192 TREATISE UPON THE 



While they are yet damp, they must be emptied of their 

 chrysalides, and turned inside out, so as to form a kind of 

 cowl. If one has not then the leisure for this purpose, it 

 will repay the trouble afterwards, to soak them some time 

 in warm water, when this work is to be done. 



The cocoons emptied of their chrysalides and turned inside 

 out, in the form of a cowl, are very easy to spin. They 

 have only to be put again in lukewarm water, inserted one 

 in the other, as thimbles for sewing are put, and then wound 

 on a small distaff to the number of ten or twelve. The art 

 of spinning is too well known in France, and we have too 

 confused ideas to persist in the details. All that we can 

 permit ourselves to add, is, that the Chinese are very skilful, 

 and that to see their distaffs, spindles, and spinning-wheels, 

 one would not believe that so fine, so clean, and regular a 

 thread could be drawn from them. To speak, in general, 

 the Chinese are yet in the first ages of improvement for all 

 their instruments. Their skill improves, and their tools 

 and instruments remain the same. Let us yet add another 

 word on the silk of wild worms. That of the worms of the 

 oak can be spun with a spinning-wheel ; and when the silk 

 of the worms of thefagara and ash trees is wanted to be of 

 a finer thread, the floss silk is taken from about the cocoons 

 before having them boiled : but if a person in France com- 

 mences to raise the wild worms, French industry will soon 

 discover all that is most proper to obtain an excellent profit 

 from their labor. 



It is seen with what intention we propose to make expe- 

 riments, in imitation of the Chinese, upon wild silk worms 

 of the fagara, ash and chestnut-oak. These experiments, 

 which only require care, attention, and patience, can occupy, 

 in different places, the sagacity and zeal of opulent citizens, 

 who go to pass the fine season in the country. It is so de- 



