r 175 J 1'24 



Fifth age, or until the worms prepare, to mount. 



In a large establishment, the exhalations from the worms and their 

 litter, united to the heat of the atmosphere, sometimes cause great mor- 

 tality among them; the means of preventing which, are treated under 

 the head of diseases. But if proper cleanliness be observed, and a free 

 circulation of the air permitted, no sickness is to be feared. The ther- 

 mometer should be about 68°. The constitution of the worms being 

 now formed, they begin to elaborate the silk vessels, and fill them with 

 the silky material, which they decompose and form from the mulber- 

 ry leaves. 



Give abundance of room; do not let the worms lie so close as to 

 touch one another; for their respiration will thereby be impeded; con- 

 tinue to feed regularly and fully, as the appetite of the worms now 

 becomes voracious; rather give food five times a day than four; even 

 six small meals will not be too many. The last meal should be late 

 at night, and the first of the next day, in the morning, at an early hour. 

 The worms are not to be again moved, and the hurdles must be clean- 

 ed, as directed in page 94. On the seventh day of the fourth age, 

 they have attained their largest size, viz: three inches long, and begiii 

 to grow shining and yellow. The appetites of some diminish; but 

 that of others continues, and must be supplied, to hasten their maturi- 

 ty. The effects of a sudden increase of heat in the weather, at this 

 time, will be highly injurious — see p. ^^. For the mode of preparing 

 the cabins for the formation of cocoons, and the treatment of the 

 worms, the gathering of the cocoons; the selection and preservation 

 of those intended for seed; the birth and coupling of the moths; the 

 laying and preservation of the eggs, see p. 97, and following. 



With respect to the temperature of the room, in which the cocoons 

 intended to produce moths, are kept, the rule prescribed by Dandolo 

 should be attended to. If it exceed 73°, they should be put in a place 

 in which the thermometer will remain within the limited degrees. 

 Moderate temperatures are, without exception, best adapted to the 

 silkworm, the chrysalis, and the moth. Notwithstanding the difficul- 

 ty of ascertaining the male from the female cocoon, yet the advan- 

 tages of separating them are such, that the attempt is recommended by 

 Dandolo to be made. The benefits arising from the separation are, 1st, 

 that, before the moths unite, they would have leisure to evacuate the 

 excrementitious fluid they contain, the retention of which, as will be 

 seen in the chapter on the diseases of silkworms, is injurious to the 

 eggs. 2d, That the moths not united are only handled once. They 

 must now be watched, and after they have evacuated the fluid, they 

 are to be united, and put on a frame covered with linen, which, when 

 full, must be carried into the dark room, to remain during the time 

 they ought to be united. 



If, through inattention, a store of leaves has not been provided, and 

 they are collected during rain, they must be thoroughly dried before 

 being given, as they will inevitably sicken the worms, if fed with them 

 when moist. To dry a large parcel, see the chapter on diseasps of 

 silkworm*: 



