182 



HOCKINGS' GARDEN MANUAL. 



THE AILANTHUS SILKWORM. 



The cultivation of this silkworm in France is said 

 to have been attended with great success ; the hardiness 

 of the plant and worm, and the simple management 

 having greatly recommended it. 



From the information contained in a pamphlet 

 translated by Lady Nevill, from the work of M. F. E. 

 Guerin, Manerille, it appears that three generations of 

 worms could be produced in Brisbane and the tropical 

 districts of Queensland. The eggs do not keep through 

 the winter, but the live chrysalis remains inactive dur- 

 ing that period, ready to become a butterfly in the 

 spring. About forty-five days will elapse between the 

 laying of the eggs and the formation of the cocoons, 

 and these latter will remain inactive about twenty-six 

 days, at the temperature of 70° to 80° Fahrenheit. 

 The cocoons to be kept during winter are recommended 

 to be strung up, 100 on a line, and kept in a tempera- 

 ture not lower than 60°. The eggs hatch at 80° 

 Fahrenheit, and the ailanthus leaves should be laid on 

 them, that the young worms may climb on them and 

 commence feeding ; the leaves ought then to be placed 

 in a bottle of water, the ends well stuffed in to prevent 

 the worms getting down into the water. When the 

 worms are put on the ailanthus trees they should be 

 well distributed, not placed too close together, or too 

 many on a tree. When once the worms are fixed on 

 the leaves of the tree there is no further trouble except 

 to see that ants and wasps do not carry them off. The 

 cocoons may be gathered about eight or ten days after 

 the beginning of the spinning. 



Of the Silk. 



The great drawback to the cultivation of this worm 

 is, that no method has yet been discovered of reeling 

 off the silk 3 and it consequently has to be solcLas 



