86 HISTORY OF 



be four pillars erected, or four wood posts, so 

 placed as to form a pretty large square. Between 

 these are different stories made with osier hurdles j 

 and under each hurdle there should be a floor, 

 with an upright border all around. These hurdles 

 and floors must hang upon pullies, so as to be 

 placed, or taken down at pleasure. 



When the worms are hatched, some tender mul- 

 berry leaves are provided, and placed in the cloth 

 or paper box in which the eggs were laid, and 

 which are large enough to hold a great number. 

 When they have acquired some strength, they 

 must be distributed on beds of mulberry leaves, 

 in the different stories of the square in the middle 

 of the room, round which a person may freely 

 pass on every side. They will fix themselves to 

 the leaves, and afterwards to the sticks of the 

 hurdles, when the leaves are devoured. They 

 have then a thread, by which they can suspend 

 themselves on occasion, to prevent any shock by 

 a fall ; but this is by no means to be considered 

 as the silk which they spin afterwards in such 

 abundance. Care must be taken that fresh leaves 

 be brought every morning, which must be strew- 

 ed very gently and equally over them ; upon which 

 the silk- worms will forsake the remainder of the 

 old leaves, which must be carefully taken away, 

 and every thing kept very clean ; for nothing hurts 

 these insects so much as moisture and uncleanli- 

 ness. For this reason their leaves must be gather- 

 ed when the weather is dry, and kept in a dry 

 place, if it be necessary to lay in a store. As 

 these animals have but a short time to live, they 



