r 175 3 M^ 



Of royal, perforated Cocoons and A'oujfflons. 



The royal cocoons are tliose kept for eggs. The worm havuig 

 made a hole for his passage, the silk is cut, the continuity of the fibre 

 interrupted, and cannot be wound, and is in the class of the perforated 

 cocoons. Neither can the souftlonsbe wound, because their silk, being 

 the produce of a weak, sick worm, has not the necessary gum; besides, 

 it cannot be wound, because the fibres are interlaid and entangled. 

 7'hese cocoons may, however, be profitably employed for carding and 

 spinning, when subjected to particular treatment, which shall be here- 

 after described. To calculate the value of these sorts of cocoons, the 

 following calculations may be observed, viz: 



If the good cocoons arc worth ^ ^ ^ 100 



The perforated arc worth - - . 33^ 



The soufflons do. - * , 25 



The royal cocoons do. - - - 250 



But if the royal cocoons arc not picked out of the best for egg?, 

 they are worth only 200. The best tleurett is made of royal cocoons j 

 next in value is that of perforated; and the worst, of soufflons.* 



3Iode of reeling silk from the best Cocoons. 



Phelimixary Remabss. — The reeling must be performed in dry 

 weather, and when the air is perfectly calm. If done in a building or 

 shed, it should be open on one side, to enjoy sun and air, and walled 

 on the other, to screen ofif the wind, which would blow about the fibres 

 and threads. 



The softest water must be chosen for soaking the cocoon?. The 

 Droper temperature for it cannot be ascertained until the reeling is 

 commenced, owing to the difl'erent composition of the silk. Some co- 

 coons will require water heated from 168° to 190^; others from 190^ 

 to 202°. Some point between these extremes may be chosen to which 

 the water should be heated in a first experiment. One thing is certain, 

 that, in the United States, it must never reach the boiling point, or 

 o 1 2''. 



The good cocoons, the white and yellow, arc the easiest to wind. 

 The sattiny and the cocalons require water less heated than the others. 

 If hot water be used for the last, the}- furze out in winding. Tho 

 duoions, the choquettes, the steamed cocoons, and those which have 

 been kept a long time after being baked, require the hottest water. 

 The dupions require to be soo.kcd five or six minutes before they can 

 be reeled. The cocoons in which the chrysalides have not been killed, 

 by either steaming or baking, give out their silk very easily, and in 

 water less heated than the last mentioned sorts. The temperature of 

 ihe v,-ater most proper for each particular species of cocoon being as^ 

 '^^-r^aincd by the thermometer, it must be kept to that degree by dip»- 



■• Tran^ Am-r- FWL Soc- vol- '^. 



