1888] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



475 



should be reserved to give in the intervals, and 

 principally on all the places where leaves appear 

 to be deficient, because strewn there too thinly at 

 first. 



The second day, there should be used, in the 

 twenty-lour hours, from 6 to 7 pounds of fresh 

 leaves, cut very small ; takint; care to <rive a small- 

 er share of the day's allowance at the first time, 

 and all that remains at the last. The squares are en- 

 larged liy degrees. Already the aspect of the worm 

 is not the same as on the day before. Its head is 

 larger, and whiter; the color of its body diminish- 

 es; its villosilies are much less apparent. 



On the third day, as the worms now cat very 

 greedily, and as they occupy almost two-thirds of 

 the sheets of paper, there should be given to them 

 3 pounds of cut leaves at each of their four re- 

 pasts. In order to satisfy them the better, the first 

 time there should be given but half ofthe allowance; 

 and if it is eaten in an hour, the time for the se- 

 cond regular repast should he hastened, as well as 

 to give the reserved help of the first repast, in the 

 interval between the two. Without their being 

 entirely covered over, their particular disposition 

 and the quantity of leaves cut to distribute, might 

 alone serve as guides in the matter. Their heads, 

 towards the close of this day, are much whiter ; 

 they have taken much more developement; the 

 villosities have almost disappeared ; their skins 

 have become reddish-brown ; their bodies, and es- 

 pecially their heads, have become shining, with 

 a semi-transparent apoearance. 



On the fourth day, as the appetite ofthe worms 

 diminishes, so ought their food to be lessened. 

 There should not then be used but 7 pounds of cut 

 leaves. The first distribution will be of 2^^ pounds, 

 and the others will be diminished in proportion 

 to the quantity of leaves of the preceding repast 

 which may remain untouched. The attendant will 

 also take care of the sub-divisions of the inter- 

 mediate distributions. The sheets of paper are 

 how covered with worms completely. By enlarg- 

 ing the space covered with leaves, at each repas*, 

 they are prevented from being heaped upon each 

 other, which might be injurious to them. As 

 fi'om the first part of this day the worms agitate 

 their heads, it is a proof that their outer skin now 

 troubles and overloads them. A great number of 

 them eat but little, and their heads have grown 

 much, and are more shining. By the evening, 

 the worms are almost all still, or torpid, and eat 

 almost nothing. Their bodies are almost trans- 

 parent ; they approach to moulting, and if observ- 

 ed near, and against the light, they appear of a 

 dull white, livid, and yellowish. 



On the fifth day, during the whole of it, 1^, or 

 at most 2 pounds of fresh-cut leaves are sufficient. 

 They should be scattered as equally as possible in 

 the course ofthe day, and only in the places where 

 worms are perceived in a condition to eat. The 

 quantity of leaves indicated, should, of course, be 

 increased or diminished, if, from any circumstances, 

 the worms should need more, or less. There can- 

 not be too much attention paid to the exactness 

 ofthe distributions, and the economy of the leaves. 

 Towards evening, the worms are almost all torpid 

 or still ; some of them are beginning to revive. 



The first moulting, [or castinsr off the first or 

 outer skin,] is now termmated. The worm takes 

 an ash-color. Its vermicular, or crawling motion 

 is very decided ; all its rings go and come upon 



themselves in a manner much more easy and free. 

 The leaves which are to sustain them ought to be 

 gathered at least eight hours before beipg given 

 lo the worms. Leaves may be preserved even for 

 a day or two, in a cool and dry place, sheltered 

 from heat and light. 



Thus the first age of the worms is usually com- 

 plete on the filth day, without countng in the two 

 days occupied in their hatching, and in collecting 

 and distributing them from the moment of leaving 

 the eggs. To this time they have consumed a 

 little more than thirty pounds of leaves. They 

 have increased to fourteen times their first weight 

 in the space of six days ; and increased in length 

 to foul or five lines, since coming out of the egg, 

 when they are scarcely one line in length.* 



It is especially recommended, to renew, from 

 time to time, the atmospheric air Avhich serves for 

 the wormsto breathe in the small laboratory, either 

 by opening the door, or the window, if the season 

 is mild, in the contrary case, of cold weather, 

 the worms are warmed by the flirnace, or the fire- 

 places, if there are any, to maintain equal and 

 constant the degree of heat which is necessary to' 

 keep them healthy, vigorous, and in good condi- 

 tion. It is even, in some manner, upon this first 

 period of their existence, that depend all the other 

 circumstances which are to bring on the success- 

 ful termination in view. j 



II. Second Age. 



In arriving at the second age, the worms from 

 five ounces of eggs should occupy a space of 73 

 square feet of the shelves, or thereabout, and the 

 whole space should be covered with paper. The 

 temperature in which they are kept ought to be 

 from 73 to 75 degrees. To change the litter, it is 

 proper that the greater number of the worms 

 should have awakened ; and when they come out 

 ofthe leaves where they were placed, they ought 

 to be changed immediately. When tliey are 

 unequal in reviving, it is caused by their not 

 having been distributed according to the rate of 

 their developement ; from the greater part having 

 eaten continually, while some have remained un- 

 der the litter, and all the others upon them, and 

 prevented thereby from breathing freely, or were 

 nearly suffocated under the leaves, where they be- 

 come torpid, when they should have awakened. 

 In short, the inequality of awakening is ovving to 

 the differences of vitality, or the decrease of it, 

 into which the worms have been forced by the 

 negligence of those who should have watched 

 over them. The inequality of awakening, may 

 also be attributed to the first hatched worms not 

 having been put in the coolest places of the labo- 

 ratory, or the latest hatched not being put in the 

 warmest ; or by not having increased the growth 

 of the latter by supplementary distributions of 



* A line is one-twelftfi of an inch. — Tr. 



f Throughout each of the ages, the like general in- 

 crease, first, and then the decrease of appetite, occur, 

 and the same general rules for distributing the food 

 should be observed. That is, during the tirst part of 

 the age, the meals of each day should successively be 

 increased in quantity, as well as the successive days' 

 allowances, until the maximum of appetite and of food 

 is reached ; and then a decrease of each day's several 

 meals, in succession, until the worms again suspend 

 their eating. — Tr. 



