SILK. 



275 



ding, they should be fed twice a day, morjiing and even- 

 ing ; afterwards three times a day, to the fourth shedding ; 

 and then, until they ascend, four, five, or six times a day, as 

 they may seem to require it ; from the fourth shedding until 

 they ascend, their appetite is voracious, and it should be 

 satisfied by an abundance of leaves of the best quality ; 

 those from old trees, matured by age, should be reserved for 

 this period, and given to them fresh gathered and dry. 



The worms, throughout the period of their existence, 

 should be attended with great care and regularity ; they 

 should be kept perfectly clean, clearing away, often, the 

 remains of the leaves, their own ordure, &c., which other- 

 wise would create a disagreeable effluvia, and breed disor- 

 ders among them ; bad smells are very obnoxious to them, 

 and no smoking of tobacco should be allowed where they 

 are kept ; they should be fed early in the morning, and 

 good leaves should be given them regularly at the times 

 appointed, that no waste of food may take place ; the leaves 

 should be fresh gathered, unless in rainy weather, and no 

 leaves offered to them, that have been kept in the house 

 until they have become yellow and sour, which will be the 

 case, in general, after the third day ; it is upon these atten- 

 tions, that a good crop depends; half-starved, neglected 

 worms, will give light, flimsy cocoons, whilst the diligent 

 will get them heavy and rich ; worms well attended to, and 

 generously fed, will complete the crop within forty-five or 

 fifty days ; those that are neglected will languish over two 

 months, and yield a light result. 



The French and Italian establishments require large 

 premises, and a great variety of utensils, such as benches, 

 baskets, boxes of various sizes and shapes, to suit their ex- 

 tensive concerns ; in the progress of time, it will become 

 advisable for us to get acquainted with the minutise of their 

 arrangements ; but at the present day, we shall only point out 

 such preparations as may be requisite to make a beginning, 

 and which each individual concerned may afterwards in- 

 crease and modify, according to his own views and situation. 



Wherever silk-worms are to be raised in any number, it 

 is evident that a room should be appropriated solely for that 

 purpose ; any aspect will answer, except north ; the worms 

 require heat, but it must be a free heat, that is, with a suf- 

 ficient circulation of air ; a close, sultry air is very bad for 

 them, and so is a damp air ; we would much prefer, on that 

 account, a room up stairs to one on the ground floor ; an 

 unfinished room would answer very well ; the doors and 



