FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 343 



The chrysalis contained in each cocoon is killed by plac* 

 ing them, in baskets lined with brown paper, in an oven 

 heated nearly warm enough to bake bread. If this be not 

 done, the chrysalis eats its way out of the cocoon, and thus 

 spoils the contexture of the silk. They are to be kept in 

 the oven till the ratling noise, which they occasion while 

 dying, has abated. Then take them out, and wrap them 

 elose in a blanket to suffocate those which may not yet be 

 dead. Previous to the operation of baking, the outer coat y 

 called tow, is to be taken off; and the same is to be observ- 

 ed with those which are kept tor seed. 



In reserving these, take equal numbers of males and 

 females, of the yellow kind. The male cocoon is sharp- 

 pointed j the female, round at each end, After being di- 

 vested of their tow, string them together, male and female 

 alternately, upon a coarse threat!, leting the needle go 

 merely through the surface of each, for fear of hurting the 

 chrysalis within ; hang these in a dry place till the butterfly 

 comes out. One pound of cocoons will give an ounce of 

 eggs. When the butterfly has come out, the males are 

 known by being sharp-pointed; the females being larger 

 and full of eggs. Place them all on a piece of bhck cloth, 

 and put the males and females together in pairs ; let them 

 remain so three or four hours; and then throw the males 

 away, leaving the females to deposit their eggs. These are 

 to be well dried on the cloth on which they are laid, and 

 put in a fresh room during Summer, and out of the way of 

 frost during Winter. 



Bad management and other causes occasion some disor- 

 ders among the worms. Some become fat, and do not moult, 

 but continue eating; having a whiter and more oily appear- 

 ance than the rest. After the third or fourth moulting, 

 some become lean, refuse to eat, turn soft, and become 

 smaller than formerly. The yellow worms never appear 

 but a little before spining, and, instead of becoming mature, 

 swell up with nasty yellow spots on their heads, and at last 

 over their bodies. All these, when discovered, are to be 

 thrown away. 



The other method, recommended by the same Writer, is 

 to raise these worms on white-mulberry hedges. A hedge 

 of this kind, of three years old, he says, begins to be fit for 

 the worms; but those which are four or five years old will 

 be better, as they afford the worm more places of retreat in 

 storms. Two or three days after the first moulting, and in 

 a fine warm day, put the young worms on the hedge, by 

 means of leaves as before mentioned. The feathered end 

 of a goose-quill is very good to raise them, or move them 

 in different places. Put them on the hedge at the rate ok' 

 about one hundred to every two rods ; but thicker, where 



