374 GR.VPE CULTURE AND WINE-IMAKING. 



the room), about 5 feet distant, on a straight line, and 2^ feet be- 

 hind one another, from the floor to the ceiling high, some feet off 

 from the windows. These are connected by a cross lath 2 feet 

 apart, so that those nearest to the floor, as well as those to the 

 ceiling, are separated also by 2 feet distance from it, in a manner 

 that they may serve, at the same time, as support to the crates or 

 mats (later to be described). In case more than one such stage 

 is made, care must be taken to leave sufficient room between them 

 to allow a ladder to be moved about, serving the attendant to put 

 the feed upon the upper rows. 



The feed-boxes or crates, whose shape corresponds to that of the 

 stage, so that they may be easily taken out and put in again, are 

 formed by a frame of laths 2 to 4 inches wide, and of willow or 

 cane wicker-work. They may be made, however, of whatever 

 material happens to be nearest at hand and cheapest — water-reeds, 

 plank-shavings, etc., etc. For cleaning them out, it will be found 

 convenient to have them all of the same size, so as to fit in all 

 parts of the stages. 



The Eggs and their Development. 



To get good eggs must be a chief object, whether from one's 

 own breed, or from other well-reputed plantations if preferable. 

 This latter will be found best until some years' experience has 

 taught the art of breeding for one's self; and even then it might 

 be good 23olicy to exchange from time to time with other breed- 

 ers, as it will lead to the imjDrovement of the stock. A negligence 

 in this may often produce great disappointments and losses. The 

 most reliable sign of good eggs is a light-gray color. Crushed 

 upon a finger-nail, they must crack and emit a tough, cloudy liq- 

 uid. But only the very creeping out of the young caterpillars is 

 convincing proof If healthy, these have a reddish-brown color 

 and black head ; if sickly, they appear red or black. 



A careful breeder will finish all his arrangements at the proper 

 time, i. e., in the winter months. He will put the eggs into a clean, 

 but not air-tight vessel, about three times the size as required by 

 the quantity of eggs, and hang them up in a cool dry place (espe- 

 cially good cellars), in such a way that no mice can get at them. 

 They may also be put upon paper or linen, and this sHghtly roll- 

 ed up. From three to four weeks they need looking after, and a 

 free access of air while they remain locked up. Those upon pa- 

 per, also, must from time to time be rolled the other way. In 

 the winter it is well to expose them to the dry cold, for it is known 

 that even the most severe cold will not kill them, but will be of 

 benefit. Many breeders, for this reason, leave them in the open 

 air, only protecting them from the snow. At the coming of spring 

 they are taken to cool places, however, until they creep out. 



When the buds of the bushes and mulberry hedges begin to ap- 

 pear, the worms must be taken out of the vessel, and put (in par- 



