2 
CULTTJBE OF SILKTV^ORMS. 
the worms. When they are full grown, and a^s they turn ycUow, 
ihey are pit'lved tmt of the traya and pot on to the cocooninpr 
frames to spin. These are bamboo frames with thin strips of 
curlod bamboo fastt^ned to them on each side, and it is in the 
loops so formed that the worms spin. The frames are about 
two feet by three feet, and are stood up in pairs in the houses 
when r(jfpiired for use. Tlie spinning eompleted. the cocoons are 
picked out of the fi'ames by men armed with small sksel forceps , 
The earliest of the apinaiers are reserved for breeding and the 
remainder are stifled. The cocoons kept for breeding are put iu 
a sijigle layer on the bamboo rearing trays. When the moths 
emerge they are allowed to pair, and in the evening the pairs are 
86i)arated, the females being pkced on a sheet of common 
Chinese paper on which a wooden frame is placed a little smaller 
than the size of a sheet of paper. These frames are about one 
and a half inches high, A lioard is laid on top of the first frame, 
then a sheet of paiJer, then another frame, which, having lieen 
filled with female mothsi, is covered with another board, and so 
on. As soon as the moths have laid they are tbrowu away, and 
the sheets of ]>ai>er, densely covered with eggs, are diiiii>ed into 
hot wator, the water being heated so that" the hand can le 
liome in it. The sheets are then dried, the of laying 
marked on each sheet, and they are rolled up and put away 
nntil they are ready for hat^ching. The dipping in hot wat er fs 
ft matter requiring great care, as if the water is overhea^ed it 
kills the eggs. It is said to make the eggs liatch more evenly 
and is thought to be of great import ance by the Chinese.* 
TEEATMEWT OF THE SILK. 
Tl^e cocoons not refpiired for breeding are put Into wooden 
drawers with jn?rforateil botiojns, arranged in a largt* chest, be- 
neath which are pat earthenware elnifing-dtshes, in which char- 
coal is burned. Tins kills the chrysalida and in a few days drii-s 
them up. Care mnst 1^ taken, or the silk gets scorched, if the 
heat is too great. Another method of stifling used by the Chinese 
is to take the coeooning fninies full of cocoons and lieap them up 
and then cover them all closely over with cloths. The chafing- 
dishes with burning charcoal are then put underneath the pile 
and the stifling ensues. 
* I hiivv fonnd that if the c^ga laid by a pebrSnoHS moth are washed, 
awl the wntiT examined nndor the niicroacope, tliy ciirpuBclea of pDhrine 
will Ih? foaud ill it ; ahmving thfit thcRP corpuaplca wore in tlio fbiid nspd by 
tlio tnoth to stick the eggs on with, and it is coTiceivaljh> that a niotli 
whitdi had become diseaaod late io )ifo, ami aftnf the offna wer^- formed, 
nii|4;ht lay pnre ©grgs. but that s<ime nf the yfuiii<^ womia in eating their 
throagh the aliell of the t*;r-9 might contruct the diseasM by eating tbu 
corpnBcIes on tlio exterior aiirfaro of the cggH. Can ibis have 'any thioj? to 
do ^\-ith the CIiinoBe liot water process? 
