74 



described as practised in Italy, are not required by us in 

 our highly favored climate. 



SECTION XXVII. 

 REMARKS ON FEEDING, AND QUALITY OF FOOD, &c. 



THE quantity of silk which the insects afford, is in 

 proportion to the amount of food consumed. The du- 

 ration of the silk-worm is prolonged by a cool season, 

 and by scanty or irregular supplies of food, but the 

 amount of silk, is in this case, greatly diminished. When 

 a crop of silk-worms thus linger, either through cold or 

 famine, for forty days, the amount of silk which they afford 

 is but inconsiderable ; while the bounteous harvest afford- 

 ed by a crop of silk-worms, fully fed and well attended, 

 which in a warm temperature, finish their labors in 

 twenty-four days, will produce more than a double 

 amount of silk. The silk-worm feeds night and day, 

 and the more it is fed the faster it grows, and the sooner 

 it will come to maturity ; and in proportion to the dimen- 

 sions of the insect, will be the size of the cocoon, and 

 the amount of silk produced. 



A certain quantity of food being indispensable to sus- 

 tain life, and the amount of silk which is afforded, being 

 of itself wholly the production of the excess of the food 

 consumed, it follows as a consequence that to feed them 

 profitably they must be fed well. 



In Persia they feed the silk-worms with branches, this 

 being considered the most economical mode for a hot 

 climate, as the leaves retain their freshness and flavor 

 for a longer time, being devoure'd with less waste. 



The Italians insist on cutting the leaves fine; but Mr. 

 Smith and some others in America have rejected this 

 mode, after trial, as the silk-worms tread down the 



