150 mik Manufacture, 



further to free them from gum, and to promote their separation 

 from each other. If any floated on the surface in this washing, 

 they were removed and destroyed as spoik. The water again 

 being drained from them, the eggs were next washed in some 

 sound Hght wine, and gentle friction was used to perfect their 

 mutual separation. They were then strained and dried, by being 

 placed on an absorbing substance in a dry airy place, whose ten> 

 perature was between forty-six and fifty-nine degrees of Fahren- 

 heit's scale, there to await the proper moment for placing them 

 in the stove room. It has always been customary in Italy to 

 employ wine as a solvent for the gum which causes the eggs to 

 adhere together, and which is thought to make the task of disen- 

 gaging itself from the shell more difficult to the insect. 



' It has been suggested, that one hatching room, upon a sufficient 

 scale, might be employed for the general accommodation, in bring- 

 ing forth all the silkworms of the surrounding district; and if prop- 

 er confidence could be placed in the proprietor of such an estab- 

 lishment, there is no doubt of its great convenience to the cultiva- 

 tors . 



' When eggs are first placed in the stove room, its temperature 

 should be sixty -four degrees; on the third day this should be raised 

 to sixty-six degrees; and on each following day the heat should be 

 increased one or two degrees, so that on the tenth day it shall have 

 reached eighty-two degrees, which point must not be exceeded. 

 The degree of warmth required for hatching the eggs of silkworms 

 depends very much, however, upon the temperature to which they 

 have been exposed during the preceding winter. It is, therefore, 

 important that this point should be considered, so as to avoid pre- 

 mature hatching on the one hand, and too great a retardation on the 

 other, which would follow if the eggs had been exposed to any se- 

 verity of cold. 



' When the eggs assume a whitish color, it is a sign that they are 

 about to be hatched; and now, by the aid of a magnifying glass, 

 the worms may be seen formed within the shells. Sheets of white 

 paper, abundantly pierced with holes, or otherwise pieces of clear 

 muslin, should now be placed over the eggs, covering them entire- 

 ly; when, as the worms come forth, they will cHmb through to the 

 upper sm'face of the paper or mushn. 



' To collect the worms for the purpose of conveying them to the 

 rearing house, small twigs of mulberry, with very few leaves, are 

 placed on the paper. On these leaves the newly-hatched worms 

 immediately fix, and fresh twigs being constantly supplied to meet 

 the wants of the continually-increasing number of worms, the whole 

 may be readily collected. When their removal to any considerable 



