OF SILK. 277 



their fecond ficknefs, for then they can 

 eafily mafter the whole leaves* t rnoii - M> 

 ; As there is no neceflity for cleaning away 

 the fibres from under the filk worms till 

 they have palTed their firil ficknefs, fo long 

 as it remains free from moifture or mould- 

 nefs, fo neither will there be any necefhty 

 to clean them again, till they have pafTed 

 their fecond moulting, fo long as you per- 

 ceive it to remain tolerably dry -, but if 

 there is a large heap of fibres, and you 

 perceive them to have grown damp and 

 mouldy, you may thin it as much as you 

 think proper by taking away the under 

 fibres, which will generally come off in 

 flakes ; if you perceive many worms buri- 

 ed and invelop'd among thefe fibres as you 

 take them off, you may conclude that you 

 have either given too much leaves when you 

 fed them, or that they have not been all 

 hatched at the fame time, by v/hich means 

 fome became fick, while the reft were in a 

 feeding ftate ; and fo the firft not- being in 

 a condition to get upon the frefh leaves 

 were buried under them and ftarved. 



You may readily take the worms off the 

 cake of fibres when it becomes moift, by rol- 

 ling a handful of hay between your hands 

 T3 till 



