FARMERS' REGISTER— SILKWORM. 



481 



along, and at last die, not being able to disencum- 

 ber themselves. If the surface be not smooth, the 

 moths vi'ill issue wilh greater ease; it is very fa- 

 vorable to the moths v/hen they put forth their 

 head and first legs, to find some substance lo which 

 lliey may fasten, and thus facilitate clearing out of 

 the cocoon by the support. For this reason, they 

 should be spread out very thin on tables covered 

 with a muslin or linen cloth. The life of the moth 

 lasts, in Italy, fen, eleven or twelve days, accord- 

 ing to the strength of its constitution, and the 

 mildness of the atmosphere. With IMr. Dusar of 

 Philadelphia the moths lived from five to eight 

 days; a hot temperature accelerates their opera- 

 tions and the drying which precedes their death. 



Hatching of the Moths, and their Preservation. 



Cocoons kept iu a temperature of 66° begin to 

 be hatched after fifteen days ; those kept in a heat 

 between 71° and 73°, begin to come forth after 

 eleven or twelve days. The room in which 

 the moths are produced should be dark, or at least 

 there should be only sufficient light to distinguish 

 objects. This is an important rule, and must be 

 carefully attended to. The moths do not come 

 forth in great numbers the first or the second day, 

 but are chiefly hatched on tlie fourth, fifth, sixth, 

 and seventh days, according to the degree of heat 

 in which the cocoons have been kept. The hours 

 when the moths burst the cocoons in the greatest 

 numbers, are the three and four hours after sun- 

 rise if the temperature is from 64° to ^Q°. The 

 male moths, the very moment they come out, go 

 eagerly in quest oi the female; when they are 

 united, they must be placed on frames covered with 

 lin.en, and made in such a manner as to allow the 

 linen to be changed when soiled. Much care must 

 betaken in raising the united moths; they must 

 be held by tiie wings in order not to separate 

 them. When one small table is filled witli moths 

 in a state of union, they are to be carried into a 

 small room, sufficiently airy and fresh, and wliich 

 can be made very dark. Having employed the 

 first hours of the day in selecting and carrying tiie 

 united moths, the males and females which are 

 found separate on the tables, arelo lebiought into 

 contact, put on frames, and carried into tjie dark 

 room. It is easy to ascertain if there are more 

 males than females. Tiie body of the female is 

 nearly double the size of that of the male ; be- 

 sides, the male which is single, beats ab,out its 

 wings at the least approach of light; the hour 

 amst be noted at w liich the tables containing the 

 united moths are placed in the dark room. 



If, after this operation is over, there still remain 

 some moths of each sex, they are to be placed in a 

 small box with a perforated cover, until the mo- 

 ment favorable for their union arrives. From time 

 to time, they must be looked at, to see if they se- 

 parate, in order that they may be brought anew 

 into contact. 



When any thing is to be done in the dark cham- 

 ber, as little light as possible must be admitted; 

 only sufficient to distinguish objects. The more 

 light there is, the more the moths are disturbed 

 and troubled in their operations, as light is too sti- 

 mulating for them. The boxes are very conve- 

 nient to keep quiet the males which remain, and 

 thus prevent tlie fine powder adhering to their 

 wings from flying about, and the destruction of 

 their wings, and consequently (heir vital power. 



Vol- I. -61 



The cocoons must be removed as fast as they are 

 pierced by the moth, for being moist, they commu- 

 nicate their humidity to those which are still en- 

 tire. The paper, also, on the trays, when soiled, 

 is to be removed, and fresh supplied. Constant 

 attention is required during the whole day, as 

 there is a succession in the process of hatching, 

 and union of the moths, which occasionally vary 

 in relative proportion to one another. Instead of 

 a frame, paper may be used for the purpose of re- 

 ceiving the eggs. A few good cocoons will not 

 not produce a moth, owing to their hardness, which 

 prevents the moth from making a hole by- which 

 to come forth. 



Separation of the Moth, and Laying the Eggs. 



If there be an excess of males, they must be 

 thrown away ; if of females, males must be allot- 

 ted to them, which have already been in a state of 

 union. Great care must be taken, when the cou- 

 ples are separated, not to injure the males. The 

 male ought not to remain united more than six 

 hours ; after the lapse of that time, take the moths 

 by the wings and body, and separate them gently. 

 All the males which are no longer in union, must 

 be ])laccd upon a frame; the most vigorous after- 

 wards selected, and united with those females 

 which have not yet had a mate. Other vigorous 

 males must be preserved in a separate box, and 

 kept in darkness. When there is a want of males, 

 let them remain united to the female the first time 

 only five hours instead of six ; the females are not 

 mjured by waiting for the male even many hours ; 

 the only loss sustained, is that of some eggs, which 

 are not impregnated. Before separating the tAvo 

 sexes, prepare, in a cool, dry, airy chamber, the 

 linen on which the moth is to deposite its eggs. 



Six hours, as just said, is the usual time for the 

 moths lo remain united, for in that time the eggs 

 of tiie female will be fully impregnated. It is also 

 the general practice not to use the male for another 

 female; but Mr. Delonchamps* assures us, that 

 in the event of having more female than luale 

 moths, the latter may be again used to profit. In 

 the year 1824, he raised many worms from eggs, 

 the produce of a sixth coupling, which were fully 

 equal to those produced from eggs at the first; the 

 union continued never less than from 20 to 24 

 hours; the male alter a sixth union appeared as 

 lively and brisk as at first, but he had no more fe- 

 males. The eggs from even a thirteenth union of 

 the same male with different females, had all the 

 characters of those of the best quality. In these 

 cases, the disunion of (he pair v/as, moreover, ne- 

 ver spontaneous, but always required to be eflett- 

 cd l>y the hands. 



The following is the manner in which the cloth 

 must be arranged : 



At the bottom of a tressel or frame, which must 

 be proportioned to the number of moths, place 

 horizontally, on each side of the length, two 

 boards, so arranged, that one of their sides maj'be 

 nailed lo the tressel, about five inches and a half 

 high above the ground, and that the other side of 

 the board shall be a little higher, and project out- 

 wards. Upon a tressel lay a cloth, so that it may 

 liang equally on each side. The ends of the cloth 

 must cover the boards below ; the more perpen- 



* Essai Sur I'llistoire des Muriers ct dcs Vers a Soie. 

 p." C2. Paris, 1824. 



