154 ON REARING 



2d. By wetting them with salt water ; 



3d. By exposing them, in bamboo baskets, to the steam 

 of boiling water. 



This last method is the best, but there are many persons 

 who do not know how to practise it. The drying in the 

 sun injures the cocoons ; the surest plan is to preserve the 

 cocoons in earthen jars, under alternate layers of salt and 

 leaves. 



NONG-TCHING-TSIOUEN-CHOU. 



When salt is put on the cocoons, it moistens them, and 

 penetrates to the bottom. Now-a-days, many persons only 

 lay the cocoons in earthen jars. They tie up some salt in 

 bundles of one or two ounces, in paper of bamboo bark, or 

 leaves of the nympha. That method is equally good, but 

 the top of the jar must be hermetically shut, so that air can- 

 not penetrate ; for that purpose clay, mixed with salt, must 

 be used. 



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