61 [ 175 ] 



being carried firmly with one hand. Thov must he smoothly finished, 

 that the silkworms may mount upon them without difficulty. The 

 ledges around three sides ought to 

 be about an half inch deep. The an- 

 nexed cut will give a correct idea of 

 their form. 



7th. An air-hole or ventilator in the floor of the room with a sliding 

 panel to open and close it, but which, in general, must be closed; it 

 may be used to temper the heat, should it have exceeded the degrees 

 which will be pointed out as necessary for bringing forth the silk- 

 worms. We have thus the means of making a gentle current of air be- 

 tween this air-hole and the door, to correct the excess of heat indicated 

 by the thermometer. 



8. A glazed window to light the stove-room. It is a vulgar error 

 to imagine that light is not as necessary to the animation of the silk- 

 worm, as to that of every other living thing. The light does not in- 

 commode the silkworm, until it has reached its perfect stale of moth, 

 as we shall hereafter mention. 



These are all that are rc([uired to furnish a stove-room. This room 

 may be used for rearing the silkworms, as well as for hatching them; 

 and being heated with little expense, might li4itch silkworms for any 

 number of persons. 



IV. Of the hatching of the silkworm. 



When the cultivator has observed the state of the vesetation in the 

 mulberry leaf, and imagined it fitting to have his silkworms hatched 

 in ten days, he will put the eggs in the boxes in the proper quantities. 

 He must weigh them, and keep a register; in which lie must note his 

 observations upon the course and progress of the insects, and thus at 

 once secure theory and practice; iDcginning by marking the day and 

 hour upon which he sets the box in the stove-room, and also the num- 

 ber of the box; and, in short, every thing that may be worthy of no- 

 tice. The wicker hurdles should have pnper laid inside of them, and 

 the distance before prescribed to be left between the boxes, is to pre- 

 vent the silkworm from going from one to the other. If the temper- 

 ature of the stove-room should not reach 64°, on the day fixed upon 

 to put in the eggs, it is necessary to light a little fire, that it mny rise 

 to that degree, which ought to be continued during two days. If the 

 thermometer indicate that the exterior air is above 6 1'^, the shutters 

 should be closed, and the door and the ventilator opened, to create a 

 draught and cool the stove-room. The third day, the tem])erature 

 should be raised to 66°, the fourth day to 68°, the fifth day to 71°, the 

 sixth day to 73°, the seventh day to 75°, the eighth day to 77°, the 

 ninth day to 80°, the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth days to 81°.* 



* The proprlet}' of attending to the gradual increase of heat in hatching tlic eggs, 

 is so reasonable, and so conformable to all experience, that it cannot be too stronglv 

 insisted on. Great heat, suddenly applied and continued, never fails to yjusli on the 

 worms too fast, and to render them red when they iirst come out. The- nearer the 

 American cultivator is able to 'keep tothe degrees of the thcrn^.omctcr \vhi'.h Dan,- 

 dolo has pointed out, the more certain will l)c liis success. 



