1838] 



FARMERS' R E G I S r E U, 



481 



For tlie Farmers' Reijis^er. 

 TREATISE OX THE CULTURE OF SILK. 



BY GIDEON B. SMITH. 



No 2. 



TVtc laboratory, futures, silk-ioorms, S,-c. 



The laboratory, or building in which silk-worms 

 are to be raised, must be ol' a size proportioned to 

 t'.ie n-jmber of worms intended to be kept. As to 

 its form and structure, no precise rules can be 

 ifiveo, nor, indeed, are any such necessary. Pro- 

 bably no two persons in Europe have laboratories 

 precisely alike ; and this fact goes to prove that no 

 particular construction is necessary. All that is re- 

 quired, ia, that the room should be of sufllcient 

 size to accommodate the number oi' worms intend- 

 ed to be kept ; that it should be provided with fire- 

 places or stoves, (or raising the temperature when 

 necessary, aiid drying the air, and with ventila- 

 tors in the ceiling, and windows on all sides, for 

 the purpose ol' ventilation and hght. I would, 

 however, recommend wooden, instead of brick or 

 Btone buildings, as they are more easily managed 

 as to temperature, than the latter ; and, in damp 

 weather, do not condense and collect water from 

 the atmosphere so much. In a large room, three 

 or four small stoves at the extreme ends and sides 

 are very useful in severe cold times, and also in very 

 damp weather. Ventilators may be very usefully 

 made at each side of the room (if the house be a 

 frame,) by leaving a space one or two feet deep, 

 and the whole length of the room, and reaching 

 to the floor, occupied by long shutters, hung by 

 hinges on the upper sides. In ordinary warm, 

 dry weather, these shutters may be raised, more 

 or less, as desired, and thus the room kept well 

 supplied with fresh air. During cold or damp 

 weather, the shutters will, of course, be kept closed. 

 A large room ought to have several vents for the 

 escape of foul air, in the ceiling. These may be 

 nothing more than ordinary trap-doors, two feet 

 wide and three ieet long, with shutters to close 

 them at pleasure. When these are opened, and 

 the ventilators at the sides also open, a fi-ee cur- 

 rent of air will be kept up through the hurdles, 

 and thus the laboratory will be kept free l>om im- 

 pure air. They will be found particularly useful 

 after a time of rainy or damp weather, during 

 which it has been necessary to keep the room 

 shut up. I have found fire particularly useful in 

 these damp times, (though the temperature was 

 sufRciently high of itself,) in purifying the atmo- 

 sphere in the room. 1 generally make a brisk 

 blaze with light-wood or shavings in the fire- 

 places or stoves. It has an admirable effect, not 

 only in expelling foul air, but in enlivening the 

 worms — probably by drying the damp air. I 

 have found much more use for fire, during such 

 times, than I ever have on account of cold wea- 

 ther. Indeed, we seldom have weather cold 

 enough to do harm at the. season of feeding silk- 

 worms ; though we do sometimes, however, it is 

 of short duration. Permit me to make one re- 

 mark here, on the etiect of temperature on silk- 

 worms. I would not be understood as saying or 

 believing, that the temperature could be neither 

 too high nor too low for a profitable result ; but I 

 do say, that silk-worms are not affected more than 

 Vol. VI.-61 



other insects, by its variations. Indeed, I am 

 pretty well convinced, that ordinary variations of 

 temperature areas beneficial to I he constitutions 

 of silk- worms, as ihey are known to be to other 

 animals. Extremes only do liarm. Do we not 

 find that a continued sameness of temperature, es- 

 pecially if warm, is debilitating to our own sj-s- 

 tenis, and to those of all other animals ? Look at 

 the people of the tropics. The temperature there 

 is seldom higher than witli us in summer, but it 

 is more equable — always nearly the same. I 

 neeil not allude to the efl'ect of it on the constitu- 

 tions of the people : their imbecile, languid, lazy, 

 spirhless characters, are proverhial. As we go 

 north, where the variations of temi)erature are the 

 greatest, we find the constitutions of nienand ani- 

 mals the most robust, indeed, variations of tenri- 

 perature, and the agitation of the atmosphere in 

 the form of heavy winds, appear to be beneficently 

 provided by the Creator, for the well-being of all 

 his creatures. Why, then, are silk-worms sup- 

 posed to be exceptions to this rule ? I cannot be- 

 lieve that they are ; and my experience supports 

 me in the belief of their being, hke all other ani- 

 mals, only injured by extremes. 



A pretty good calculation may be made as to 

 the size of the room required, from the fact, that 

 a room eighty feet long and forty wide will ac- 

 commodate one million of worms. Instead of one 

 room of that size, four of forty by twenty, I think, 

 would be preferable, as being more conveniently 

 managed, and being better adapted to a proper di- 

 vision of the worms, which may then be separat- 

 ed, each day's hatching being placed in a distinct 

 room. The temperature of the rooms can also be 

 more easily regulated, though possibly at some- 

 thing greater expense of fuel. 



In large establishments, a hatching-room will 

 be useful. This need not be large— say twelve by 

 fifteen feet. It should be made close, with a 

 couple of windows, capable of being perfectly 

 closed by shutters at pleasure. A good stove 

 should be provided, capable of raising the tempe- 

 rature to summer-heat, when required. This 

 room may be conveniently used, also, for killing 

 the chrysalis in the cocoons, as will be hereafter 

 shown. 



Another room will be necessary for the accom- 

 modation of leaves, a good supply of which for 

 a day or tv/o a-head, should always be provid- 

 ed, that no lack of a supply may occur during 

 rainy weather. A loll over the laboratory, or a 

 room in the basement, may be very conveniently 

 used for the purpose. In a basement, leaves will 

 keep fresh for three days, but they should not be 

 lef\ in compact masses, as they are apt to heat, 

 from spontaneous fermentation. It is proper that 

 they should be occasionally stirred and shaken 

 about, to prevent such an event. 



The fixtures of the laboratory, are convenient 

 hurdles or shelves, for the accommodation of the 

 worms while feeding, and spinning their cocoons. 

 The best form and construction, are those first 

 adopted by me, and which I believe are now in 

 general use. They are two and a half to three 

 li^et wide, and lour to five feet long. The size 

 may, of course, be varied at pleasure, without de- 

 triment or inconvenience. The size mentioned 

 will accommodate about 500 worms, when ready 

 to spin cocoons. They are made like the outside 

 t>arae of a window-sash, with a floor of netting. 



