FARMERS' REGISTER— QUERIES ON BUCKWHEAT— SILKWORM. 477 



For the Fnnncrs' Register. 

 QUERIES ON BUCKWHEAT AS AN IMPROVER. 



1. Have any decisive eNperiments been made in 

 Eastern Virginia, to te.st the value of inickwiieat, 

 as a fallow .' How does it compare with clover 

 in this respect, esjjecially on thin lands.^ 



2. What is the proper time for sowin>!: it, and 

 how much should be put upon an acre.^ In what 

 stage of its growth should it be turned in? What 

 is its ordinary yield to the acre, when allowed to 

 ripen ? 



3. When sown between the rows of corn, at its 

 last ploughing, does it materially injure the growth 

 of the corn ? 



4. May it not be profitably sown upon oat land, 

 immediately after the removal of the oat crop, with 

 a view to a fallow for wheat in the fall? 



E. s. n. 



DIRECTIONS FOR REARING OF SILK WOR3IS, 

 AND THE CULTURE OF THE WHITE MUL- 

 BERRY TREE. 



Published by the Pennsylvania Society as-ociated for the pro- 

 motion of those objects. 



PREFACE. 



The Acting Committee of the Society recently 

 formed in Philadelphia " for the promotion of the 

 culture of the Mulberry Tree, and rearing of Silk 

 Worms," desirous of forwarding the views of the 

 association, have abstra* ted from the manual pre- 

 pared by order of the Secretary of the Treasury, 

 in obedience to a resolution of the House of Re- 

 presentatives, the following directions for the man- 

 agement of the worms, which they recommend to 

 the attention of those who may be desirous to en- 

 gage in the business. 



DIRECTIONS FOR THE REARING OF SILK 

 WOR3IS. 



Procure eggs in February and March, and 

 choose those of a pale slate or clay color; avoid all 

 which are yellow, as they are imperfect. Keep 

 them in a cold dry ])lace, (where water will, how- 

 ever, not freeze,) until the leaf buds of the mul- 

 berry begin to swell. If the eggs be soiled, dip 

 the paper or cloth to which they adhere, in water 

 once or twice, to wash off the coat with which they 

 are covered, and which will impede the hatching 

 of the worms.* Dry tliem quickly in a draught 

 of air, and put them in one or more shallow boxes, 

 lined with pa}>er ; which place, if possible, in a 

 small room, of the temperature of 64°, and keep it 

 up to that degree for the two first days, by means 

 of a fire in the chimney, or still better, in a brick, 

 tile, or porcelain stove ; or for want of these in an 

 iron stove; and use tanners' waste-bark, turf, or 

 charcoal for fuel, to promote and keep up a, regu- 

 lar heat day and night. The third day increase 

 the heat to 66°, the fourth to 68°, the fifth to 71°, 

 the sixth to 73°, the seventh to 75°, the eighth to 

 77°, the ninth to 80°, the tenth, eleventh and 

 twelfth to 82°. It is impossible to expect regu- 

 larity in hatching, if reliance be placed upon our 

 variable w eather ; and it is the regularity of the 

 worms coming forth, which will insure their uni- 

 form growth, save much trouble in feeding and 

 attending those of various ages, and cause the 

 whole or the greater part, to form their cocoons at 



* It is not necessary to scrape off the eggs from the 

 paper or cloth on which they have been deposited. 



the same time, provided proper care be given du- 

 ring their piogress. 



When the eggs assume a whitish hue, the worm 

 is formed : cover the eggs with white pa})er (never 

 use a news]iapcr) pierced full of holes the size of a 

 large knitting needle; the worms, when hatched, 

 will creep through them ; turn up the edges of the 

 paper to prevent their crawlinc: ofT. Lay twigs of 

 the mulberry, having two or three dry and youiig 

 leaves, on the paper, to collect the worms, and 

 more as they continue to mount. For v>ant of 

 mulberry leaves, feed for a short time upon lettuce 

 leaves perfectly dry; if large, they should be cut 

 in strips, and the mid- rib thrown away: or still 

 better, feed with the twigs of the white mulberry 

 tree cut up fine. The worms first hatched are the 

 strongest ; nevertheless, if only a few come out 

 on the first day, give them away, to save trouble, 

 and depend upon those which appear on the secontl 

 and third days.* Give away also the produce of" 

 the fourth day, and then the whole stock will go 

 on regularly. If it be wished to rear all that are 

 hatched, endeavor to keep the produce of each day 

 separate, by numbering the boxes and shelves. 

 When the leaves on the twigs are loaded with 

 worms, they are to be gently placed on clean stout 

 white i)aper laid on frames with crossed rattans, giv- 

 ing them a plenty of room. The shelves over 

 which these frames should slide, may be four feet 

 square, and fixed to upright posts, they may be 

 multiplied as required. Whether a distinct build- 

 ing or apartment in a dwelling-house be devoted 

 to a large parcel, it is absolutely necessary to se- 

 cure the command of a gentle circulation of air, 

 by having ventilators in the windows, floors and 

 doors. 



One or more tin circular ventilators in place of 

 panes of glass, would always insure a regular cir- 

 culation in the apartment : they may be stopped 

 when their motion is not re(|uired. Red ants are 

 deadly enemies to silk worms; to prevent their 

 attacks, the posts containing fixed shelves must 

 not touch the ceiling, nor must the shelves reacii 

 the walls; the lower parts of the posts should be 

 smeared with thick molasses. If the worms are 

 fed on tables or movealde frames, their legs may 

 also be smeared with molasses, or |)ut in a dish of 

 water; guard also against cockroaches, mice, and 

 other vermin. 



The worms being all hatched, whether they are 

 to remain in the first apai'tment, or be removed to 

 another room, or distinct building, the heat must 

 be reduced to 75°; for, as the worms grow older 

 they require less heat. 



It is imi)ossible to insure the regular hatching 

 of the worms without the use of a thermometer. 

 First y/ge — that is, until the worms have passed 

 their first moulting, or changed their first skin. 



The apartment must be light, but the sun must 

 not shine on the worms in any stage. 



Feed the worms with the most tender leaves, 

 four times a-day, allowing six hours between each 

 meal ; give the smallest quantity for the first feed- 

 ing, and gradually increase it at each meal between 

 the moultings. 



In about an hour and a half, the silk worms de- 

 vour their portion of leaves, and then remain more 

 or less quiet. Whenever food is given, widen the 



* This is important advice — much labor will be saved 

 by attending to it. 



