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they must then be left quiet till they revive, which is 

 generally in about twenty-four hours, and when well 

 awakened, feed them again ; and so on through every 

 age ; but for the last age make your arrangements for 

 large supplies of branches, as more will be required 

 than in the whole previous ages ; and then for a week 

 or ten days you must be active, because your own labor 

 is nearly over and that of the worms is about to com- 

 mence ; and you will soon see them looking about for a 

 place to retire into, as they do not like much to be seen 

 making their cocoons in public. You will then provide 

 for them when you see them raising their heads from 

 their fresh food and moving about. 



Formation of the Cocoons. When the silkworms 

 become transparent and of a pearly color, when they 

 cease eating and are running to and fro, looking up- 

 wards or trying to ascend, when the skin about their 

 necks becomes wrinkled and their bodies have a soft- 

 ness to the touch resembling soft dough, and their backs 

 become unusually shining, when the green circles around 

 the body contract and become of a bright gold color, 

 these are sure indications that they are prepared for 

 the last work of forming the cocoons ; then, and not 

 before, you must provide them with something to attach 

 and place their cocoons in ; sometimes it is made with 

 the twigs of the oak with the leaves on, which had been 

 before provided ; the leaf of the oak is strong, and the 

 cocoons are separated from it without injury ; they 

 should be cut and dried some three weeks previous, 

 preserved in readiness till required. They are placed 



