ROUND COCOON ROOMS. 



PLATE VI. 



Han-chi-tchi-choue. 



The cocoon rooms must be established upon elevated 

 ground ; each of them may contain silk worms of six large 

 frames. When the silk worms have attained nine-tenths of 

 their age, a few leaves must be distributed to them, then 

 they must be removed upon the frames of the cocoon room 

 with baskets in the form of sieves. They must be gently 

 handled, when they are taken to be put upon the frames in 

 the cocoon room they ought to be at equal distances ; and 

 afterwards covered with small dry branches or stalks of the 

 bean plant. Other silk worms must be disposed of, as were 

 the first, until the third frame is emptied ; they must then be 

 newly covered with a bed of dry branches. After that ope- 

 ration the position of any reversed branches must be cor- 

 rected and straightened, (that is to say : those of which the 

 lower part is turned upward,) in order that the silk worms 

 may ascend ; they can receive all the silk worms of three 

 more frames. In covering the top of the cocoon rooms with 

 dry plants, a round form is given it ; it must be surrounded 

 with frames at the bottom, and covered at top with straw 

 mats in the form of a cone, so that the top of the cocoon 

 room will resemble the apex of a tent or pavilion. On the 

 approach of evening, the cocoon room must be surrounded 



