THE SILK WORM. 163 



So soon as the worms are hatched and on the 

 leaves, they should be carried to the cocoonery and 

 placed on the shelves. Three or four times a day 

 will be often enough to feed them during the first age. 

 Young and tender leaves chopped, should be given; 

 because the worm almost invariably fixes upon the 

 edge of the leaf. This is owing to the organic struc- 

 ture of the mouth, and when the leaves are chopped, 

 the worms are not under the necessity of eating 

 through the leaf. No wet or wilted leaves must in 

 any case be given, as they are sure to produce disease. 

 The leaves should be kept in a cool cellar or milk- 

 house ; I have kept them thus for three, four and five 

 days. Feed not too liberally at first, as the litter in- 

 creases, coders up some of the wgrms, and they are 

 apt to be thrown out with it. The leaves from young 

 trees are better than those from older ones, during 

 the first and second ages. Great cleanliness should 

 be observed, particularly in warm weather, and to 

 remove the litter. All that is necessary is to place 

 fresh leaves on one corner of the table, and thus 

 tempt the worms there, when the refuse matter may 

 be swept off. 



When the worms arrive at the third age, they may 

 be fed with unchopped leaves from the full grown 

 tree. Frequent cleaning must now be practised, and 

 all diseased worms instantly removed, least they 

 should infect others. If proper attention is paid to 

 cleanliness and to ventilation, very few or no worms 



