REARING SILKWORMS. 73 



quantity of leaves required for a given number 

 of worms in their respective ages. 



One ounce of eggs will hatch out 40,000 worms, 

 and will require 



The first age, 4 days, 5 pounds daily. 



The second age, 5 days, 10 pounds daily. 



The third age, 5 days, 25 pounds daih'. 



The fourth age, 5 days, 60 pounds daily. 



The fifth age, 8 days, 150 pounds daily. 



Average quantity, first age, 16 to 20 daily. 



Average quantity, second age, 50 daily. 



Average quantity, third age, 125 daily. 



Average quantity, fourth age, 300 dally. 



Average quantity, fifth age, 1,200 daily. 



Total 1,695 



About two fifths of this is waste. 



This amount of leaves will vary according to 

 the kind of leaves supplied and the care taken in 

 feeding them. Old worms, or those in the fourth 

 and fifth age, will not eat the young, tender 

 leaves, that alone are fit to feed worms in the 

 first and second ages. When leaves have be- 

 come crisp or brittle, through age, they are not 

 good for worms of any age. The quota of silk 

 from such leaves is very small. 



The motto of every silk-grower should be, "The 

 best of everything." Best trees, best leaves, best 

 worms, best cocoons, best silk, best pay. 



