68 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Sept. 19, lS-28. 



SILK. 



II. Choosing the Cocoons for the production of Eggs. 



Coiiliiiued from page 60. 



About two ounces of eggs may bn savetl out of 

 Olio pound aiul a half of malo and female cocoons. 



Tlie small cocoous of a straw color, vvitii liard 

 ends, and line webs, and wliicji are a little de- 

 pressed in the middle, as if tightened by a ring or 

 circle, are to be preferred. There are no certain 

 signs to distingnisli the male and female cocoous: 

 the best known are the following. 



The small cocoons sharper at one, or both ends, 

 and depressed in the middle, generally produce 

 the male. The round full cocoons, witliout ring 

 or depression in the middle, usifelly contain the 

 female. 



These may be distinguished from the dupoins 

 by the extra size, the clumsy shapa, rather round 

 than oval, of the latter. As, however, all marks 

 may fail, an extra number may be kept, of the 

 best of I hose which are spun double, and when 

 the moths come out, the males and females being 

 easily distinguished, an addition can be made 

 from them to the defective side. 



By shaking the cocoon close to the ear, we 

 may generally ascertain whether the chrysalis be 

 alive. ]f it be not dead, and loosened from the 

 cocoon, it yields a sharp sound. When dead, it 

 yields a muffled sound, and is more confined in 

 the cocoon. 



III. Presei'vafion of Cocoons intended for Seed, or 



until the appearance of the Moth. 



Experience shows that where the temperature 

 of the room is above 73°, the transition of the 

 i.-hrysalis to the moth state would be too rapid, 

 and the coupling will not be productive ; if below 

 66°, the developemeiit of the moth is tardy, 

 which is also injurious. Damp air will change it 

 into a weak and sickly moth ; the apartment 

 should therefore be kept in an even diy tempera- 

 ture, between 66° and TS''. When collected, 

 spread the cocoons on a dry floor, or on tables, 

 and strip them clean of down or floss, to prevent 

 the feet of the moth being entangled in it when 

 coming out. While cleaning them, all those that 

 appear to have any defect should be laid aside ; 

 this is the time, also, to separate the male and fe- 

 male cocoons, as far as vre can distinguish them. 



Select an equal number of males and females, 

 and keep the cocoons of the same day's mounting 

 separate, that the moths may pierce them at the 

 same time. If the good cocoons taken from the 

 whole [larcel, are all first mixed, and the selection 

 of those intended for breeding be made from this 

 general heap, many will be set aside which were 

 formed by worms that had mounted upon differ- 

 ent days, and which will be pierced by the moths 

 unequally, and hence there will not he an equal 

 number of males and females produced at the 

 same time ; this irregular appearance may cause 

 the loss of a great many molhs, or of several 

 iliousand eggs. 



When the selection has been made, the sorted 

 cocoons must be put on tables, in layers of ahout 

 two inches, allowing the air to pass freely thro' 

 them, that it may not be necessary to stir them 

 frequently ; but it is beneficial to stir them round 

 once a day, if the air be moist. When the seed 

 '■ocoons are not very numerous, they may be 

 strung upon threads, and hung against a wall, or 

 suspended from a beam. Just so much of the 

 middle of the cocoon is to be pierced with a nee- 



dle as is sufficient to attach it to the thread. The 

 middle is chosen, because it cannot be ascertained 

 at which en<l the moth will pierce the cocoon — 

 Place a male and female cocoon alternately upon 

 the thread, that they may be near each other 

 when they come out. 



If the heat of the apartment is above 73°, ev- 

 ery method of diminishing the heat should be 

 tried : such as keeping all the apertures to the 

 sunny side carefully closed, to cause thorough 

 drafts of air to dry the humidity that exhales from 

 the chrysalides. Sliould the temperature rise to 

 78° or 82^, the cocoons must be put in a cooler 

 place, as a dry cellar. 



Seventh Age of the Silk Worm. 



The seventh, and the last age of the silk worm, 

 i comprises the entire life of the moth. 

 I The formation of the inotli, and its disposition 

 j to issue from the cocoon, may be ascertained 

 I when one of its extremiiies is perceived to be wet, 

 which is the part occupied by the head of the 

 moth. A few Hours after, and sometimes in one 

 hour after, the moth will pierce the cocoon and 

 come out ; occasionally the cocoon is so hard, 

 and so wound in silk, that the moth in vaiu strives 

 to come forth, and dies in the cocoon. Some- 

 times the female deposits some eggs in the cocoon 

 before she can get out, and often perishes in it ; 

 this circumstance has induced some to extract the 

 chrysahs from the cocoon by cutting it, that the 

 moth ma}- have only to pierce its thin envelope ; 

 but the experienced D.Tudolo disapproves of the 

 practice (although he has performed the operation 

 with success,) because it is tedious; and should 

 the moth be put on a plain surface, five in a hun- 

 dred will not be able to get out, but will drag the 

 envelope along, and at last die, not being able to 

 disencumber themselves. If the surface be not 

 smooth, the moths will issue with greater ease ; 

 it is very favorable to the moths when they put 

 forth their head and first legs, to find some sub- 

 stance to which they may fasten, and thus facili- 

 tate clearing out of the cocoon by the support. — 

 For this reason, they should he spread out ve 

 thin on tables covered with a muslin or linen cloth. 

