1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



313 



feet long, three wide, on the plan described at p. 

 247, vol. vii., of Farmers' Register, These fur- 

 nished all the space used in the last stage of feed- 

 ing, and on this, to prevent mixing different par- 

 cels, the worms were unequally distributed, and 

 some were greatly crowded, while others had 

 more than space enougli. 



The worms were said to he of the gray four- 

 cast kind, producing cocoons generally of deep 

 orange color, a lew of sulphur yellow, and still 

 lewer of pure white. Nearly or quite as many of 

 the worms proved to be white as gray; but no dif- 

 ference was observed except in color. The num- 

 ber which were fed, by careful estimates subse- 

 quently made, and on different grounds, were sup- 

 posed to be about 10,000. 



So little food is required at first, that, cold as 

 was the weather, the leaves grew fast enough for 

 the silk-worms. Though the frosts nipped the 

 leaves in town, and killed many of the young- 

 est in the surrounding country after the olde'st 

 leaves were as large as a quarter of a dollar, still 

 the lower leaves were not killed, and there would 

 have been no entire cutting off of the supply, even 

 where most damage was suffered. 



The supply of food, though generally abundant, 

 (and one great error committed was its being 

 rnuch too lavishly laid on,) was deficient at some 

 times ; and the worms must have suffered on ac- 

 count oC too long fasting, or the too dry state of 

 the leaves* They were usually fed (unless when 

 too cold and benumbed to eat,) soon after sun- 

 rise, and frequently throughout the day. to 9 or 10 

 o'clock at night, when they had a double feed, 

 and no repetition until next morning. 



These general statements will" enable me to 

 omit many separate and particular ones to the 

 same purport in the following diary. 



April 13th. The worms hatched that day 

 brought to my house, and first fed at night. 



14th. Morning clear— but still colder than the day 

 before. Thermometer not exposed then to outer 

 air, nor observed early. Half an hour after sun- 

 rise, and still longer after the fire had been burn- 

 ing m the sitting room of my family, the temper- 

 ature of the table on which had been placed the 

 hatched worms, (and balance of eggs,) was 49 

 degrees. But few more hatched to day. Fire 

 kept up in the room, and food given frequently. 



15th. Clear— temperature of outer air 38| de- 

 grees half an hour after sunrise. The worms be- 

 numbed with cold, and scarcely showing any mo- 

 tion, though the fire had been desig^iedly lell 

 burnmg the night before, and probably kept burn- 

 ing until 1 o'clock, and the room was close. Frost 

 out of town, though not observed within its limits. 

 16th. Clear, and warmer. The worms which 

 hatched through this day were carefully separated 

 from the eggs still unhatched, by placing over 

 them perforated paper, through the holes of which 

 they crawled, almost as soon as hatched, to tender 

 sprouts of mulberry leaves placed upon the paper 

 above. These, which were about 1900 in num- 

 ber, (as subsequently and carefully estimated,) 

 were made the subject of particular observation ; 

 and these and all later hatched, (unlike the older 

 ones hatched in the preceding days,) had no bene- 

 iit whatever of warmth from fire. It was to day 

 nrst thought of to make and record regular ob- 

 servations of the temperature, and other circura- 

 stanees; and this hatchmg, of the 16th, was se- 

 \ OL, VI1_40 



lected lor fair trial, and particular observation; and 

 to which alone reference will hereafier he made. un- 

 less when otherwise mentioned. The treatment and 

 the advantages and disadvantages of every par- 

 cel were alike, after this day, except as to space — 

 and the expefiment worms were among the most 

 crowded. 



April 17th. Clear. First day of first age of expe- 

 ment lot of worms. I should have called this the 

 second — but for conforming to Dandolo, who does 

 not count the day in which the worms are hatch- 

 ed. The hatching of this day also preserved, se- 

 parately, and all the remaining eggs thrown away. 

 All the worms this morning were moved to the 

 small room above described. Turning colder. 

 At 9 P. M., interior temperature 61 degrees. 



April 18th.— 2nd day of first age. 



Morning 2 P.M. 9P.M. 



Temperature, exterior, 42*^ 66 42 



" interior, 53 66 56 



April 19th— 3rd day of first age. 



Morning 2 P. M. 9 P. M. 



Temperature, ext. 35i 66i 54 



" int. 49 59 65 



Clear. Frost. At sunrise, all the worms (of 

 every lot,) benumbed with cold, motionless, and 

 very little of the latest previous meal (of9 P. M.) 

 consumed. Earliest meal delayed until 7, when 

 the worms had revived by increasing warmth. 

 Turning warmer towards night. 



April 20. — 4fh day of first age. 



Morning. 2 P.M. 9P.M. 

 Temperature, ext. 46 72 55 



" ' int. 59 71 69 



Clear morning. This the first Avarm day. At 

 2 P. M. cloudy, and a very little rain. 



April 21st.— 5th day of first age. 



Morning. 2 o'clock. 9 P. M. 

 Temperature, ext. 49 63 45A 



" int. 601 61 60 



Again becoming very cold. 



April 22nd. — 6th day of first a^e. 



Morning. 2 P.M. 9 P.M. 



Temperature, ext. 34 68 51 



" int. 50 62 64 



Heavy white frost. Fog in the morning. The 

 edges of some of the young vvhite mulberry leaves 

 here, and also those of the morus multicaulis, 

 were seen to be seared by the frost. In the coun- 

 try, 16 miles below, as I afterwards heard, the 

 tender extremities of shoots of l/oth kinds, were 

 killed in some situations, but not in the more shel- 

 tered—nor the oldest and largest leaves of either, 

 in the most exposed situations. Damage to leaves 

 of one kind of tree as great as of the other. 



The worms (of all the lots,) had eaten but lit- 

 tle of the last night's meal, and were this morning 

 numb and motionless with cold. No food given, or 

 wanted, until 7 A. M. 



April 23rd.— 7th day of first age. 



Morning. 2 P. M. 9 P. M. 



Temperature, ext. 39| 78 63 



" int. 55 70 71 



Clear. Notwithstanding the severity of the 



colli, and great variations of temperature, and by 



which the worms certainly must suffer, ihey do 



not appear to have sustained any injury ; and eJE^ 



cept when beaumbed with cold, seem to be doing 



