204 THE MODERN IIISTOUV OF SILK. 



troduced the use of seed mats, which he found, in 

 many respects, superior to paper, for receiving the 

 eggs ; and as all the cocoons were finished together, 

 he was able to destroy all the chrysalids at the 

 same time. For this purpose, he constructed an 

 oven in which he killed the animals in thirty cent- 

 ners of cocoons in twenty-four hours, and on his in- 

 vention could speak with confidence as to the periods 

 of the changes, in the following terms : — " On the 

 12th of May the worms will begin to break from 

 their eggs ; seven days afterwards the first change 

 of the skin will take place, which will occupy 

 twenty-four hours ; at the end of another week, the 

 second change of the skin will commence, which will 

 last for two complete days; seven days after- 

 wards the third change will occur, which will 

 occupy three days ; and in seven days more they 

 will change their skin for the fourth and last time, 

 a process which will continue for four days. In 

 eight days from this time the whole of the Silkworms 

 will begin to spin ; in five days more their labours 

 will be completed ; so that, on the sixth day, they 

 may be taken from the places where they have 

 spun, and exposed a day before the winding com- 

 mences." 



Blaschkowitsch afterwards published some books 

 of much authority on the subject. In 1807, an 

 establishment was instituted at Foth Almus, near 

 Pesth, which was put under his guidance; and, in 



