108 GROWTH OF THE SILKWORM. 



reign of Justinian, and, at the period of the first crusades, its 

 cultivation was spread into Sicily and Italy ; but it was not 

 until the time of Henry IV. that this branch of agricultural 

 industry acquired any importance in the southern provinces of 

 France, of which it now forms one of the chief sources of wealth. 



627. The eggs of the Silkworm, when dry, have a gray-ash 

 colour ; and with some care they may be preserved thus during a 

 very long time without injury. In order that the work of incuba- 

 tion may commence, and that the larvae may be hatched, the 

 eggs must be exposed for some time to a temperature of at least 

 60 Fahr. After having experienced an increasing heat for eight 

 or ten days, they will become whiter ; and soon afterwards the 

 larvae will begin to come forth. These little animals, at the 

 time of their birth, are only about a line and a quarter in length. 

 Their body is long, cylindrical, annular, smooth, and commonly 

 of a grayish colour ; at its anterior extremity we distinguish a 

 head, formed by two hard and scaly tubercles, upon which are 

 seen some black points, which are the eyes ; the mouth occupies 

 the anterior part of this head, and is armed with strong jaws ; 

 the three succeeding rings have each a pair of small scaly feet, and 

 represent the thorax ; the abdomen is very much developed, and 

 has no members upon its two first segments, but is furnished 

 at the posterior end with five pair of fleshy tubercles, which 

 resemble stumps, and which serve as so many feet. 



628. In the south of France, these worms are called magnans; 

 and the name of Magnanerie is given to the establishments in 

 which they are reared. The first care that they require after 

 their birth, is to separate them from their shells, and to place 

 them upon frames, on which they find the food adapted for their 

 support. For this purpose it is usual to cover the eggs with a 

 sheet of paper, perforated with holes, through which the worms 

 creep to get at the mulberry leaves placed above ; and when 

 they are collected upon the boughs which are covered with these 

 leaves, they are carried away upon the frames prepared for their 

 habitation. The food of the Silkworm consists of Mulberry 

 leaves ; and consequently it is on the cultivation of this tree, 

 that the capability of rearing these insects depends. The White 



