1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



241 



observed with care, in order to diminish or to in- 

 crease their food, of wliich the quantity ought to 

 vary, according to the ilill'erent situations in vvliich 

 they are Ibund. 



The leaves which are given them, ought to be 

 neither wet with dew, nor dried in the wind or 

 san, nor im|)regnated with disagreeable smells, 

 lor as soon as tliey have ll'd upon them, they will 

 contract diseases' If care he talien to preserve, 

 in advance, a sutHciency ol' leaves for three days, 

 there will be noihmg to (tjar from long rains : ilie 

 silk worms will never have to eat damp leaves, 

 and at the same time, they will not sutler (i-om 

 hunger. When leaves are again gathered, the 

 heat arising Irom the accumulation in saclcs, must 

 be completely dissipated before giving them to 

 the silk worms. The space of one day and night 

 is, lor the silk worms, like unto a year with its 

 four seasons. The morning and evening are the 

 Spring and Autumn; the middle of the day re- 

 sembles the Sununer; and the middle of the night 

 Winter. In these four periods of the day tlie 

 weather is never the same. When a good fire is 

 preserved in the silk-room, great attention ought 

 to be paid to keep it at the corresponding tempera- 

 lure lor each one of those four periods. The de- 

 gree of heat ouglit not to be constantly the same. 

 From the time they are hatched, until their second 

 sleep, (moultmg,) the silk worms require a mode- 

 rate heat. The matron of the silk worms, (the 

 person who takes care of them, ought to wear a 

 single garment, (that is to say not double.) She 

 must regulate the temperature of the silk-room, 

 according to the sensation of cold and heat she 

 feels. 



If she feels cold, she necessarily will judge that 

 the silk worms are cold, and the fire must then be 

 increased; if she feels warm, she will conclude 

 from it, that the silk worms are too warm, and the 

 fire must then be suitably diminished. 



When the silk worms are all asleep, if the sky 

 be clear and brilliant, between ten and two o'clock 

 the windows must be opened, to introduce air 

 and light in the apartment. If the wind be south- 

 erly, the windows to the north must be opened; if 

 northerly, the windows on the south side must 

 be opened. The air which enters from aside op- 

 posite to the direction of the wind cannot injure 

 the silk worm?. 



When the silk worms have recovered from 

 theirgreat moulting, (the third moulting,) three 

 repasts must be given them, then the paper that 

 covers the windows, must be cut with a pair of 

 scissors, to allow the air and light to penetrate 

 into the apartment. The silk worms will not be 

 disturbed or incommoded. 



Alter the great moulting, when the windows 

 have been opened, and the paper cut from the 

 windows, if the exterior air is too warm, anun- 

 glazed earthen vessel must be placed at the en- 

 trance of the door, in which the water must be 

 otten renewed, in order that the air may be re- 

 freshed in its passage. If the wind raises, if it 

 should rain, or if the night becomes cold, the win- 

 dows must be closed immediatelv. 



Nong-tching-tsinuen-chou. — The silk worms 

 are of a warm constitution. It is belter to make 

 use of a fire during the whole time of the raising. 



The following is a method of warming the 

 nursery : 



A long stove placed upon a hand-barrow, must 

 Vol. VI— 31 



be made use of, so that it may be carried by two 

 men. When the leaves are spread on the silk 

 worms, wait until they have climbed upon the 

 leaves, and then bring in the stove, which nmst 

 be carefully lighted outside of the apartment. 

 The fire should consist of liot coals; it must be 

 covered over with a bed of straw ashes, to pre- 

 vent a red and brilliant flame. When the silk 

 worms have finished eating, the stove must be 

 carried back. Aliervvards, when other Ibod is 

 given to the silk worms, the same stove must be 

 brought in each time. Then the silk worms will 

 escajjo the diseases which heat causes; but if the 

 stove be introduced when the silk worms are hun- 

 gry, they soon become warm. If the stove be intro- 

 duced soon after having given them tbod, that is 

 to say, when they are under the leaves, not hav- 

 ing had time to ascend them, they will soon be 

 incommoded by the fermentation of their dung, 

 and they will, besides, be overloaded by the leaves 

 spread upon them. 



Same work. — When the air of the silk-room is 

 warm, if it be suddenly made cold, the silk worms 

 will lose their appetite, and feed no longer. Then 

 a chafing-dish, filled with clods of dry cow dung, 

 well ignited, and free from smoke, and by the aid 

 of an iron fork, must be moved about repeatedly 

 above the frames. That operation dissipates the 

 cold, which benumbs the silk worms, and they 

 soon feed with an appetite. 



ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THL' SILK WORMS 

 UPON TMK FRAMES, AND THE SPACE TO 

 BE ALLOWED THEM. 



Thsi-ming-yao-chon. — When the silk worms 

 are moulting, three frames are constantly required. 

 The middle frame is destined to receive the silk 

 worms, the superior and the inferior ought to re- 

 main empty. The lower frame preserves the 

 worms from the dampness of the ground, the up- 

 per preserves them from the dust of the apart- 

 ment. 



Wou-pen-sin-chou. — When the silk worms are 

 about hatching, they require cool air. A bed of 

 chopped straw must be spread on the frame ; 

 wheat straw must not be used. Every day they 

 must be removed once upon other frames; if they 

 are not changed, it generally happens that white 

 spots come over them. 



ON REMOVING THE SILK WORM. 



In reiTioving the silk worms many persons must 

 be eniployed in order to perform it quickly. If 

 they are left for a long time, heaped up in the 

 baskets, they become heated and perspire abun- 

 dantly. In consequence, a great number of them 

 fall sick and die. By degrees they will diminish 

 every time they are removed; and those which 

 later arrive at maturity, will only produce small 

 and ill-supplied cocoons. 



The dung of the silk worms must be frequent- 

 ly removed. If it be not carried away, they be- 

 come heated. The heat produces fermentation, 

 and causes a putrid efHuvia. Afterwards a Jarge 

 number of silk worms turn white and die. 



Whenever the silk worms are removed they 

 must be distributed upon the frames in such a 

 manner as to leave some space between them ; 



