478 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 8 



kles, as well as the head, and the skin no longer 

 appears hairy. The jreneral color borders upon 

 yellow orange. All their feet towards the poste- 

 rior end being developed, permits the worms to 

 cling strongly to whatever they touch and eat. 

 There is even heard a slight sound, which they 

 make in moving from one place to another, which 

 ceases when they fix themselves, and which be- 

 comes more strong as they grow older. Since the 

 second moulting the worms have gained six lines 

 in length, and have increased their weight fourfold. 



IV. Fourth age. 



The space which the worms should now occu- 

 py is of 412 square feet, and the temperature re- 

 quired lor them is from 68 to 71 degrees ; and even 

 should it rise to 73 degrees, or higher, there will be 

 no danger, provided the air be renewed from time 

 to time, by opening the doors and windows, [keep- 

 ing closed the Venetian blinds.] By this means, 

 the litter, is almost always moist, is hindered 

 from entering into fermentation, and disengaging 

 exhalations which would be extremely injurious 

 to the worms. Many times entire broods have 

 perished for want of such precautions being taken. 

 The hurdles should not be changed until almost 

 all the worms have got over their torpor. Those 

 first revived should be put in the places the least 

 hot, and the last where the temperature is highest. 

 The thermometer will easily direct to the proper 

 places for both. These attentions are even indis- 

 pensable, when it is required to make the worms 

 climb (to begin their cocoons,) all at one time. 



The third moulting being thus ended, the 

 worms should be removed, that they may no more 

 be disturbed, to the great laboratory ; where they 

 should have, that they may be at ease, 920 square 

 feet of surface on the shelves, whether in one 

 large apartment, or in several smaller, but conti- 

 guous, for the greater quickness and ease of the 

 services to be performed. However, as at coining 

 out of the third aire, they did not occupy but 459 

 square leet, it is necessary to mark oft' the spaces 

 in advance, and fix them by proper bands, or 

 strips, which may be moved to enlarge the spaces 

 gradually, and at will. There result from this 

 arrangement, essential in every rearing of silk- 

 worms, 1st, that the litter, (which it is not neces- 

 sary should be taken away in the fourth age,) 

 increases insensibly, and as it has very little thick- 

 ness, there is disengaged from it no marked or 

 hurtful odor ; 2d, by such thin scattering of the 

 leaves. It results that they are more equally eaten ; 

 they have no time to fade, and still less to be 

 spoiled; 3d, that the worms, being suitably dis- 

 persed, eat much better, and at their ease; it is 

 much easier for them to move themselves ; and 

 their perspiration, as well as their breathing, 

 is performed in a manner which is extremely be- 

 neficial. 



For the first day, which is the sixteenth of their 

 existence, there should be provided for the worms 

 thirty-eight pounds of small branches, and sixty 

 pounds of leaves cut only to about half sizes, by 

 the cutting-machine. When it is necessary to 

 remove the worms, there should be spread some of 

 the little branches of mulberry over two hurdles 

 only at a time ; and when these are filled and co- 

 vered with worms, they are transported on the 

 boards as before. The little branches may be 

 substituted by numbers of the whole leaves tied 

 together by their foot- stalks, to be spread out to 



receive the worms, and to be lifted and moved 

 when filled with them. Two persons being 

 charged with this part of the operation, and two 

 others conveying the boards with the loaded 

 boughs, or bunches of leaves, as quickly as possi- 

 ble to the places destined for the worms, will soon 

 effect the removal. If there remain some which 

 are still torpid, they must be collected and put in a 

 separate place. 



There are then distributed to the whole number 

 thirty pounds of leaves, all along the bands, in 

 strips, which are kept still at some width. The 

 scattered leaves are gathered to the places where 

 they are wanted, by the little broom. Soon all 

 the silk-worms are disposed equally over the 

 frames ; and if the leaves are still cut for them for 

 three or four more days, it is to induce them to eat 

 quicker, by the leaves exhaling a stronger smell, 

 and presenting many more surfaces to the mouths 

 of the worms. The second meal being ended to- 

 wards evening, when it is entirely consumed, the 

 worms become whiter, have much more strength 

 and vigor, and their movements are more marked. 



For the second day, there will be used 165 

 pounds of leaves, still cut, though but slightly. 

 Of this, the three first meals vi^ill be moderate, and 

 the last ample. The space which the worms oc- 

 cupy is gradually enlarged, as they now increase 

 in size rapidly. At the same time they take a 

 much whiter color. 



For the third day, there should be given in the 

 four meals 225 pounds of leaves, cleaned and cut 

 into large pieces. The quantities for the two last 

 meals should be much greater than the two first. 



On the fourth day, there should be fed 255 

 pounds of leaves. The three first shares should 

 be about seventy pounds each, and the last, forty- 

 five. Towards the close of the day, the silk- 

 worms are about 18 lines in length ; and they are 

 still whiter than on the preceding day. 



On the fifth day, as the hunger of the worms 

 will have sensibly lessened, 120 pounds of leaves 

 slightly cut, will be enough. The first distribution 

 will be the most considerable. The worms al- 

 most all become still or torpid. The other distri- 

 butions of leaves should be made only on the 

 places where worms, not yet torpid, are seen. Ge- 

 nerally they have increased in length two lines 

 more. 



For the sixth day. no more will be required for 

 feeding than thirty-five pounds of leaves divided 

 and given according as the want of them is per- 

 ceived. By the evening, the worms will have 

 evacuated; they are become much smaller; the 

 green color has disappeared; they are covered 

 with wrinkles which are scarcely visible. 



In the seventh day, the silk-worms accomplish 

 their fourth moulting, and come out of the torpid 

 state. Duringthelast7daysthey have increased in 

 length six lines. They are now of a grayish and 

 reddish color, deeply tinged, and their augmented 

 weight is quite visible. During all the time of this 

 age, it is absolutely necessary that the air of the 

 laboratory should be kept in a stale of continual 

 purity. Thus it must be renewed as often as 

 is found necessary, either by opening the doors, 

 the windows, the air-holes, or the ventilators, 

 whenever the outer temperature is nearly the same 

 with that of the laboratory ; and, in the contrary 

 case, by making fires in the chimneys with very 

 dry combustible matters. The purity of the air, 

 in which the worms are continually kept, is of the 



