426 APPENDIX. 



situated about two miles from Come, in Lombardy, and the several 

 cocooneries which are established on that estate, are nearly all su- 

 perintended by his daughters in person Hence this is called the 

 system of the Misses Reina. 



When the suitable season arrives, the eggs of the silk-worms are 

 placed in small linen bags, between two mattresses, which are not 

 slept upon, which preserves them at an equal temperature ; and 

 each day, these are visited for the purpose of giving fresh air. Thus 

 situated, they usually begin to hatch in eight or ten days. After 

 the eggs are hatched, the young worms are emptied into baskets 

 lined with linen, and these, being removed to the cocoonery, are 

 covered -with coarse canvass, with wide meshes, or with paper 

 pierced with holes sufficiently large to allow a grain of wheat to pass 

 through. Young twigs of the mulberry, being placed over these, 

 are quickly covered with the worms. The young worms should be 

 kept near a stove, and a temperature of at least 77 of Fahrenheit 

 should be maintained in the cocoonery, which should in all cases 

 be erected in a dry and airy situation. 



During the first and second ages, the worms are fed ten times a 

 day, with fresh leaves chopped very fine ; sufficient being given to 

 cover the worms. During the third and fourth ages, they are fed 

 but eight times a day ; the leaves being cut coarsely in the third 

 age ; but in the fourth, the leaves are merely sorted or separated 

 from the stems and fruit. At the first moulting, the worms usually 

 fast a day, and two days at the second moulting, nearly three days 

 at the third, and a little longer at the fourth moulting; but a little 

 food is usually given at the beginning of each change, for the sup- 

 port of those not sick. The space which is allowed by them for the 

 silk-worms on the shelves or hurdles during the last age, is 652 

 English feet for the ounce of eggs, which yield them 75 kilo- 

 grammes, or 168 English pounds, of cocoons. This is double the 

 space which is allowed by Count Dandolo, namely, 209 English feet, 

 or 170 worms to the square foot, of the ounce containing 31 ,200, which 

 produce, with him, 121 pounds of cocoons French, or 135 pounds 

 English. Yet the silk-worms may be congregated more or less 

 compactly, according to the more or less perfect system of ven- 

 tilation. 



The temperature of the cocoonery, which is at first 77, is reduced 

 gradually to 73 in the third moulting. At this time they partially 

 open the ventilating holes during the warmest part of the day, and, 



K'ovided the weather is warm enough, no fire is made in the stove, 

 uring the fourth age, all the ventilators are opened, and at the 

 fourth moulting the windows are kept, at least, half open. In the 

 fifth age, and especially when the worms begin their cocoons, all 

 the ventilators and windows are left open night and day, for the ad- 

 mission ofpure air, be the weather whatever it may. And should there 

 not be sufficient space to allow the air freely to circulate, a part of 

 the worms are removed to other apartments ; a perfect system of 

 ventilation, a pure atmosphere, and sufficient space, being indis- 

 pensable, especially during the fifth and last age, when, from the 

 masses of food and of litter, and the copious transpiration from the 

 bodies of the insects, noxious or pestilential exhalations particularly 

 abound. These must be dispelled : neither can vast numbers of silk 

 worms be congregated with perfect impunity by any other mode. 



