110 ON SERICICULTURE. 



tomtits, robins, &c.: temperature if possible 60°: erratic at 

 first, tliey cease to wander after the first moult. 



" The worms are best fed on the living oak-tree, protected 

 by muslin bags, as described in the dii'ections for Ailanthi- 

 culture; or on cut boughs, the longer the better up to six 

 feet in length, having the cut ends plunged into water, wet 

 sand or loam : supply fresh boughs every forty-eight hours 

 and keep them in a well-ventilated room, or, better still, out 

 of doors, so as to be exposed to the evening dew ; the tem- 

 perature should not exceed 75°, and range from 60° to 75° : 

 during hot dry weather supply moisture freely in the evening 

 by watering the foliage two or three times a week. 



*' In changing the worms from stale to fresh food, avoid 

 touching them, but cut off" the stale spray or twig containing 

 the worm, and pin it to the fresh food. 



'* If a bottle of water be used to plunge the oak sprays in, 

 take care to plug the neck so that the worms cannot crawl 

 within and be drowned. 



" If it be wished to cover over the worms to prevent their 

 straying, a light wire frame covered with network, canvass 

 or open muslin, should be placed over them, but so as to 

 allow a free ventilation. 



" On no account give picked oak leaves to the worms and 

 shut them up in a box or tray, as is done with the Mulberry 

 worms, but supply them with oak sprays kept fresh in water, 

 as diiected, and give plenty of pure air. 



" Do not give lettuce or any other leaves as food except 

 oak. 



" Avoid disturbing the worms while changing their skins: 

 when about to spin up they generally choose the end of 

 the branch as the site of their cocoon. When spinning be- 

 gins, remove bough and all from the neighbourhood of the 

 other worms. 



