r 
that at this period it is essential that there shal 
316 THE CYNTHIA SILK-WORM. 
raised a great many in this way (this year I intend to in- ‘ 
crease the number), and as the caterpillar does not wander, 
I found no difficulty in collecting the cocoons. I allowed — 
some to remain on the trees for the second brood, and hal — 
the satisfaction, in the fall, of seeing lots of cocoons swing- 
ing in their leafy cradles. And now is the time to speak of 
the ailanthus as not being the natural food of Oynthia. to 
feeds, we are told, on the castor-oil plant, laburnum, teazle, í 
plum, honey-suckle, and spindle-tree. This sounds very 
much like saying that it will eat anything ; but so far as my | 
experience goes it thrives better on the ailanthus than on l 
anything else ; but the reason that I think that tree is nt — 
it natural food, is this: the caterpillar forms its cocoon very 
much in the manner of Promethea ; that is, by folding a leaf 
around it, having first gummed the leaf-stalk to its b l 
so as to prevent, one would suppose, its falling to the ground 
in winter. But the leaf of the ailanthus is what bota 
call a compound leaf; so the unfortunate caterpillar, i 
being sufficiently versed in botany to know this, merely ge ! 
the leaflets to the petiole; the leaf of course falls in , 
autumn, and the pupa, instead of lying high and dry wit : 
intended, lies under the snow all the winter; with what cor — 
sequences to itself I am not able at the moment to s@y- 3 
would appear, therefore, reasoning from analogy, that iad d 
. tree forming the natural food of Cynthia has a simple ; 
not a compound leaf. It may be of consequence to =e" any q 
for the quantity and quality of the silk produced hen 4 
worm very much depend on the food it eats, and the | 
food must be the best. Qn 
I will now proceed with my extracts from the journal. 
the 28th of June, just twenty-eight days from th 4 
the caterpillars commenced forming their cocoons; a lk 
let me say to those who propose to raise them 1m be i good 
¢ Te- 
supply of well-leaved branches. Every caterpillar will the 
quire a leaf to itself, and if these be not fortheo 
i 

