332 
THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
it known that this kindly person was tlie 
bug and botanical editor, so you can un- 
derstand why my lateness of mornings 
was overlooked. After some thirty of the 
caterpillars had spun their cocoons on 
the elder branches, it occurred to me that 
i t was to be regretted that a part of the 
great moving mass of human beings of 
New York City should be deprived of wit- 
iiessii]g, enjoying, and learning a lesson 
ill nat ural history by seeing this very in- 
teresting performance. And I took the 
circus over to F g's seed store in Nas- 
sau Street, and hung it up in the window, 
just for the fun of it. The thing hadn't 
been on exhibition more than an hour be- 
fore a messenger w^as at the office urging 
me to come and see Mr. F— — g immedi- 
ately, and that the front of his store 
was blockaded with people standing 
and looking at it, and that the police- 
man on that beat was trying to keep 
the sidewalk clear. Also, that they had 
forgotten the scientific name of the 
creature, and what would I sell them 
for apiece on the sticks ? So I wrote 
out a label, giving the scientific name 
in IciTge and plain letters, with a short 
history of the beautiful moth, and also 
attached to the label a magnificent 
mounted specimen of the attacus, slating 
the price of the cocoons to be fifteen cents 
each. In the afternoon, greatly to my 
surprise, twenty of the cocoons had been 
sold. My not seeming greatly rejoiced 
over tlie financial turn the exhibition had 
taken, F g remarked "What's the 
matter, don't you want to sell them?" 
"No," I replied, "I wanted to keep 
them ; I didn't suppose there was any de- 
mand for them. I brought them over to 
your store as a novelty, and to attract 
attention to your place of business. 
" Well," he replied, "they have attracted 
too much attention; the sidewalk has 
been constantly blocked, and half the 
time my clerks have not been able to put 
up our goods, from people constantly 
coming in and asking questions. Now I'll 
strike a bargain with you. I'll give you 
a hyacinth, tuberose, or gladiolus bulb 
for every cocoon that I sell, and that you 
are to keep up a constant siipply of the 
caterpillars." To this I at once agreed. 
My friend F g sold a great many of 
them, and I had a most satisfactory col- 
lection of bulbs in my garden next spring*. 
I have always found a good demand for 
the cocoons of all the attacus fa,mily of 
moths. Such being the case, why don't 
some of our enterprising young readers 
go into the thing, not only for pleasure 
and profit, but also to take a lesson in 
silk culture, a subject that is attracting so 
much attention at the present time. I 
am of the opinion that by careful cultiva- 
tion and selection, our native &ilk produc- 
ing moths will eventually be found to be 
of great value. In Japan and China they 
utilize the silk of the cfecropia for the 
manufacture of fabrics; then why not 
here ? 
Hints from India. 
BY W. L. D. o'GRADY. 
SCREEN 'DOORS. 
N India, most houses resemble 
Washington's Headquarters at 
Newburg in one respect. They 
have more doors than windows. 
Circulation of air is so necessary in the 
torrid climate that these doors are in- 
variably left open ; but in order to baffle 
too inquisitive eyes while not interfering 
with ventilation, they are supplemented 
by double screens, or half- doors, as they 
are called, which are hung just as we 
hang wire doors in summer, to keep the 
flies out and let in the air. They are 
light frames, covered with prettily 
painted paper, or chintz, or silk, and are 
about six feet long, reaching to about 
seven feet high, and leaving about a foot 
below, which sometimes has a valance to 
it, but is better without. In the lofty 
rooms, so characteristic of Anglo-Indian 
architecture, the effect of these light, 
graceful half-doors is very pleasing. 
They would be quite suitable for summer 
use here, and might be made quite inex- 
pensively. No springs are needed, though 
of course such American improvements 
might be added, at some additional cost. 
The most stylish people in India are con- 
tent with a simple slide, usually quite 
plain, which may, however, be elegantly 
carved. 
