No. 3. ] Silkworms in India. 169 



worms molt four times aud become full-fed iu from 26 to 40 days according 

 to the temperature; they are then brought indoors by the rearers and spin 

 their cocoons on bundles of twigs prepared for the purpose, the chrysalis 

 stage lasting from a fortnight to a month. A complete generation thus 

 occupies from nearly two months in the warmer portion of the year to 

 nearly three months in the cold. 



The cocoons intended for the production of silk are stifled by expo- 

 sure to the sun, or over a fire, and when required for manufacture, are 

 softened by boiling in some alkaline solution ; the floss is plucked off, and 

 they are reeled by hand. The floss, and also the waste that remains after 

 reeling, is used for mixing with eri. The reeled muga is woven locally in- 

 to cloth which is yellowish in colour, and much like tusser in consistency 

 though of far greater brilliancy. 



The following is extracted from Stack's report on silk in Assam, 

 dated February 1884: — 



"The scientific name of the muga silkworm (Anthercea assama) denotes its pecu- 

 liar connection with Assam Its Assamese name is said to be derived 



from the amber colour of the silk, and is frequently used to denote silk in general, so 

 that erimuga means eri silk, kutkuri muga, tusser silk, and so on ; the genuine muga 

 being distinguished by the title of Sompatia muga, or silk yielded by the worm that feeds 

 on the sum leaf. It is a multivoltine worm, and is commonly said to be semi-domesti- 

 cated, because it is reared upon trees in the open air ; but in fact it is as much domesti- 

 cated as any other species, being hatched indoors and spinning its cocoon indoors, while 

 during its life on the tree it is entirely dependent on the cultivator for protection from 

 its numerous enemies. The sum tree {Machilus ordoratissima) furnishes its favourite 

 food ; but in Lower Assam it is extensively bred on the sualu (Tetranthera monopetala). 

 The leaves of certain other forest trees, the dig Mate (Tetranthera glauca), the pati- 

 chanda (Cinnamomum obtusifolium), and the bamroti (Symplocas grandiflora) can be 

 eaten by the worm in its maturer stages if the supply of its staple food begins to fail ; 

 but the sum and the sualu are the only trees upon which the worm yielding the ordinary 

 muga silk (as distinguished from champa and mezankuri, which will be mentioned here- 

 after) can be permanently reared. The sum-ied worm is considered to yield the more 

 delicate silk, and sualu trees on the edges of sum plantations are generally left untouched, 

 though small plantations of sualu only may occasionally be met with. 



" Five successive broods are distinguished by vernacular names roughly denoting the 

 months in which the worms are bred and spin their cocoons. These are the Katia brood 

 in October — November ; the Jdrua in the coldest months (December — February) ; the 

 Jethua in the spring; the Aharua in June — July ; and the Bhadia in August — Sep- 

 tember. But it is only in a few parts of the Assam valley that this regular succession 

 of broods is maintained. The Aharua and Bhadia broods are reared chiefly in the 

 district of Kamrup, whence cocoons are exported for the Katia brood in Upper Assam. 

 In Darrang and Sibsagar the only broods for use are the Katia, Jarua, and Jathua ; 

 while in Lakhimpur only the Jarua, and Jathua are generally in fashion. The worm 

 is said to degenerate if bred all the year round in Upper Assam ; and another reason 

 for the discontinuance of breeding in the summer is that the sum forests are flooded 

 by the rains, the watching of the worms becomes more troublesome, and losses increase. 

 Hence, the breeders of Upper Assam generally go down to Kamrup or Nowgong to 

 buy cocoons at the beginning of the cold season. Occasionally a Bhadia brood of 



