REARING SILKWORMS. 21 



FEEDING SILKWORMS. 



When the worm has sufficiently developed in 

 the shell, it makes a hole in the side and comes 

 out, usually head first. At first it is all covered 

 with black hairs, or fine feathers, similar to 

 those which in after life appear all over the hody 

 and wings of the miller. These hairs fall off in 

 a few days. At first the worm is about an eighth 

 of an inch long. 



If the eggs are kept in cold-storage, they 

 should be brought by degrees from a temperature 

 of 40 F., first to 50, then 60, then 70, at which 

 temperature they should be kept night and day 

 till the worms have spun their cocoons. They 

 should never be placed either in the draft or 

 sunshine. Within from seven to twenty days 

 from the time of taking the eggs from cold-stor- 

 age they will begin to hatch out of the shells. 



If the eggs were all right when put in, ninety- 

 five per cent, at least, will come out. A very 

 slight clicking noise will be heard from the trays 

 on which the eggs are spread out. This is caused 

 by the bursting of the shells, and soon multi- 

 tudes of worms will be seen crawling among the 

 eggs and empty shells'. The worms hatch out in 

 the morning. 



