ON SERICICULTURE. 101 



much attention paid to this new industry. This silkworm is 

 very easy to rear, and of great beauty. It thrives best in a 

 temperature of 70°— 80° F. on the leaves of the Ailanthus 

 tree, requiring; some protection from its numerous enemies, 

 but can readily be fed upon gathered leaves indoors, kept 

 fresh by plunging the cut ends into a vessel containing water. 

 Both it and its food plant thrive best in a warm, sunny spot, 

 in a light dry soil. The following brief directions may 

 prove useful, but for further detail I would refer the reader 

 to my Essay on Ailanthiculture, published in the Trans- 

 actions of the Entomological Society, series 3, vol. v. part 

 2; The Ailant Silkworm, by Chas. Brady, Sydney; Mons. 

 Givelet's L'Ailante et son Bombyx, Librairie Agricole, 26 

 Rue Jacob, Paris ; Education des Vers a Soie de I'Ailante, 

 Rapport a S. E. le Ministre de I'Agriculture, and the 

 Rapport a S. M. I'Empereur sur le Ver a Soie de I'Ai- 

 lante, all by Mons. Guerin-Meneville, Paris. 



Directions for Ailanthiculture. 



The time to plant the Ailanthus glandulosa is from No- 

 vember to March, inclusive: they may be planted in a 

 clump or in rows, each tree being at least one yard apart 

 from the next one, each way, 



Mons. Givelet recommends, and I am inclined to agree 

 with him, that they should be planted five feet apart each 

 way, quincunx form. When planted, they should be cut 

 back to three or four eyes, to ensure their making strong 

 shoots. 



The seeds should be sown on a clean piece of light land, 

 in April or May. 



Eggs of the Bomhyx Cynthia should be kept in a warm 

 room, exposed to the light and air, but not to the sun's 

 rays, lest they be dried up. They generally hatch out in 



