1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



479 



first necessity, to maintain their existence in a 

 state of sustained vigor, and to prevent the con- 

 tracting ot" diseases. The persons occupied in at- 

 tending to the worms, ought also not to suller any 

 disagreeable sensations in breatliing the air of the 

 laboratory ; and if they experience any sucli sen- 

 sation, or atfection troublesome to the organs of 

 the chest, however little it may be, they should 

 immediately use all the means at their disposal to 

 ■renew the air which surrounds them. 



V. Fijlhage. 



In the first dmj of the fifth age, which is the 

 twenty-third of the life of the sillc-worms, their 

 fourth moulting is finished, and almost all are 

 again aroused fiom their torpor. They ought now 

 to be kept at a temperature of 68 to 71 degrees. 

 Spread out upon 918 square feet of the shelves by 

 a sufficient number of persons, this operation 

 ought to be completed in eight hours at most. The 

 first distribution which is necessary to them, 

 amounts to ninety pounds of small branches, or 

 whole leaves, and as much of others, but after 

 having been cleaned. The branches must be 

 spread out upon four or five hurdles. As soon as 

 covered with the worms, the branches are carried 

 toother frames, in the middle of each of which 

 there is left a vacant interval of more than half 

 the size of the irame. The frames from which 

 the worms are thus removed, are then cleaned ; 

 and all the worms which may be still torpid, and 

 left on them, are to be collected together, as di- 

 rected fbrmerlj', upon separate shelves, in the 

 warmest part of the laboratory, and taken such 

 special care of, that they may arrive at the latter 

 conditions in the same time with the others. 



If attention has been paid in first placing the 

 worms on half of the shelves — if the interval 

 in the middle of the hurdles has been well pre- 

 Berved — in two changes, all the worms will be 

 found equally distributed through all the interior 

 of the laboratory, and in a suitable manner. The 

 leaves of the branches used will have served for 

 one of the meals ; what remains of the leaves 

 and other branches will be given after an interval 

 of six hours ; taking care to bring together with 

 the little broom all the leaves too much scattered, 

 and to disperse the worms which may be too much 

 clustered together, into places where there is space 

 to spare. At the last meal, which will be hut of 

 forty-five pounds of leaves, the boards should be 

 again moved, to allow more space to the worms. 

 All will then appear to enjoy a degree of vigor 

 eufficiently well marked. Fresh air should be 

 given by the windows, if the outer temperature 

 should be nearly equal to that of the laboratory, 

 and especially while the cleaning is done. Slight 

 attention to the thermometer and hygrometer will 

 serve to show what changes may be made in the 

 air. * 



* A hygrometer is any instrument for measuring or 

 comparinp; the different degrees of moisture in the atmo- 

 sphere. If no better can be conveniently provided, a 

 very simple but sufficient one may be made with a 

 long twine suspended from one fixed end in the labo- 

 ratory, and having a weight at the other end, to keep 

 it well stretched. The length of the string will con- 

 tract in proportion to the degree of moisture in the 

 surrounding air, and extend in proportion to the dry- 

 ness ; and the changes will be readily shown in a gra- 

 duated scale, along-side or over which the weight will 

 rise or sink, as the string contracts or expands in 



In the second day, the spaces should be again 

 enlarged, and there should be given to the worms, 

 270 pounds of clean leaves, divided in the lollovv- 

 ing manner: fitty-two pounds li)r the (irst meal, 

 and ninety-seven lor the last ; [ihc balance of 121 

 pounds, for the two middle repasts.] It is plainly 

 seen, towards the end of the day, that the worms 

 are much whiter than the day belbrc, and that 

 they are rapidly tending to their further develope- 

 ment. 



On the third day, there should be spread over 

 the worms, which are now very voracious, 420 

 pounds of clean leaves. The first meal will be of 

 77 pounds ; the second and third, of more than 100 

 pounds each ; and the fourth will take 120 ])ounds. 

 It is very certain that they can eat much more; 

 but the quantity indicated here has always ap- 

 peared sufficient to keep them vigorous, when care 

 is taken to continue to manage the bands, and en- 

 large the spaces in proportion to the increase of 

 food. The worms are now 26 and 28 lines in 

 length, and their whiteness is also much increased. 



On the fourth day, the quantity of leaves to be 

 given should still be increased. The first meal 

 will be of 120 pounds, the two following of 135 

 each, and the last of 150. The appetite of the 

 worms is still greater, and they have, in very little 

 time, reached a length of about 3 inches. They 

 consequently require much food, and there is no- 

 thing to be feared in giving to them the 540 

 pounds of leaves. 



On the fifth day, the provision of leaves ought 

 to be augmented to 810 pounds; of which the first 

 distribution will be 150 pounds, the last 210, and 

 the two intermediate meals, 220 and 230 pounds 

 of leaves. It is also often of necessity to make 

 some partial distribution of leaves, in the intervals 

 of time between the greater, especially in places 

 where it is perceived that otherwise the worms 

 would be too long without food. If the frames 

 need clearing, it should be done at the close olthis 

 day, or early in the next, in not distributing 

 the leaves but upon four frames at once. But as 

 the worms are no more to be changed, or moved 

 away from the frames they occupy, the following 

 method for clearing will be followed. In a little 

 time after the leaves are spread, and as soon as 

 they are covered with the worms, they are taken 

 and placed as quickly as possible upon the little 

 tables, or moveable boards, used for transporting, 

 which are leaned lor that purpose on the edges of 

 the frames. The litter is then immediately taken 

 up from the frames, and thrown into the baskets. 

 This done, the worms are replaced as before on 

 the fi-araes ; and so on, successively, with all the 

 frames to the end. 



With whatever quickness the litter may be 

 changed, the operation is always too long ; and, 

 therefore, it is necessary to feed the worms first 

 cleaned, so as to leave no interval, and that the 

 meals may be shared equally between the last and 

 the others. The manager must look well to the 

 state of the interior of the laboratory, in respect to 



length. As the amount of variation will be in propor- 

 tion to the length of the string, and, of course, the size 

 of the degrees, marked on the scale, and the accuracy 

 of the scale, the length may be made as great as de- 

 sired, and yet the whole kept within convenient hmits, 

 by passing the string backwards and forwards, and 

 horizontally, over the rollers of sundry small pully- 

 wheels, which will yield freely to the slightest impulse 

 of the string. — Tr. 



