[ 175 ] 58 



proportioned to the size of the cloths. The six minutes elapsed, the 

 cloths must be taken out, and the water allowed to drip from them, 

 by holding them up for two or three minutes. They should then be 

 spread upon the tables. The cloth should be kept well stretched, 

 while the eggs are separated from the cloth with a scraper. The 

 scraper should not be too sharp, for fear of cutting the eggs; neither 

 too blunt, lest it should crush them. The eggs do not stick fast or* 

 wet linen. 



When a good quantity of the eggs has been scraped off, they should 

 be put into a basin; and this is repeated till all the eggs are scraped 

 of}', and put into the same basin. Water should then be poured upon 

 the eggs, and they should be lightly washed, to separate them from 

 one another. The water will be very dirt}', as the eggs are always 

 more or less soiled with the matter deposited by the moth. On the 

 surface of the water will be seen floating the shells of a few eggs that 

 have already cast their worms; also, many yellow eggs, which are 

 not impregnated; and others, which, without being of that color, are 

 very light All these that float should be skimmed off" directly. If 

 the eggs are collected in an unfavorable season, particularly during 

 cold w-eather, many j^ellow eggs, and even reddish ones, Avill sink to 

 the bottom, although they are not impregnated. The water having 

 been well stirred, it should be poured into a sieve, or upon some cloths, 

 to drain ofi' the eggs. 



Siiould the rooms havo'brick fl.oors, the cloth may be spread on the 

 bricks and changed every five hours. Bricks dry the eggs by absorbing 

 the moisture more quickly than any other substance. If the flooring 

 is not of brick, hurdles of wicker work would be necessary, or basket 

 work tables. In the course of two days, the eggs will generally be 

 dry; they should then be put into plates, in layers of half the breadth 

 of the finger, and left until it is needful to hatch them, being careful 

 to preserve them from rats. It is essential to place them in a cool dry- 

 spot, in about from 46'^ to 59° Fahrenheit.* 



II. The necessity of determining, by the thermometer, the suitable 

 degree of heat for hatching and rearing the silkworm. 



To produce, maintain, and regulate the degree of heat necessary in 

 the space allotted to the hatching and progress of the silkworm, we 

 must imitate the botanist in the management of the hot-house, and 

 emplo}' the thermometer. Jiy this valuable instrument, we clearly 

 see that it is of less importance that tlie silkworm should live in a tem- 

 perature equal to the heat of its native climes, than that it should be 

 preserved from violent transitions, and in a uniform temperature in its 

 different ages. The thermometer^ which cannot be affected by the ca- 

 price and will of man, is a certain method of attaining this important 

 object of even temperature. For a large establishment, we shall re- 



* It has been thoug-ht proper to retain the directions of nandolo respecting the 

 treatment of tlie egg's, preparatory to ex]50sing them to heat, in order to liatch them, 

 that comparative experiments may be made by them, and by the simple exposure of 

 the e.^g-s, while att.iched to cloths or paper, to the uatm-al heat of the atmosphere. 

 ♦>r that of a stove 



