Mulherry Tree and of Silk JVorms, 259 



will offer an opportunity to clean the boxes well, \vithout 

 beinsj; obliged to touch the insects. Ooserve the same 

 plan with the first and second niouhin <s, in gradually 

 increasing the nourishment of clipped leave*^, untilthe 

 fourth day, when the insect will again fall into its statfe 

 of torpor. When they have revived, feed them well with 

 leaves cut fine, over .which it will be necessary to rej^eat 

 the operation of spreading leaves, and small branches, so 

 as to again remove them to clean the boxes. The re- 

 moval and cleaning finished, give them more cut leaves, 

 increasing at every time the quantity, until on the fourth 

 day, you will observe their appetite to fail. This is the 

 certain signal which indicates the time of the third moult- 

 ing. At the fifth time, you will see them in the torpor 

 or sleep as before. They revive from it with a ver}- 

 voracious appetite, which must be supplied, as in preced- 

 ing cases, with cut leaves and branches, so as to remove 

 them, and to clean the boxes. Their appetite, after this 

 third moulting, continues till the fifth day ; on the sixth 

 following, it begins to diminish, and at last ceases all at 

 once. The worms suffer the same changes as they ex- 

 perienced before, and for the last time fall into torpor, and 

 molt. At their revival, give them entire leaves and 

 branches. To clean the boxes it will be useful to sub- 

 stitute perfo^'ated tables. Continue to feed them abun- 

 dantly in this manner during the five days which follow 

 this last revival, and do not diminish your liberality until 

 the sixth, when the worms begin to show not only a dis- 

 taste for the leaf, but to give signs, that the time has ar- 

 rived for them to make the cocoon. The change of 

 their colour announces the maturity of age, which they 

 have attained, and the elevation of their heads will be 

 the certain sign that they are near the period : on ob- 

 serving these certain marks of the proximity of your har- 

 vest, attach to the sides of vour frames, branches of drv 



