ON THE EXPERIMENTAL CULTURE OF 
SILKWORMS IN PERAK. 
In November, 1889, a small Chinese company, after havin*^ 
cleared and planted up a few acres of land witli mulljerrics at 
Ay«.T Kimiiis^. in Limit, intix*d«c*'(l from uear Caiitoii, iu China, 
some silkworm eggs. These eg^ hatehed, and successivo broods 
of the worms were raised and seemed to thrive in a ^lerfeetly 
satisfactory manner. 
Mr. F. Light then pknted np some land at Ayer Kiming 
with the same riinlberries, and began breodin|? the worms from 
eggs given him by the original CJiiut'se c!ompanj. 
CHIH-ESE METHOD OF CULTURE. 
The eggs are laid on sheets of common yellow Chinese paper, 
known in the shops as kerlas api. VVlien the time arrives for the 
I'ggs to Iiatch, the sheets of paper are laid on bamboo trays and 
lightly sprinkled with finely cut mullierry leaves, and the worms 
as they emerge from the eggs crawl on to the cut leaf and aro 
removed with it to fresb trays. Tliese trays are round, and are 
made of split [)laited bamboo; they are from two to three and 
!i half feet in diameter, and have a rim of about one and a half 
inches high. The worms are kept on these trays, at first on a 
few ; as they grow and require more room, the numlier of trays 
is increased. Tlie trays are put on rough romid wood racks, 
about nine inches apart. Cut leaf is given for the first five or 
six days and then the worms, having grown large enough, are fed 
on uncut leaf. The trays are kept clean, the refuse leaves, dead 
and sickly worms, ete., being removed daily. The houses, which 
are of the ordinarv' high-pitched attap roofed Chinese pattern, 
are kept as much shut up as possible, to exclude the wind and 
sun. The west wind is thought to cause sickness amongst the 
worms. Lights are kept burning at night, and the houses are 
used as dwellings by tlie cultivators. Smokmg, Ijy the bye, is 
not allowed as it is thought to be prejudicial to the welfare of 
