THE MODERN IIISTOKY OF SILK. 203 



objects he proposed were to diminish the time that 

 elapses between the hatching of the egg and the 

 obtaining of the pure silk, so that it might not 

 interfere with the occupations of the agi-iculturist, 

 and he found he could reduce this period from nine 

 to five weeks. He likewise found means to feed 

 the worms, produced from half an ounce of tlie eggs, 

 upon the leaves of six mulberry-trees, which before 

 had required from twenty to twenty-six. From 

 every half ounce of eggs he procured fifteen or 

 twenty pfunds of cocoons more tlian by the usual 

 process ; and from eight to ten pfunds of cocoons he 

 obtained one pfund of pure silk, whereas twenty or 

 thirty pfunds had formerly been necessary for the 

 same produce : This method flirther enabled a 

 peasant, who could before manage only half an 

 ounce of eggs, now to rear the worms from half a 

 pfund. The means which he employed were chiefly 

 intended to reduce each different process in the 

 eventful lives of these little animals to a regular 

 period, that every one might run his course as 

 nearly as possible within the same time. With 

 this view, he discarded most of the artificial methods 

 which had been adopted for hatching the egg, and, 

 without exposing them to the partial heat of the 

 sun, to warmed pillows, or to the warmth of the 

 bosom, all of which were practised, placed them in 

 a situation where they might be equally affected on 

 all sides by the surrounding atmosphere. He in- 



