ME SlLK WORM. 151 



long, made of thin boards, with a piece two inches 

 wide, nailed flat on the upper edge along the side* 

 and ends, with legs about a foot long in the corners. 

 The legs do not pass through the table, but leave a 

 part of the hole on the upper side for the feet of 

 another table to set in. Thus contrived, five or six 

 of these tables are set one above another, and are ta- 

 ken down, cleansed, and again set up with facility. 

 One of these shelves will accommodate five or six 

 hundred worms." I have always followed the plan 

 of covering the shelves with newspapers, and Mr. 

 Cobb recommends the same. 



Having planted the Mulberry, and built the co- 

 coonery, the next process is to hatch the eggs. The 

 Italian process of hatching the eggs is calculated to 

 embarrass the American silk grower, but be it known 

 that it is entirely useless in this country, as Nature 

 generally accomplishes that part about the first of 

 May, in the Middle States. Mr. Rhind describes 

 the Italian process, as follows: 



" The temperature of the chamber near the place 

 where the eggs are put, should be 63| degrees; this 

 is obtained by increasing the fire, should the temper- 

 ature be less ; and by opening the ventilator, and even 

 the door should it be greater. This temperature 

 should be observed two consecutive days. On the 

 third day, the temperature is raised to 66 ; on the 

 fourth to 68 ; on the fifth to 70 ; on the eighth to 77; 

 on the ninth to 79 ; and on the tenth, eleventh, and 

 twelfth, to 81 degrees." 



