Silk Manufacture. 153 



out touching the worms, which might be injured by aven the gent- 

 lest handUng. 



' When the silkworms give indications that they are about to spin, 

 little bushes must be provided for the purpose. These may be of 

 broom, heath, clean bean stalks, or, in short, any bush or brush- 

 wood that is tender and flexible. These should be arranged upright 

 in rows between the shelves, with intervals of fifteen inches be- 

 tween the rows. The bushes should be so high as to be bent by 

 the shelf immediately above into the form of an arch. They 

 should be so spread out, that a supply of air should freely reach 

 every part, and ample space should be afforded for the worms to 

 fix themselves and spin; otherwise, there is great hazard of their 

 forming double cocoons, in which two worms assist in the prepar- 

 ation of one dwelling for both; the silk in these is so much less 

 adapted to the purposes of the reeler, that a double cocoon is 

 worth only one half the price of a single one. Inattention to this 

 point is very common, and occasions constant losses. When the 

 twigs already erected appear to be adequately furnished with 

 worms, other similar hedges should be formed, parallel to the first. 

 The spaces between the shelves will thus present the appearance 

 of small avenues or arbors covered in at the top. 



' The worms at this time require much careful watching, and oc- 

 casional assistance must be afforded to those which ai-e sluggish, 

 that they may find an elligible spot for forming their cocoons. 

 Those worms which appear still inclined to feed must be suppli- 

 ed with leaves; so long as the slightest inclination for food remains 

 they will not attempt to form their cocoons. It will sometimes 

 happen, that even after they have climbed among the branches for 

 the purpose of spinning, they will again descend to satisfy their 

 last desire for food. " I have seen them," says a minute observer, 

 " stop when descending, and remain with the head downwards, the 

 wish to eat having ceased before they reached the bottom.' ' In such a 

 case, they should be tm'ned with their heads upwards, as the con- 

 trary position is injurious to them. If, at this time, many appear 

 weak and inert, remaining motionless on the leaves, neither eat- 

 ing nor giving any sign of rismg to spin, some means must be talc- 

 en to stimulate them to the exertion. It was the ancient prac- 

 tice, and foLUid to be efficacious for this purpose, to convey some 

 pungent article, such as fried onions, into the apartment, the ef- 

 fluvia from which revived the worms, inciting some to take their 

 last meal, and inducing others, whose desire for food had ceased, 

 to climb the twigs and begin their labors. The same end is now 

 generally and unfailingly attained, by removing the sluggish worms 

 into another apartment, the temperature of which is higher. 

 20 



