62 THE SILK WORM. 



manner, for a few hours in the middle of the day, will 

 generally destroy the life of the Worm. 



Another method is to place them in an oven, mod- 

 erately heated, or in the steam of boiling water. On 

 this subject Mr. Cobb says : " I have used the first 

 method with success. The oven being moderately 

 heated, the cocoons were spread out in oblong bask- 

 ets, eight inches deep, in box covers, pans, &c. and 

 permitted to remain in the oven half an hour." Mr. 

 Smith, of Baltimore, speaking on this subject, says : 

 "I put the cocoons into a tight tin vessel with a cov- 

 er, closely fitted, and put this vessel into another a 

 little larger, containing such quantity of water as will 

 nearly fill it. Fire is then applied arid the water kept 

 boiling half an hour or more, according to the size of 

 the vessel, and until the cocoons in the inner vessel 

 shall have become as hot as the boiling water. The 

 cocoons are then spread out in a dry room, that the 

 moisture may evaporate." 



Another method of destroying the chrysalis, is by 

 the use of alchohol. On this subject Mr. Williams, 

 of Elm Hill, Roxbury, says : " The first cocoons I 

 raised were killed by putting them in a close tin ket- 

 tle, after turning in a gill of high wines, throwing a 

 net over to keep them from the alchohol, covering 

 them close, and placing the kettle in the warm sun. 

 The evaporation kills the chrysalis without staining 

 the cocoons. The two last seasons, I have found 

 New England Rum would answer the same end. By 

 this process, the embryo seems not to exude any thing 

 to stain its shroud, as it does by steaming and baking." 



There are other methods of stifling the Worm ; but 

 as the foregoing are considered the most easy, con- 

 venient and effectual, we pass them unnoticed. 



