien they re- 

 mained fixed, than wlienthcy were dctaclied. In this opmion he is sustained by two 

 persons familiar with the rearing of silkworms. 



f This is the general practice, also, in the United States; but it is to he hoped that- 

 cultivators of silkworms will be convinced, after reading this Manual, of the greater 

 advantages attending the mode pursued aufl re'-ommended by Coitnt Dandol'o 



