S52 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 6 



10 a distance,. May not this be the cause ol 

 those I'requent malformations wliich appear in 

 the European silk nurseries, and which occasion 

 such tremendous losses afterwards? a circumstance, 

 bo it observed, never seen an.'onjjjst the Chinese. 

 Their practice is, to gently place on the leaves the 

 papers on which the worms have come into exist- 

 ence, in order that tiiey inay of themselves de- 

 scend and take their food; nor do they place within 

 their reacli entire leaves at first, but little morsels, 

 cut very neatly and scattered throu<jh a small 

 sieve, in order that they may be distributed uni- 

 forml\' and in proportion to the number and the 

 age of the worms. The quantil}- given at each 

 repast is exceedingly sn)all; and the increase is 

 made in the number of repasts, but never in the 

 mass of food given at each. The practice, we 

 may remark, is founded on just principles; and the 

 proofs of its efficiency are seen every day in our 

 farms in this country, where cattle are Ibund to 

 thrive best on small and frequent repasts; not only 

 because such are most easy of digestion, but be- 

 cause the animals eat more eagerly, and with a 

 better relish, their food, when Iresh, than trampled 

 on, or tainted by their breath, when given in large 

 quantities. 



It would be an endless task to follow the Chi- 

 nese through all their minute details, the influence 

 of which, however, must be exceedingly great on 

 the silk produced. Their treatment ol the cocoons 

 ■ — their proceedings with regard to th.eir silk crop; 

 and their mode of winding I he thread, are exceed- 

 ingly curious. Our hmits will not permit us to de- 

 lay much longer; we shall, therefore, only add an 

 interesting fact or two befjre we close. The Chi- 

 nese use two sorts of artificial food for their silk- 

 worm; one of these is a leaf of a tree called tche, 

 and a plant which bears the title of Oito-kin: 

 these are emplo3^ed when the mulberry tree has 

 not yet pushed forth its leaves, or when there is a 

 scarcity of them. What these two productions 

 are we have no means of ascertaining; that they 

 are used throughout China for silkworms is cer- 

 tain, for mention is made of them in an old Chi- 

 nese almanac, apparently intended for the work- 

 ing classes. The tche tree is also noticed by 

 d'Entrecolles, who describes it as a prickly tree, 

 which grew on exposed and lofty situations, and 

 had a fruit like pepper. In the work translated by 

 M. Julien, a rude sketch is given of the tree ; but 

 so vague is the outline, that we are unable to as- 

 sign it to any particular class. The same incer- 

 titude exists as to the Oiio-kin. Remusat identi- 

 fied it with the wild chicorry; while in the y/mce- 

 nitates Exntica of Ka-mpler, it is suggested that 

 it resembles our lettuce; it surely will be worth 

 while to try both plants, and judge by the man- 

 ner in which the silkworms receive them. The 

 Chinese also employ, in feeding the worms, mul- 

 berry leaves gathered towards the end of the pre- 

 ceding season; these they dry and reduce to pow- 

 der; and having lighlly sprinkled the fresh leaves, 

 they scatter it gently over them. The worms are 

 always found eager to feed on it; and one advan- 

 tage of it is, that it can be used at all times. 

 Rice is also found to answer. It is first husked 

 and then boiled by steam; this is then ground, 

 and the flour is given to the worms. A small sort 

 of pea, after being first allowed to germinate a 

 little, is also employed; and all these prejjarations 

 are said to render the silk stronger and more abun- 



dant. All these expedients are favorable to the 

 introduction of the silkworm into England; which 

 the Chinese mode of treatment proves to be per- 

 fectly practicable. 



The long experience of the Chinese has made 

 them aware of the fact, that the artificial educa- 

 tion of silkworms requires a succession of difiijr- 

 ent temperatures, suited to the different changes 

 of their existence; and that, at the same time, the 

 air which they inhale ought to be constantly puri- 

 fied of their perspiration, their evacuation and the 

 bed of leaves on which they are placed. To ef- 

 fect this, they have found it necessary to erect 

 close buildings, where an artificial increase or di- 

 minution of heat can be given when required, and 

 where fi-esh air is constantly admitted. Tiiey 

 have also discovered that these transitions of tem- 

 perature must be aLmost insensible ; and all their 

 skill and ingenuity are taxed to accomplish this 

 desirable object. 



The Chinese author enters into a most minute 

 description of the structure, materials, and situa- 

 tion of a silkworm nursery. He gives an account 

 of the mode of heating it; and, at great length, 

 details the form and use of the difi'erent instru- 

 ments and utensils required in the concern. We 

 do not intend following him in these details, curi- 

 ous as they certainly are; we shall only mention 

 one circumstance connected with the heating of 

 the nursery, which will show to what extent their 

 cares are given. In addition to their scientific 

 modes of maintaining the exact temperature bene- 

 ficial to the worms, they employ what they deem 

 the best indicator of a proper equilibrium, and 

 even superior to a thermometer — this is the wo- 

 man who takes care of the worms, and who is 

 called their mother. This personage is clad in a 

 single thin vestment, in order that her sensibility 

 to cold or heat may be constantly awakened. 

 These women are considered persons of impor- 

 tance; and whether from organization or habit, 

 can at once detect the slightest change of tempe- 

 rature. 



It is owing to this judicious use of air and light, 

 (which we should have mentioned is particularly 

 dwelt on,) that the Chinese are quite ignorant of 

 those dreadful epidemics caused by mould, which 

 in France makes its appearance on the bodies of 

 the worms, in even the best regulated nurseries. 

 In Italy also it is a matter of notoriety, that a vast 

 quantity of worms perish every year fi-om a simi- 

 lar disease; it is to be hoped, that from the present 

 time the evil will be materially diminished. The 

 best plan of a nursery yet tried in France, is one 

 designed and erected by M. Darcet for JVl. Beau- 

 vais, of whom we have already spoken. This 

 plan is considered, by some cultivators of silk- 

 worms, as most efficient; while others declare 

 that it is little superior to a common workshop. 

 The Chinese treatise shows that in many respects 

 it is founded on wrong principles; and we may 

 soon expect to hear that some modifications in its 

 structure have taken place. 



From what we have stated of the contents of 

 the Chinese treatise, it may be seen that the cul- 

 tivation o'l the silkworm is perfectly easy in this 

 country. The diflerence of climate has been 

 deemed by some scientific men as an insuperable 

 bar; but this objection is taken away by the work 

 which establishes the fact, that the greatest pro- 

 duce of silk in China takes place in the central 



