176 TEXTILE FIBRES. 



.a hole at the end, generally from the moth having escaped. They 

 cannot be reeled in the ordinary method, as the thread always breaks 

 when it arrives at the perforated place. Latterly, however, it has been 

 tfouud that the moth does not rupture the threads, but only separates 

 and pushes them apart during the act of emerging, having previously 

 liquefied the gum which bound the threads together by means of the 

 alkaline fluid emitted from the face, and attempts have been successfully 

 made to adapt machinery to their reeling. 



"7. Chiques, cocons chiques are cocoons wherein the insects have died 

 before completing their task. These are known by the adhesion of the 

 worm to the cocoon, which prevents it rattling when shaken. The 

 silk of these is as fine as that of the first-mentioned quality, but not so 

 strong nor so brilliant ; and they must be wound separately, as they 

 sometimes furze in reeling. 



" 8. Cocons taches are defective cocoons, spotted or rotten. They 

 furnish foul, bad silk of a blackish colour. 



" 9. Dragles (calcined cocoons) are those wherein the worms, after 

 having completed their cells, are attacked by a peculiar disease which 

 .sometimes hardens them, and at other times reduces them to a white 

 powder, a fungoid disease known by the name of muscardine. In the 

 former case they are called comfit cocoons, from the resemblance borne 

 by the withered worm to a sugar plum. The quality of the silk, so far 

 from being injured, is generally excellent, and it is even in greater 

 quantity than in the cocoons of healthy worms. Comfit cocoons 

 may be distinguished also by the peculiar light, rattling sound of the 

 lead worm within. They are much esteemed and fetch a high price, 

 but are not of frequent occurrence. Three Ibs. of fresh or green cocoons 

 will make 1 Ib. of dried cocoons, and about 4 Ibs. of dried cocoons will 

 produce 1 Ib. of reeled silk. It therefore takes about 12 Ibs. of fresh 

 cocoons to produce 1 Ib. of silk." 



Sericiculture. In a recent article in the Society of Arts Journal, it was 

 stated that " In Germany, for some years past, efforts have been made, 

 and with considerable success, to acclimatise the oak silkworms of China 

 and Japan Aftacus pernyi and Attacus yama-mai. They have been 

 raised in the open air, protected from the attacks of birds by nets of 

 gauze or wire, changed from place to place as the oak leaves are consumed. 

 Late frosts and excessively dry weather have been injurious in depriving 

 the worms of food. In California, a new wild silk-moth, before unknown, 

 has been found thriving on the poisonous species of Rhamnus californicus 

 or R. purshianus. It produces a silk as good as that of the domesticated 

 Bom by x. Owing to the favourable nature of the climate, without the 

 frosts or rains of China and Japan, great hopes are obtained of propagat- 



