8 
CtTLTlTRE OF 8ILKW0EM8. 
as a food plant for the variety of worms now in Pcrak, tliough 
the annual varieties may possibly bo induced to eat it.* 
ENEMIES OF THE WORMS. 
I have noticed two species of spiders, the common reddish 
coloured honse ant, and a wasp as offenders ; the most destnie- 
tive beiDg the ants, who on one occasion kiUed a tray of over 
fifty worms in an hour or two. None of tlie worms swmed to 
have been eaten, merely stimg to death. Putting the tray stands 
in cups of water and enclosing the whole in netting would of 
course prevent loss from these insect pests, 
Tlic house lizard, rats, and the magpie-rohin have also to be 
guarded against, as they will all devour the caterpillars when- 
ever they get the chance, and they are most persistent in their 
attempts. 
DISEASE OF THE WORMS. 
I was informed in August, 1891, thot there had been con- 
siderable losses amongst the worms at Ayer Kuniug, and on 
visiting the original Chinese cultivators I found that the whole 
of their worms had died out, and they had not a single Hve one 
left on the place, Mr. Light stated that after attaining a size 
of about three-quart^^rs of an inch in length the worms went off 
their feed and ceased growing, and that it was the opinion of the 
Chinese that the worms were diseased. I at first tiiougbt that 
the leaf disease might be the cause of the nn healthiness of the 
worms, as I failed by a mieroaeopica! examination of some of the 
oung worms to detect any of the htfcteria which cause the 
nowu siik-worm diseases. About ten days afterwards 1 again 
visited Ayer Kiming, and took some thirty of the weak worms, 
which had dropped off the cocoonmg frames, and which were 
" A diBcoverr haa be£?n made by a lady in Columbia, S.C., that may 
have a marked effect npoE two grefiit indttstrieB. For & uumber of Keasons 
tlitB lady has amBBed herself by feeding silkis-orms and sending a fow 
pound B of cocoon B to the Women's Society for the Kncourafrcirient of the 
Silk InduBtry m Philadelphia. The estraordinary warmth of this winter 
c&iiBed the e^gfl t« hatch fhr in advance of the season, and as tht- youii^j; 
leaves of the molberty and the Ompo omnfrm had not put forth, our aujateor 
was at a loss what to iio. An account adds : — 
" * Seeing thai the foliage of the ramie in a neiffbboaring field was 
putfcing^ out, sho gatheiod some and put the worms upon it. They fed 
ruvonouEly, ami she kept up the supply until tbo Osage omnge ^eaYef^ ap- 
peartsd. Thon she divided her worms e<jaally, feeding one aat with ramie, 
the other with Osage orange. She kept the cocoons Bcparate and sent thom 
to Fliihidelphia. The experts there were astonished at the si of those 
spnn by the ramie eatisre, and wrote to the lady to know what she had 
done to eecnre them. They were not only larger, but the Bilk was finer.' " 
— Eew Bulletin, No, 44 of ItJOO, pages 174-6. 
