CHAPTER XII. 

 SILK- WORM GUT. 



IT has long been known that from the larvae of several 

 species of our native silk-worm moths, much longer strands 

 of gut, for leaders, can be produced, than from the Chinese 

 silk-worm ; but, while strands of satisfactory lengths have 

 been frequently taken, there seems to be a want of some 

 special knowledge, or a lack of some peculiar skill in the 

 proper treatment or manipulation of the larvae, or the silk- 

 glands, or in the drawing out of the fluid silk, in 'order to 

 produqe the silken strands of the desired strength. 



Among those who have been interested in the matter is 

 Mr. Chas. F. Orvis, of Manchester, Vermont, who, having 

 procured a number of cocoons of the two species of native 

 silk -worms, known as Platysamia cecropia and Telea poly- 

 phemus, hatched and raised the larvae very successfully. 

 In an article (Forest and Stream, 1886, December 16) giving 

 a history of his experience, Mr. Orvis says : 



" We drew many strands from both varieties, each worm giv- 

 ing two strands, i. e., one from each sac. Before drawing, we 

 put the worms in a dilute solution of acetic acid, or of weak 

 vinegar, which seems to render it more tenacious. After leaving 

 them for a few hours, they were taken out and drawn to their 

 greatest length, as related in regard to the Chinese worm. The 

 length was all that could be desired, for we obtained from the 

 cecropia strands ove* three yards (nine feet) long, and from the 



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