O F S I L K. 71 



C n A P. II. 



Of choofing good eggs^ ami the 'time of the 

 year proper to hatch them, 



THE way to be certain of having good 

 eggs of your own breed will be fliewn 

 further on in Part III. but if you are only 

 beginning to feed filkworms, and are 

 obliged to buy your eggs, you muft, in a 

 great meafure, depend on the honefty of 

 the feller, efpecially if you fend for them 

 to a diflant country j the principal rule 

 to be depended on in this cafe is, for the 

 buyer to choofe the largeft and moil plump 

 eggs, and of a lively blueifh or grey co- 

 lour, for if they are fmall they are of a 

 weak and puny breed ; thofe that are white 

 or yellow have been laid by the female 

 without coupling with the male, at leaft 

 are not impregnated, and therefore good 

 for nothing; and thofe that are brown, 

 fhrunk, and very flat are decay'd. If you 

 are near the place where the eggs were 

 bred, you can befl difcover their fize and 

 goodnefs, before they are taken from the 

 F 4 materials 



