340 THE AILANTHUS SILKWORM AND THE AILANTHUS TREE. 



Society of Acclimatization, when lecturing at the Academy of Sciences in 

 1857, said : — "Here is the report from the Weavers at Alsace, who have 

 made use of Monsieur Schlumberger's experiments on the Ailanthus silk. 

 Mons. H. Schlumherger has found the cocoons very easy to card and spin. 

 The thread obtained is less brilliant, strong, and rough, it left no residue, 

 not more than in combing the thread. It is a most excellent stuff for use in 

 all manufactures where bourre is required. The cocoons are easily cleaned, 

 and they will take a good dye. This culture made on a great scale will 

 furnish in abundance a stronger and a finer gloss than the Mulberry Silk- 

 worm." 



The strength of this silk is immense, and to this is attributable the great 

 durability of the Indian foulards, which are composed exclusively of this 

 silk. In speaking of this silk, Father Incarville said : — " The silk pro- 

 duced by the Ailanthus lasts double the time of the Mulberry worm, and 

 does not spot so easily, and washes like linen." 



These remarks will be enough to prove the immense utility of this 

 cultivation in France and England. 



The Ailanthus Silkworm may have in the south and in Algeria three 

 generations ; but with us in England it is better content with two. Unlike 

 the Mulberry Silkworm, the eggs do not keep during the winter, but some 

 of the cocoons remain with their live chrysalis inactive during the dull 

 months, ready to become butterflies in the spring. The moths ought to 

 appear between the 5th and 10th of June at latest, and as about from forty 

 to forty-five days must elapse between the laying of the eggs, their becoming 

 moths, and the formation of the cocoons, the first gathering ought to be 

 from the 25th to the 30th July. The cocoons will remain inactive about 

 twenty-six days, at the temperature of 70 deg. to 80 deg. Fahrenheit, not 

 becoming moths till August 26th at latest. The eggs will be laid imme- 

 diately, and these worms will have finished their cocoons at latest by Sep- 

 tember 30th or 5th October. The cocoons ought to be kept during the winter 

 strung up like beads in a place where the temperature ranges from 60 deg. 

 to 70 deg. (Fahrenheit). The moths will begin to appear about the 5th or 

 10th June. 



Every evening the moths must be placed on a tray with a cloth over it, and 

 air must be admitted. The females will lay against the sides of these trays, 

 and the eggs must be detached either by a wooden knife or by the nail, and 

 put either in a room heated 70 deg. or 80 deg. (Fahrenheit), or else in sunshine 

 where they will hatch. About ten or twelve days after their having been 

 laid you had better put Ailanthus leaves on the eggs, when the young 

 worms will immediately climb on them and commence feeding. These 

 leaves ought then to be placed in a bottle of water, the ends well stuffed 

 into the bottles, as the young worms might descend the stems and then 

 into the neck of the bottle, where they would get drowned immediately. 



If unforeseen circumstances — bad weather for instance — prevented you 

 putting the young worms on the trees in the open air, you must place fresh 

 bunches in bottles close to the faded leaves, when the worms will go on- to 



