72 COMPLETE INSTRUCTION IN 



them wilted, as the worms crawl over them, but 

 do not like to eat them. If the leaves are dusty, 

 the branches should be plunged in a tank or 

 large tub of clean water, and then shaken so 

 that the water runs off. 



Leaves should always be gathered in the 

 morning, before the sun's rays have at all heated 

 them. There is more sap in leaves gathered in 

 the morning, and they are therefore much better 

 for the worms; also, they keep very much better. 

 When gathered, they should be at once taken to 

 the room where they are to be stored, and shaken 

 out of the sacks or baskets in which they were 

 gathered. Tl^n if dry (i. e., not moist with 

 dew), they should be sprinkled lightly with pure 

 water and tossed up with the hand. A clean 

 whisk-broom is good to sprinkle with. If the 

 branches are very long, it is best to cut them 

 about eighteen inches, as they will fit on the 

 trays much more conveniently. 



It is never best to pick leaves off trees, and 

 leave long, bare branchlets with a few leaf buds 

 at the extreme end. It is better to cut off the 

 branch two buds from the trunk or large branch; 

 these two or three leaves may be taken off. In 

 a very short time young branchlets will come 

 out, and grow as long as the first, with fresh and 

 tender leaves all along. 



The following table will give .some idea of the 



