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7th. When, in taking a silkworm in the hand, and looking througii! 

 it, the whole body has assumed the transparency of a ripe yellow plum. 

 VVhen these signs appear in any of the insects, every thing should be 

 prepared for their rising, that those worms which are ready to rise 

 may not lose their strength and silk in seeking for the support they 

 require. 



First preparation for forming the Hedge or Espalier. 



A week or ten days before the worms are ready to mount, bundle."? 

 of twigs of chestnut, hickory, oak, or of the birch of which stable 

 brooms are made, must be procured and prepai'ed. 



These should be arranged into bunches, that the worms may easily 

 climb up them, and fix themselves convcnientl)'^ to pour out their first 

 downy silk, and then work their cocoons. These bushes should be 

 neither too thick set nor too bare. As soon as it is observed that thf; 

 worms want to rise, the faggots should be put up against the inside wall, 

 above the wicker trays, on the most convenient side, leaving fifteen 

 inches between each bundle. 



The twigs or top branches of the bundles should touch the lower 

 part of the tray above that on which they are placed, and, by being bent 

 down by the tray above^ form a species of arch, upon which we must 

 observe: 



1st. That the bundles should be placed a little aslant, so tiiat the: 

 %vorms that climb up may not drop off. 



2d. That they should be longer than the height between the flooi 

 ind the wicker hurdles, or than the height between the lower wicker 

 and that above; thus they forni a curve when placed between them, and 

 in this manner the worms that rise upon the curving part, do not soil- 

 the worms that are climbing perpendicularly under them, when they 

 evacuate, which would be the case were the arch not made. 



3d. That the branches should be spread out like fans, that the air 

 may penetrate tlirough all parts, and the worms may work with ease. 

 When the worms are too near each other they do not work so well, 

 and form- double cocoons, which are only worth lialf single cocoons. 

 This inattention, which is almost univeisal, causes great loss every 

 year, which is little known, except by the manufacturers who spin 

 the silk, who are obliged to separate the double cocoons from the 

 single — the silk being of an inferior quality. 



The bundles should be fixed into the wickci- work of .the hurdler 

 and not into the ])aper, which requires only to lift the paper at the 

 edge of the wicker, to put in the ends of the faggots through the 

 wicker, so as to let them touch the edges. Tliis arrangement is also 

 convenient for the cleaning of the hui'dles, which must soon occur. 



Mr. Stephenson directs that openings should be left at the tops of 

 the curves, because the worms ahvays make choice of them to form 

 their cocoons. Another advantage aiisesfrom these openings, viz: that 

 the cabins will contain a greater number of worms than when these 

 vacancies are small. The very small tender shoots must also be cut 

 off, as they are not iblc to carry <Hc weigbt o-f o worm,, and might 



