10 THE CULTURE 



An opinion indeed has gained ground, 

 that the rearing of filkworms is an un- 

 healtliy employment ; but this I am fure 

 has no foundation, unlefs v/here they are 

 kept in a flovenly manner, and their Htter 

 or the dead worms fufFered to corrupt and 

 taint the air ; for while the litter continues 

 dry, and the worms healthy, I never found 

 the fmell to differ much from that of hay, 

 though by a perfon's being prejudiced, that 

 fmell, as coming from worms, may be 

 imagined very difagreeable. Indeed the 

 fedentary employment of poking over the 

 worms, and picking them from the leaves, 

 is not a very healthy amufement for the 

 perfbn who ufes it, and I am fure it is 

 hurtful to the worms. 



If the method follow'd here by ladies 

 were purfued in the filk-countries, filk 

 could fcarce be fold for lefs than its weight 

 of gold ; but if rules and method are pro- 

 perly followed, the pains which they be- 

 flow upon ten v.^orms would ferve for ten 

 thoufand. An improper method of hatch- 

 ing the eggs difturbs the whole procefs of 

 rearing the worms for ever after j and im- 

 proper fleps in the rnanagement of them 

 diflurbs all the fubfequent ones 3 and there- 

 fore 



