1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 235 



any thing so readily as green bushes. The only objection I see to 

 them is, the cocoons cannot be taken from the bushes with quite the 

 same facility with which they may be removed from straw, or some 

 other fixtures. A little more experience, gathered from different sec- 

 tions of the country, will enable us to adopt the most approved plan 

 for winding. Of the mammoth white cocoons, it recjuired an average 

 of 317 to the lb., weighed just as taken from the shelves; of the sulphur 

 it required 390. 2S8 of the largest white made one lb., and of the 

 largest sulphur 247. The worms were fed on the shelves without hur- 

 dles, and the litter was removed from the shelves about every fourth 

 day. Sometimes they went from one moulting to another without 

 having the shelves cleaned. The shelves were cleaned without hur- 

 dles, in the following maimer. The attendant had a thin half inch 

 board, planed smooth, 18 by 24 inches After the worms ap|)eared to 

 be through their moulting, fresh leaves were given them, the attendant 

 took up these leaves, the worms adhering, and laid them on the board 

 which she held in her hand, and thus removed them to clean shelves; 

 if all did not attach to the first leaves, others were strewed on, and 

 generally the second time going over all were removed. Many objec- 

 tions may be urged against hurdles. 'I'hey are expensive. Hurdles to 

 feed 1,000,000 of worms will cost several hundred dollars. TW\s ex- 

 pense is by no means counterbalanced by the labor which they will 

 save, for it admits of doubt whether, after all, there is much labor sav- 

 ed. The worms w/// no/ r/// ascend on the fresh hurdles, and if the 

 policy of throwing away all that do not a.-'Caid readily, is adopted, 

 probably one half the worms will be thrown away; if this is not done, 

 leaves must be thrown on after the hurdles arc removed, and the worms 

 must be taken off as they are without the hurdles. Another objection 

 is, the difficulty of preventing the worms from winding under the hur- 

 dles and around them, among the litter. Besides the plan of feeding 

 \vithout hurdles is much more simple, and on this account to be re- 

 commended to the great mass of persons who will feed. My worms 

 were fed as often during the day as they needed it, say five or six 

 times ; they were 7icvcr fed at night. During the whole time of feed- 

 ing, the weather was very variable, the thermometer ranged from 60° 

 to 90°, with frequent easterly storms of several days continuance; one 

 storm lasted eight days, from August lf)th to xAugusl 23d, itirlusive. 

 Several storms were accompanied with severe thunder and lightning. 

 August 13th, a br.rn w.is struck with lightning and burnt to the ground, 

 less than one hundred yards from the cocoonery. The worms appear- 