 The life of the moth lasts, in Italy, ten, eleven, or 

 twelve days, according to the strength of its con- 

 stitution, and the mildness of the atmospliere. — 

 Wi'Ji Jlr. Dusar, of Philadelphia, the moths lived 

 from five to eight days ; a hot tenip'^raturc accel- 

 erates their operations and the drying which pre- 

 cedes their death. — To he continued. 



GEOLOGY. 

 One of the tftost singulai deposits of rock apon 

 ■the earth is between Boston and Providence. It 

 is an aggregate of jiebbles of all sizes, from a foot 

 j or more in diameter to grains so fine that they 

 cannot be distinguished by tie naked eye. A ce- 

 I mentiiig substance fills the spaces between the 

 ; pebbles, and unites them ii.li* a mass sometimes 

 almost as compact as a piece of granite, but fre- 

 quently so loose that it is easily separated, and 

 even falls to pieces by exposure to the air and 

 seasons. It is said that the ledges are of the 

 ; coarsest texture near the surface, or on tiie high- 

 ; est peaks, and as a descent is made they gradual- 

 j ly grow finer, and finally become a sandstone or 

 I perhaps a fine slate. The composing pebbles 

 j have smooth and rounded surfaces, evidently pro- 

 '• duced by attrition or rubbing against each otlier 

 at some former period, and in some different posi- 

 tion. 



I Perhaps the most unaccountable fact respect- 

 ing this singular deposit, is the seams or fissures 

 which divide the ledges in various directions, pass- 

 ing so straight and exact in their course, that they 

 separate the smallest grains and leave the surface 

 as smooth as if it was polished. The pebbles arc 

 quartz, felspar, argillite and hornblende. 



The Catsldll Mmmtains present a phenomenon 

 bearing some resemblance to those already men- 

 tioned. The highest peaks of this range, which 

 here and there tower above the rest, are compos- 

 ed of aggregates, resembling the coarsest masses 

 deposited in the range from Boston to Providence, 

 while the great mass of mountain on the declivity 

 below resembles in its texture the finest portion of 

 the other. 



I mention the facts and leave them for othei-s 

 to explain. 



I This rock is called graywacke, and coarse gray- 

 wacke is called pudding stone. — Boston Patriot. 



AGRICULTURE. 



Wc understand that the price of wheat has 

 lately ex])eriimced a considerable rise, and is now 

 .selhng at Albany at 10s 6d the bushel. This 

 change in our markets may be ascribed to an an- 

 ticipation of short crops, in many parts of the 

 country, in consequence of an unfiivorable season. 

 It appears by the late intelligence from Europe, 

 that Great Britain and the continent, as well as 

 our own country, have been visited by severe 

 storms and floods, which will prove injurious to 

 the harvests. From these causes, operating so 

 extensively, it is not imiirobable that foreign ports 

 will be necessardy opened, ami t!ie price of agri- 

 cultural ju-oduce greatly enhanced during the 

 present year. — J^eiv York Statesman. 



The harvest has proved so short in Upper Can- 

 ada, that the Lieut. Governor is about to prohibit 

 distillation from grain. 



We take this opportunity to remind our agri- 

 ] cultural friends, that the 15th day of October ne.xt, 

 J is the day designated by the Executive C'ommit- 

 j tec, of the Hartford County Agricultural Society. 

 i for the Cattle Show and Fair. Tlie Committee 

 I Laving made the necessary arrangements, pi epar- 

 ' atory to this exhibition, all that is now wanting' to 

 gi\e it an- important character, is the exercise of 

 ' a proper feeling among the friends of d^riculture 

 throughout the county. 



I We do hoiie that (this year) we shall not be be- 

 ' hind our friends in the neighboring Counties. — 

 : We can have if we will, a rich and interesting ex- 

 hibition. We have the means within our power. 

 In the exercise tlien of that noble spuit of emu- 

 lation, so characteristic of the farmers in other 

 sections of the State, do let us avail ourselves of 

 tliem. — Hartftjrd Mirror. '.• 



Cattle Show and Fair. — The season for our an- 

 inual Cattle Show and Fair is fast approaching, 

 ! and we doubt not the farmers have before this 

 commenced their preparations for the occasion. — 

 We learn with pleasure that several farms have 

 been entered for the premium, and that the pros- 

 pect generally of an interesting exhibition is very 

 : favorable. — Hartford Couranl. 



Honey a cure for the Gravel. — A gentleman cur- 

 ed thig disorder by sweetening his tea with half 

 lioney and half sugar. Others have followed thr 

 same prescription \vith success. 



