58 



In some parts of China, where the climate is most 

 suitable, the silk-worms are suffered to remain at liberty 

 on their native mulberry trees. There, uncontrolled, 

 and unaided by man, they pass through their various 

 mutations among the branches. When the cocoons are 

 formed, they are collected from the trees, except only a 

 few, which are left for reproduction. 



The experiment of raising silk-worms in the open air, 

 was tried in Languedoc, in France, by Monsieur Mar- 

 tely, of Montpelier, in the garden of the College of Jes- 

 uits of that city, in 1764. In that year, 1200 francs 

 were appropriated by the Minister of France to defray 

 the expense of the experiment, which succeeded perfect- 

 ly. In 1765, the sum of 1800 francs were appropriated 

 to defray the expenses of a second trial. But owing to 

 the unfavorable state of the weather, and the heavy and 

 incessant rains, the experiment in this instance totally 

 failed ; and though the rearing of silk-worms in the open 

 air has not been attempted in that quarter, yet its partial 

 success taught the cultivators new and important les- 

 sons in regard to a more perfect system of ventilation. 



In China, when the mulberry tree has sufficiently put 

 forth leaves, the rolls of paper on which the eggs of the 

 silk-worm have been preserved, are daily suspended in 

 the sun the side on which the eggs are placed being 

 turned from its rays ; at night the papers are closely 

 rolled up and placed in a warm situation, and this be- 

 ing daily repeated, the eggs will be hatched in about 4 

 or 5 days. But in high latitudes the Chinese regulate 

 the temperature of apartments with stoves, that the eggs 

 may hatch simultaneously. 



The houses for silk-worms are in dry situations, and 

 in a pure atmosphere, and remote from noise. The 

 rooms are made very close, but with ample means of 

 ventilation, and the doors open on the south. Each 

 room or chamber is provided with nine or ten tiers of 

 frames, on which the rush hurdles are ranged one above 

 another ; on these the insects are fed during all the dif- 

 ferent periods of their growth. 



