89 



FARMERS REGISTER. 



[No. 2 



planting mulberry trees, and continuing my annu- 

 al roarings ofsilk-worms. In truth, in 1832, fear- 

 ing the invasion of the cholera, I limited my ope- 

 rations merely to raising as many silk-\yorms as 

 were necessary to preserve the stock of the two 

 precious varieties which you had sent me from Tu- 

 rin. JBut the crops of 1830 and 1831, increasing 

 in quality each year, have given fine products, 

 and furnished occasions for making new observa- 

 tions, which have entirely confirmed my hopes. 

 All the intelligent persons of our department (A- 

 veyron,) are now persuaded, by twelve public 

 rearings of silk-worms, made at Rodez during 

 twelve successive years, and vvhich have given, 

 on the average, 103 lbs. of cocoons for each ounce 

 of eggs, that no doubt remains as to the possibili- 

 ty of Tntroducing, generally, in our country, that 

 branch of agricultural industry, which oflers the 

 most certain advantages to all those who can, and 

 know how to avail of them. I will state, besides, 

 as additional proof, and which I think will be con- 

 clusive, the result of my operations of this year. 



Not having forgotten, sir, that I owe the great- 

 er part of my success to your kindness, and espe- 

 cially to the excellect instruction vvhich you have 

 frequently addressed to me directly, I am the more 

 desirous to continue to inform you of my trials, 

 and the progress annually made therein. 



To render my statement more exact, 1 shall lay 

 before you an analysis of the journal of my rear- 

 ing?, in which I have been in the habit of care- 

 fully noting the operations of each day, as well as 

 all the facts which appeared to me worthy of be- 

 ing examined. 



Rearing of silk-worms made in 1833, from 22^ 

 decagrammes of eggs, (1\ ounces.) 



May 7th. The eggs detached from the cloths, 

 and collected in the ves.sels for washing and 

 cleansing them.* 



11th. The eggs put upon hurdles of wood, 

 and placed in a small apartment, for the purpose 

 of hastening the hatching by artificial heat, 

 which was at first raised to 75 degrees, then to 

 77, and at last to 82.t 



18th. The worms hatched in great numbers; 

 this had been announced by some few of them 

 hatching the day belbre. The same day (ISth,) 

 the first lifting and removal of worms were made, 

 by the ordinary procedure, amounting to about 

 half the whole product. 



19th. Nearly as many more hatched. 



20th. A few more obtained. The balance of 

 the eggs appearing unproductive, were thrown 

 away. 



At the hatching, the worms were distributed 

 into three divisions, so as to make them come to 

 maturity at one or two days difl'erence of lime be- 

 tween the several portions. This plan has al- 



* The various operations which are here slightly al- 

 luded to, are fully described in the treatise on rearin"- 

 and feedini^ silk-worms, translated from the French, in 

 the 6th vol. of the Farmers' Register, from pa"-e 468 

 to 480.— Ed. F. R. 



t The degrees of temperature in the original are 

 marked according to Reaumur; in this translation, 

 they are changed to the equivalents of Fahrenheit s 

 thermometer. — Ed. F. R. 



ways been found convenient, because it facilitates 

 the labors of the last days, by dividing them, and 

 thus requiring levver laborers and less haste, and 

 permitting more economy. This plan is very 

 easy to put in practice, as the silk-worms accom- 

 modate themselves wonderfully to their treatment. 

 Their growth is forwarded or retarded at pleasure, 

 by employing more or less heat, and more or less 

 food, without danger of injuring their health in 

 the least. In resorting to this plan, however, it 

 must not be neglected to keep the worms of each 

 of the difl'erent divisions perfectly equal in their 

 condition, in order that the several moultings of 

 each may be made regularly and at one time. 



No notice will here be taken of any but the first 

 division. The same cares were given to the two 

 others, and the like results were produced. 



First Agk. — May 18th. The first day of the 

 rearing, the silk-worms were lifted at 10 o'clock 

 in the morning, bj" means of young shoots of wild 

 for seedling) mulberry. In this day they also 

 received two repasts of leaves chopped very 

 small. 



19ih, 20th, and 21st. They had four repasle, 

 each day. 



22d. They seemed disposed to make their first 

 moulting. Slill a repast of more or less leaves, 

 was given. 



23d. They are almost all in their dormant 

 state. To hasten to that state the more backward 

 ones, a lew more leaves were given to thera at 

 many times during the day. 



24th. No food given. In the morning, some 

 worms already awakened, and the others still tor- 

 pid. At 4 o'clock in the evening they had revi- 

 ved in great numbers. To-morrow all will be 

 awake. 



This first age, which has lasted 7 days, has 

 been very fortunate. Not a single worm has 

 been lost. The teiTiperature of the small labora- 

 tory has been kept constantly, by means of fire:, 

 at from 66 to 68 degrees. 



Second Age. — May 2.5th. At 4 o'clock in 

 the evening, the worms after having completed 

 their first moulting were lifted by twigs of mul- 

 berry of somewhat larger size, and changed to a 

 larger apartment. At 10 o'clock at night, they 

 had another repast. 



26ih, 27th, and 28th. They devoured, with 

 avidity, five meals each day. Their health is 

 perfect. Five meals were given lor the purpose 

 of advancing this first division two days belbre the 

 second. 



29th. Again five meals, but less copious. The 

 decrease of appetite indicates the approach of the 

 second moulting. 



30th. The worms eat very little, and by even- 

 ing are all torpid. 



31st. They revive, with facility. 



The second period has also been passed through 

 most fortunately, and again was of 7 days' dura- 

 tion. The litter has not been changed through 

 this age, because it was not thick, and never moist. 

 The leaves, besides, have been given with discre- 

 tion, and were always entirely devoured. As yet 

 there are no worms dead, not even of the sick and 

 the backward. The insects have continued so 

 lively and animated, as to cause good hopes of the 

 results. The temperature has continuccl, without 

 fire, at from 71 to 75 degrees. 



When it was determined to hatch mure than 7 



