CHINESE MODE OF BEARING SILKWORMS. 13? 



are extremely subject, owing to the dry and hot 

 nature of the climate. This is effected by getting 

 ,he moths to deposit their eggs on large sheets of 

 raper, which are taken immediately after being 

 extruded, and hung upon a beam of one of the 

 rooms, while the windows are all thrown open, to 

 expose them to the free circulation of the air. They 

 are taken down, rolled up, with the eggs inside, 

 ind each separate sheet of paper is hung up for the 

 Ummer and autumn. Towards the close of the 

 season they are again taken down, and subjected to 

 in immersion in cold water, in which a small 

 quantity of salt has been dissolved. Here they are 

 eft two days, when they are taken out, dried, and 

 oiled up more tightly than before, and each sheet 

 )f paper put into a distinct earthen pot. Some are 

 n the habit of using a ley composed of the ashes of 

 nulberry-trees, and subject the eggs to the cooling 

 nfluence of snow water, or expose them on trees to 

 mow and rain. 



The object of all this is to prevent the exclusion 

 f the caterpillar, till the leaves of the mulberry- 

 ;ree have expanded. No sooner is this the case 

 han the rolls of paper are taken from the vessels, 

 md hung up in the sun's rays, the eggs being 

 urned from them, but which are, however, trans- 

 mitted to them through the paper. Every night the 

 iheets of paper are rolled up, and deposited in a 



VOL. III. K 



