378 GRArE CULTURE AND WINE-IMAKING. 



on a plato ma}^ serve very well as a sign whether the inclosed air 

 needs improving by its getting humid. The direct influence of 

 the sun's raj-s is very detrimental to the worms ; it must be mod- 

 erated by window-curtains made of paper or linen. In regard to 

 the w\armth of the room, it must be borne in mind that the worm, 

 from its first moment of existence to its spinning in, requires a 

 gradual reducing of it ; so that if it needs 22° R at the time of its 

 creeping out, it only wants 18° at the spinning in. 



In order to let them properly thrive, it needs that in life they 

 are not too much pressed together. For those from one ounce of 

 eggs the following spaces are considered sufficient : At their first 

 period, 5 square feet ; second, 10 ; third, 23 ; fourth, 55 ; fifth, 

 120. If the previously-mentioned crates hold about 12 square 

 feet, about 10 of them would suffice for the worms derived from 

 1 ounce of eggs. 



Cleaning of the Crates. 



Cleanliness is half the food. Would the breeder keep his 

 worms in good health, he must remove in time the waste of the 

 leaves, and the easily fermenting manure. This is done in the 

 following manner : 



The caterpillars are cleaned for the first time by small twigs 

 strewn over them at their first shedding of the skin. The ani- 

 mals, collecting thereon, are transferred to clean places by means 

 of small pincers, and then fed. After one brood is taken off, the 

 act of covering and transferring is repeated over again, until all 

 have been cared for. The remaining portions of food and ma- 

 nure are removed on the following day, when sure that no worms 

 are forgotten. The same manner of proceeding is adopted after 

 the second and third shedding. After the fourth, it is repeated 

 every second day. Persons perspiring freely at their hands are 

 not fit to do this important business. 



The taking off of the worms must be attended with great care, 

 as the tender animals are otherwise very easily hurt. The best 

 way is to take hold of them close to their head without pressing, 

 and to loosen them tenderly from the place they stick on. 



A newer and very excellent method is the following: After 

 the third shedding, spread over them a net with meshes wide 

 enough to allow the worm& freely to pass through (the nets hav- 

 ing the width and length of the crates). They will soon creep 

 through and upon it. The nets are now fastened to several small 

 sticks provided with hooks, to the right and left of the crates, lift- 

 ed up by means of these, and hung upon nails driven into the 

 posts for this purpose. Now the crates can be cleaned off, and 

 the worms, with the net, let down upon them. In this simple 

 manner the cleaning of many crates and worms may be done in 

 a very short time. Care has to be taken that the dirt and dust 

 of the upper tier of crates does not fall upon those below. 



