f" A R M E k S ' REGISTER. 



283 



The great efficiency of this pldh oC vehtilatinij^ 

 has been demonslrated by experimenis, in vvliich 

 the cocoonery havinj; been filled vviih smoke has 

 been cleared by ihe drau<;hl of the chimney alone 

 in about two hours, and by cuuinji ofi' the com- 

 munication with the chimney and turning the 

 ventilating wheel at the rate of 70 revolutions a 

 minute, the smoke has been drawn out in 32 mi- 

 nutes, or about one-lburth the lime required by the 

 chimney. 



In the 'American Silk Grower,' recently pub- 

 hshed monthly by W. Cheney & Brothers, at 

 Burlington, New Jersey, there is a detailed de- 

 scription, with cuts, showinir the arrangement of 

 the buildintj erected by the trovernment architect, 

 lor Count Grimaudet, on his estate at ViiJemom- 

 ble, near Paris.* The scale of this building may 

 be imaiiined (i-om the liict that it is calculated to 

 siccommodate in one season the product of 80 

 ounces of eggs in each of its two winas. Its en- 

 tire length is about 160 feet, by 50 wide. It is di- 

 vided in the middle by a partition, forming two 

 wings, each of which is ILirnished with an air 

 chamber and all the appliances ol' a separate es- 

 tablishment. A basement story is appropriated to 

 the drying of leaves, when this is requisite, and 

 after the leeding is done, it is used as a filature, 

 the reeling being conducted upon the system of 

 Gensoul. The edifice is much more costly than 

 would have been necessary lor the mere purposes 

 of a cocoonery, it st <nds in the midst of a beau- 

 tiful park in the immediate vicinity of the chateau, 

 and the Count has indulged himself in the display 

 of considerable architectural taste. The propor- 

 tions are harmonious, and the ventilating chim- 

 neys rendered quite ornamental. The attached 

 mulberry plantations cover some 30 or 40 acres. 



In addition to this splendid cocoonery, erected 

 at Villemomble, in 1835, Count Grimaudet esta- 

 blished another near Versailles, in 1836. This 

 last, though not near so large as the one just re- 

 lerred to, is nevertiieless a fine establishment, be- 

 ing 120 ieel long, 27 wide, and 18 high ; within, 

 estimated to acconmiodate the product of 120 

 ounces of sillc-worm eggs. 



Should the rearincs at Villemomble meet with 

 the same success that has attended tlie new system 

 in other places, Count Grimaudet will find his 

 beautiful and noble establishment a source of great 

 profit, notwithstanding the extra expense lavished 

 upon it. Should he, for example, obtain at the 

 rate of 150 lbs. of cocoons to the ounce of eggs, 

 his 160 ounces would yield him 24,000 lbs. of co- 

 coons. 7'hese at 35 cents per pound would be 

 worth S8,400; (i-om which sum deduct lor labor 

 at the rate of ^53 dollars fijr every 10 ounces, as 

 estimated by Bourdon, and the net profit left 

 would be $7,550, a revenue which would richly 

 compensate for a heavy investment in mulberry 

 plantations, buildings, and fixtures. Reeling the 

 silk would considerably enhance the [)rofits, as the 

 raw silk would doubtless sell lor more than i^lOjOOO 

 alter deducting the expenses of reeling. 



In thus introducing to the attention of the Ame- 

 rican reader the new system of rearing silk-worms 

 adopted in France, especially in the central parts, 

 we do not wish to be understood as recommending 

 jts general em|)loymenl here. Its great advantages 

 in most parts of Europe cannot be doubted ; lor 



• And also ia tlie Fanners' Eegistcr, p. 77, vol. viij. 



there, as we have shown, they have obstacles of 

 climate to contend against that do not exist to any 

 thing like the same extent in the United States. 

 An examination of some of the details relating to 

 the contrivances and experience in that country, 

 where so much intelligence is now concentrated 

 vvith a view to improve the silk culture, cannot fail 

 to afford, either directly or incidentally, a great 

 deal of highly valuable information. VVeareliilly 

 of the opinion that silk-worms always succeed 

 best where they are kept at a pretty uniform tem- 

 perature, provided the proper ventilation be pre- 

 served. Even in the fine climate of our southern 

 and middle stales, artificial warmth is necessary at 

 times during the period of rearing, especially of 

 mornings and evenings. For this purpose it will 

 always be advisable to have one or more stoves 

 placed on the northern or western side of a cocoon- 

 ery, in which fire can be made as occasion may 

 require. Or, what is a still better arrangement, a 

 furnace and air-chamber in the basement or cellar, 

 with flues runninir under the floor perforated with 

 apertures for admission of the warm air. This 

 may be effected vvith compara'ively little expense, 

 and without that multitude of holes recommend- 

 ed by U'Arcet. For an apartn^ent 25 or 30 feeit 

 in length, eight or ten holes of moderate size will 

 perhaps suffice. Instead of flues above to draw 

 off the air, this, when too warm or vitiated, may 

 be allowed to rise, as it naturally will, into the gai- 

 ret, and then escape through ventilators in the 

 roof! Cocooneries having two stories are to be 

 preferred. 



As we regard the system of rearing pursued in 

 Lombardy on the estates of Count Reina better 

 adapted to the nature of our climate and other cir- 

 cumstances than any other with which we are ac- 

 quainted, we shall give the description of it fur- 

 nished by M. Puvis, a most intelligent French 

 author, to whom we are much indebted for infor- 

 mation upon this and several other topics connec- 

 ted with our subject.* 



The estates of Count Reina are situated about 

 two miles from the town of Come, in Lombardy, 

 and, as before observed, the seveial cocooneries 

 situated upon them are nearly all superintended by 

 his daughters in person. Hence, the course pur- 

 sued is called the system of the JNlisses Reina. 



When the time arrives to hatch the eggs, they 

 put them into small linen bags, and place these 

 between two mattresses that are not slept upon. 

 These are visited twice daily (i)r the purpose of 

 admitting the air to the eggs, and the hatching 

 usally begins in eiijht or ten days. Aller the eggs 

 have hatched, they are cartied into the cocoonery, 

 emptied into a small basket lined with linen, with 

 a piece of tulle placed over the top, or, instead of 

 this, a piece of paper perlbrated with holes about 

 large enough to allow jirains of wheat to pass 

 through. Over this tulle, or perlbrated paper, 

 young shoots of mulberry are placed, which soon 

 become covered with worms. The young worms 

 are kept near a stove, and a temperature of at least 

 77° Fahrenheit is maintained in the cocoonery, 

 which should never be placed in a situation ex- 

 posed to moisture. 



* Lettres sur rEducatioii des Vers a Soi, par M. A. 

 Puvis, Ancien Depute, Ancien Officier d'Artiilerip,. 

 Membre de la Legion d'Honneur, President de la So- 

 ciete Royale d'Emulation et d'Agricultura de I'Ain, 

 etc. etc. 



