104 AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE. 



feet to 20 x 20 feet, according to variety and method of 

 working. 



Treatment of Silk Worms. All the varieties, 

 Japanese, Italian, Bivoltines, and others are produced from 

 eggs laid by the moth the previous season. The conven- 

 tional or trade method of dealing with the eggs is to treat 

 a card or cloth of the surface of 80 square inches as 

 containing an ounce of what is technically called " grain," 

 and an ounce should produce from 30,000 to 32,000 worms, 

 or about lOOlbs. cocoons. In Australia, the eggs commence 

 to hatch out in August, just as the mulberry begins to 

 break into leaf. The worms generally commence emerging 

 early in the morning, and continue until afternoon. About 

 2 o'clock it is advisable to take a smooth, soft feather or 

 camel-hair brush, and gently but rapidly sweep the 

 worms from the card or cloth into a tray. This done, 

 some finely cut leaves should be scattered, to which the 

 worms will instantly crawl, and the first operation is so 

 far complete, care being taken to mark the date on each 

 tray. Trays of convenient size are made 18 by 14 inches, 

 and are simply frames of 1| inch x inch timber, the 

 bottom being calico or Victoria lawn. Eight such trays 

 will be required for the product of an ounce of " grain." 

 The worms should be fed three or four times a day with 

 finely cut leaves, until they have reached their first stage, 

 which will be from four to five days after hatching. The 

 quantity of leaves for an ounce will be at first from 2^ Ibs. 

 to 3 Ibs. per day to 20-30 Ibs. as they grow to maturity. 

 Thirty pounds leaves make about one pound cocoons. 



From Worm to Silk. The time at which the spinning 

 stage is reached is subject to much difference, arising from 

 feeding, from the weather, and from the kind of worm 

 itself. We have known worms to mature in thirty-four 

 days ; others were sixty before they began to spin. The 

 average of a good Japanese, however, may be taken, in an 

 ordinary season, at from forty to fifty-five days. The 

 " bivoltines " grow more rapidly than the annual sorts. 

 When the worms show a desire to crawl to the sides of the 

 trays, and assume a transparent tinge, the time for their 

 removal has come. A good method of dealing with them 



