244 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



the hedge is olrler. Worms thus raised in the open aifj 

 savs the same Writer, are free from all disorders ; their 

 only fate depends on the season ; and our Summe rs are 

 preferable to those in Europe, for raising them. In this 

 way, care must, however, be taken to keep certain birds 

 from them 



The same Writer also remarks, in a note to his observa* 

 lions on the diseases of this worm, that he was afterwards 

 in tortm ed of an experiment made in this State, by which it 

 appears that this climate is more favor <ble for raising them 

 under cover, than that of Spain or France. Out of six 

 thousand worms raised by Mrs. Montgomery, but very few 

 died ; and her success in raising them was eqinl in preced- 

 ing years. In Europe^ he says, four-fifths of them perish 

 before spining. 



Having thus described the process of forming the cocoons 

 or balls of silk, something remains to be said of the manner 

 of converting them into threads, for making cloths. 



The cocoons are covered wnh a kind of rough cotton-like 

 substance, which is called floss: Within, the thread is 

 more distinct and even ; and next to the bodv of the insect 

 the apartment seems lined with a substance of the hardness 

 of paper; but of a much stronger consistence. 



The threads composing the cocoons do not go round, in 

 the manner in which a b <]} of tlirp-nl is wound ; but lie in 

 an irregular manner, winding off first on one of the sides, 

 and then perhaps on that opoosite. T l >e whole length of a 

 thread is about three hundred yards Eig'u or ten of the 

 cocoons are usually wound f>ff together; though the num- 

 ber to be thus wound off must depend on the size intended 

 to be given to the thread composed of these, when twisted 

 together. 



Tn order to commerce the operation of winding, the floss 

 is first to be taken off; and then the cocoons are to be 

 thrown into warm water, and stired about in it till the end 

 of the thread of each is discovered by its becoming disen- 

 gaged from the body of the cocoon. 



The proper number of threads are then to be wound off 

 together, the cocoons remaining in the vviter during the 

 operation. The whole of each is not, however, to be wound; 

 as the latter parts of the threads gradually grow weaker, 

 and of a bad color. 



The paper-like substance, bef5re mentioned, may be used 

 in two ways: It may be stained of various colors, and used 

 for the purpose of making artificial flowers ; or it may lie 

 in the water till the glutinous matter that cements it is dis- 

 solved, and then be carded, and spun, for making silks of 

 inferior quality. 



