i06 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[July, 



every two daj's, lift the net with the worms 

 to a new frame and remove the litter. The 

 space must be increased as the worms grow, 

 so as to avoid crowding. They will need 

 more space the second day. To accomplish 

 this, in feedhig, when about half the worms 

 have come through the net -or paper, remove. 



and place a second paper with leaves for the 

 remainder ; in the same way the space may be 

 trebled by removing one-third at a time. The 

 leaves should be spread evenly, so that the 

 worms m[iy get the same amount of food and 

 keep together in their growth, as it is impor- 

 tant to have them molt together. 



li ^ 



DEVELOPMENT— Continued. 



FIFTH AGE —Continued. 





The leaves must be fed fresh and dry, wver 

 tvet or vnlled ; leaves wet with dew are especi- 

 a:lly injurious. Gather the leaves in the even- 

 ing, for the next morning's meal, and when 

 rain tlireatens, gather a day ahead and keep 

 in an airy, cool place, stirring occasionally to 

 prevent heating and fermentation, which will 

 ruin them. If only wet leaves can be had, 

 dry them by shaking up before a fire, or in a 

 breezy place. When food is scarce, lower the 

 temperature of the room, and t jb worms will 

 eat less. 



For young worms, gather only the small 

 leaves. After the second age, small twigs, 

 or branches, may be cut with the leaves. For 

 this purpose use a knife, or better, clip with 

 pruning shears. Gather in a basket, or bet- 

 ter, in a bag tied about the waist. 



The quantity of food consumed increases 

 very rapidly. The worms are said to con- 

 sume their own weight of leaves daily. The 

 worms from an ounce of eggs will require 

 about one pound of leaves the first day, two 

 pounds the second, three or four the third ; 

 after that the quantity diminishes as the time 

 of molting approaches^ 



After the second or third age, the net (or 

 paper) and frame may be discarded, and the 

 leavy twigs or branches with the worms, may 

 be placed on the platforms directjy. The suc- 

 cessive feedings of twigs are spread evenly 

 on the old ones until the mass is piled up four 

 or five inches to the next tier of pins or nails, 

 then lay a new set of five bars or sticks, with 

 the food on these, and when the worms have 

 ascended, drop out the lower tier with its lit- 

 ter and remove. 



Fig. 1, 



In using a second or third tier over the first, 

 as C, C, C, C, Fig. 1, it is necessary to place 

 beneath, on a couple of bars, B, B, B, B, cloth 

 or boards, to catch the leaves and litter from 

 above. 



The utmost cleanliness being necessaiy, the 

 litter should be removed often, especially dur- 

 ing the last three ages, as well as all dead and 

 sick worms. The consumption of food is 

 enormous during this age, the hatch from an 

 ounce of eggs requiring about fifty pounds the 

 first day, and by the fourth one hundred and 

 fifty, and double that amount the fifth, sixth 

 and seventh, after which the quantity falls to 

 about one hundred pounds for the eighth day, 

 but the quality depends on the vigor of the 

 worms, and also the temperature. 



During this last age the closest attention is 

 necessary, and the amount of labor is greatly 



