ITALY:— WINE AND SILK. 95 



are not kept busy the wliolc clay. When the leaves begin to 

 grow in spring, and wlien they have attained their full size, they 

 put a certain quantity of eggs under the mattress upon which 

 they sleep : the bodily heat hatches the eggs. Then some leaves 

 arc cut up very line and put in a dish. Several whole leaves are 

 then put above the young worms, who creep upon them. They 

 are then laid in the dish, and begin to cat. As they grow, the 

 leaves are cut up less fine, and the worms arc placed in larger 

 dishes, until they are placed on cane mats suspended from the 

 ceiling. They must be regularly fed, and a great deal. 



Kain-storms, or much lightning, will sometimes kill a whole 

 brood. When the worms are ready to wind themselves, some 

 dry weeds are stuck in the mats ; the mature worm ascends and 

 spins himself in. This is all the information I gathered from 

 these people, who kindly and willingly told me all they could. 

 Still, I should never have been able to understand them if I had 

 not known the whole operation before ; for I raised silk-worms 

 on a large scale, and in the most approved manner, on my domain 

 in Hungary. But I was willing to give my readers the manner 

 in which these people raise the worm. I will give a more de- 

 tailed description, as I intend to investigate the matter fully in 

 the silk-growing districts in the south of France. After present- 

 ing the lady with a five-franc piece, I took my leave of her, but 

 not before showing her a piece of quartz, and telling her that gold 

 was found in such stones in California. Her astonishment it 

 would be impossible to describe. 



I hurried to the depot in order to be in time for the steamer 

 in Genoa, which was to arrive from Marseilles, and go to Civita 

 Vecckia. I would here stop with my journal, and only continue 

 it from Genoa, but I must make a statement, which, though per- 

 sonal, gave me a piece of information concerning the wines made 

 here. 



As I before stated, upon our arrival at Nova we had taken 

 breakfast and a bottle of wine, which was Asti white wine. We 

 between us emptied about half the bottle, as it was very sweet, 

 sparkling like Champagne. It had a fine bouquet, but was made 

 without care or system. 



Soon after starting with the train I felt a terrible pain coming 

 upon me. I suffered intensely. I could not imagine from what 

 it originated. I had eaten no fruit, caught no cold, and my break- 

 fast was cold chicken and potatoes. My sufferings were intense; 



