284 



F A R iM E R S ' R E G I S T E R . 



During the two first agee, the worms receive ten 

 repasts a day of fresh leaves chopped very fine. 

 During the third and Iburih au^es, the number ol' 

 repasts are reduced to eight per day, and to five 

 during the fifth age. 



The leaves are cut lefs fine during the third 

 age, whilst in the Iburth Ihey are merely sorted 

 or ireed liom the stenn and fruit. The (juantity 

 given each time is sufficient lo cover the worms 

 with leaves. 



The worms are one day without eating in the 

 first moultintr, two days during the second, nearly 

 three at ihe third, and a little longer at the fourth. 

 Some leaves are, however, given at the com- 

 mencement of the moultings, jur the support of 

 such worms as are not sicl\. 



The space which the Misses Reina allow the 

 worms during the last age is much greater than 

 that recommended by authors who have treated 

 ujion the sul-ject, namely, 570 square feet (652 

 English feet) of shelves or hurdles for the ounce 

 ol" eggs yielding 75 kilogrammes, or 168 lbs. of 

 cocoons. This is more than double the room re- 

 commended by Dandolo, namely 170 vvortnsto the 

 t:quaretbof,or 183 French square leet(209 English) 

 to 31,200 worms, producin<r 121 pounds (French) 

 of cocoons. The space allowed ought lo he so 

 much the greater as the means of ventilation are 

 Jess perfect, the warmth greater, and the removals 

 of litter less frequent. As a mean, M. Puvis re- 

 commends 350 square feet (French) to the ounce 

 of ejigs. 



The temperature of the cocoonery is at least 77 

 degrees Fahrenheit in the first age, but is reduced 

 rather more than one degree each age, so that, in 

 the third moulting, the temperature is about 73 

 degrees. At this time ihey beijin to open the win- 

 dows occasionally. During the warmest hours of 

 the day, the ventilating holes are partially opened, 

 and, if the weather be warm enough, no fire is 

 made in the stove. During the iburih age, all 

 the ventilating passages are opened ; at the time 

 of the fourth moulting, the windows are kept 

 either entirely, or at least, half open ; in the fifth 

 age, and especially at the period of mounting lo 

 spin, all the windows and ventilating passages 

 are left open night and day, let the weather be what 

 it may, and, should the cocoonery not be capable 

 of the freest ventilation, the worms must, if possi- 

 ble, be conveyed to some other and larger apart- 

 ment. Where the whole of the worms cannot 

 be removed, a part of them must be taken away. 



By pursuing this plan, the Misses Reina obtain 

 average crops of 75 kilogrammes of cocoons (168 

 pounds) to the ounce of eggs, and what makes the 

 result more exuaordinary, with a consumption of 

 leaves equal to only 10 pounds lo 1 pound of co- 

 coons, being nearly e(iual to the greatest product 

 obtained by Reauvais in his experimental feedings, 

 aided by all the improvemeols and expensive an- 

 pliances of the new forcing system of rearing. 



This success is rendered the more remarkable 

 by the fact that it extends throughout ail ihe colo- 

 nies upon Count Reina's estate and has been iiir- 

 nished every year fbr many years past, embracing 

 good and bad seasons. M. Puvis thinks it is 

 mainly to be attributed to the frequency of the re- 

 pasts given in the first ages, to the large space 

 allowed the worms, to the active ventilation kept 

 up from the third age, and, perhaps, to the gradual 

 diminution of the temperature of the apartment, 



especially during the fifth age and period of mount- 

 ing lo spin. The climate has, doubtless, some 

 infiuence, tint ihe system contributes still more, 

 since the Misses Reina obtained a larger product 

 than any of their neighbors. 



This description of ihe admirable system pur- 

 sued by the Mi^^ses Reina induces us to believe 

 that the cocooneries of the count are of moderate 

 dimensions, and dispersed over his plantation so as 

 lo form so many colonies. It is with silk-worms 

 as with sheep or other animals, which, when too 

 much crowded, always suHer from disease. 'I'he 

 vital importance of ventilation, especially in the 

 last age of the worms, "is strikingly shown in the 

 plan pursued by ihe Misses Reina. The object 

 of placing the eggs between mattresses may be 

 intended lo keep ihem at a uniform lemperatnre 

 both day and night. The observation that the 

 mattresses are not to be slept on at the time, refers 

 to a custom in the south of Europe, particularly 

 among ihe peasantry, of lying in bed with their 

 silk-worm eggs tor several days, to assist in 

 hatching them. Others carry the egirs in iheir 

 bosoms or pockets, with the same intention of 

 subjecting Ihem lo the heat of liieir persons. 



Whether any particular advantaijes are derived 

 frotn the mode of hatching pursued by the Misses 

 Reina may be a question ; but, as it is extremely 

 simple, and the results obtained li-om their whole 

 system of management have proved so highly ad- 

 vantageous, it may not be advisable to omit any 

 direction which can be complied with conveniently. 

 We would lay particular stress upon the points of 

 increased space allowed to the rooms, and the 

 greatest possible ventilation in the fifth and last 

 age, when the solid, humid, and gaseous exuda- 

 tions from ihe worms, as well as the gaseous ema- 

 nations from the fermenting leaves and litter, are 

 most abundant and extremely noxious to the in- 

 sects. These emanations must be allowed to es- 

 cape, at all hazards ; and to close ihe windows 

 and ventilating passages of a cacoonery during 

 ihe last age, wilh the view of protecting the worms 

 against a storm, would be, in ihe language of" the 

 fable, to shut up ihe wolf in the fold. 



Franklin. 



From the Maine Farmer. 

 AGRICULTURAL PAPERS, &C. 



[The writer of ihe following article has made a 

 discovery which, however new to him, and 

 scarcely suspected by the great body of the agri- 

 cultural public, is no secret to any agricultural 

 editor, whether he be one of those who share in 

 the offence charged by the writer, or one clear of 

 all such illegitimate gains, made indirectly fi-om 

 ihe entire confidence placed by the public in his 

 editorial judgment, patriotism, and disinterested 

 and fair dealing. We are pleased lo see this first 

 effort, however limited in its range and application, 

 made to oppose this extended and still growing 

 evil. It would indeed be well fbr the much hum- 

 bugged and always duped public, if the whole 

 system of editorial trading (and not omitting the 



