34^ ^" f^-"-' silk-wonn. May 2, 



" The silk-v/orm, when at its full size, is from an inch 

 and a q-Jartcr to an inch and a half in length, and about 

 half an inch in circumfeience. He is either of a milk or 

 pearl colour, or blackifli ; these last arc esteemed the best. 

 His body is divided into seven rings, to each of whicli 

 are joined two very fliort feet. He has a small point like 

 a thorn, exactly above the anus. The substance which 

 forms the silk is in his stomach, which is very long, 

 wound up as it were upon two spindles, and surrounded 

 with a gum, commonly yeHowifh, sometimes white, not 

 often greenilh. When the v;orm spins his cocoon, lie 

 winds off a thread from each of his spindles, and joins 

 them afterwards by means of two hooks which are placed 

 in his mouth, so that tlie cocoon is formed of a double- 

 thread. Having opened a silk-worm, you may take out 

 the spindles, which are folded up in three plaits, and, on 

 .stretching them out, and drawing each extremity, you 

 may extend them to near two ells in length. If you then 

 "^crape the thread so stretched out with yout nail, you 

 scrape off the gum, which is %'ery like bees wax, and per- 

 forms the same office to the si'k it covers, as gold leaf does 

 to the ingot of silver it surrounds, when drawn out by the 

 wire drawer. Tiiis thread, which is extremely strong 

 and even, is about the tbicknefs of a middling pin*." 



Of silk-v/orms, as of most other animals, there is a coa- 

 5idei-able variety of breeds, some of which are much more 

 hardy, and pofsefs qualities considerably different from 

 others. This is a particular of much importance to be 

 adverted to at the time of beginning to breed these crea- 

 tures in any place 5 lor it will /make a great difference in 

 the profit on the whole to the undertaker if he rears a 



* This description mariced within inverted commas is transcribed from 

 an Italian work : the. Editor s'.ipposcs it just, but d';es not vouch for i"s 

 authenticity. Vv'iiat is siiH respecting the spindiss in the' bowels h^s' 

 tr>uch the air of being bypoll.eti.i;.iI. 



