













100 KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 

be elaborated ; and if nutrition be withheld, 
or only sparingly supplied, the silk will be 
weak and flimsy—hardly, indeed, better than 
what is generally known by the name of floss 
sulk. 
The general rules for feeding are as fol- 
lows :—During the first three ages, the leaves 
should be cut very fine; and instead of dis- 
tributng them with the hand, much time 
would be saved, and the distribution made 
more equally, by using small sieves, with 
meshes about three-quarters of aninch square. 
Between the moults, there is always an 
increased appetite, especially in the last 
age. 
At the approach of each moult, the worms 
raise and toss about their heads, and the 
appetite diminishes. It is not necessary to 
spread leaves, except on those which have 
not ceased eating; and when they are all at 
rest, the feeding may be stopped entirely. 
After the moult, it is necessary to increase 
gradually the quantity of nourishment, in 
proportion to the increased appetite of the 
worms. 
During the fourth age, the leaves are to be 
cut, but not so fine as before. 
At the fifth age, cease cutting the leaves. 
After the final moult, the silkworm has at- 
tained its full growth, and presents the ap- 
pearance of a slender caterpillar from 23 to 
three inches in length. 
We would here remark that one of the 
greatest drawbacks to the successful keeping 
of silkworms in this country, and conse- 
quently to the realisation of any profit, is the 
lateness in which the foliage of the mulberry 
tree breaks forth in England, which is 
seldom before the latter end of April or the 
beginning of May; and it must be borne in 
mind that the leaf of the mulberry is the 
natural food of the silkworm. Lettuces, 
dandelion, currant leaves, plum, and apple 
leaves are made (from necessity) to supply 
the place of the mulberry leaf; but these, on 
account of their generally watery and succu- 
lent nature, are very sorry substitutes. The 
silkworm will certainly subsist upon them, 
but never arrive at that degree of perfection 
from which a good and rich quality of silk 
may be expected. 
The early hatching of the eggs is therefore 
by no means a desirable event ; on the con- 
trary, it ought to be retarded, for, in the 
majority of cases, the eggs are hatched before 
even a leaf is seen on the mulberry tree, and 
the question then naturally presents itself, as 
to the next most nutritious food which in 
this dilemma can be given to the worms. 
Our choice, by necessety, falls upon the com- 
mon cabbage lettuce, which is to be obtained 
in all the markets during the spring, inde- 
pendently of the facility with which every 
one can grow them in their own garden. In 
order to guard against the early hatching, 
it is of the utmost consequence to keep the 
eggs in as cold a place as possible, and free 
from damp. Thislast is very pernicious. If 
possible, they should not be brought into the 
warmth to hatch before the latter end of 
April or the beginning of May. 
THE SILKWORM. 

WE now lay before our readers some very 
singular, original Kixperiments, recently made 
by Bombyx ATLAs,—a gentleman, whose 
name is a sufficient guarantee for the exact 
truth of every word he pens down; and whose 
fame as a practical entomologist needs no 
comment from us. 
The worthy veteran has sent us a TABLE 
OF OPERATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS; and 
with it, afew remarks.* These we give in 
his own natural, unvarnished, simple words ; 
merely adding, that his experiments have 
been pursued with unremitting ardor for two 
long months :— 
IT have kept silkworms, my dear Sir, ever 
since I was a school- boy; and I have tried, 
many and many a time, to rear them upon 
other leaves than those of the mulberry. 
But invariably without success. 
With me, they have never come to the 
third change (as they ought to do), unless 
they have their natural food. I have fed 
them on the black mulberry, the white mul- 
berry, and the paper mulberry; and have 
always found the strongest and most glossy 
silk produced by the worms fed on the black 
mulberry. I have been most particular in 
bringing up silkworms hatched the same year, 
and at the same period, from the same nest of 
eggs; and have, in all cases, found those fed 
on the black mulberry thrive the best. 
I intended this year to try the experiment 
mentioned by “ Heartsease,”’ Hants, at pages 
183 and 184, Vol. [II., of “Our JouRNAL.” 
I commenced the indigo operation; and I 
must honestly confess, that finding the hearts 
of my poor patients ill at ease, Lat once gave 
up the experiment. It was evident to me, 
that they suffered; and I therefore turned 
my attention to a different amusement,—and 
one which may perhaps be interesting to 
some of your readers. But [ will never, for 
the sake of an experiment, knowingly inflict 
pain upon any animal or insect. 
I send you herewith, a table uf my amusing 
experiments, which will speak for itself. I 
beg you to observe that this little practical 
synopsis was all the result of observations 
* It gives us pleasure to say, that we have seen 
all the silk produced in these experiments. The 
richness of its color is transcendently beautiful. 
Ep. K. J. 


