12 BOMBYX MORI. 
Gathering the Cocoons. 
IN gathering" the cocoons care must he taken not to 
I stain the clean ones, with the black fluid from worms 
■ I which have died, as there are some of these in almost 
fcJSjjjft every cocoonery. The loose or floss silk should first 
be stripped off and the cocoons separated according to firm- 
ness, color, and weight. Any that are stained, soft, or 
imperfect should be removed, or they will reduce the whole 
to a lower grade. 
Selecting the Seed. 
*jjHE best and firmest should be chosen for seed for the 
coining year, selecting them for the color and fineness 
)f the silk, rather than for the size. If yellow, give 
preference to the straw colored, as these are most 
sought after; if white, take the purest white. It is Ave 11 for 
silk raisers to raise their own seed, as that brought from 
large establishments is not always to be relied upon. Two 
hundred and fifty cocoons, half male and half female, will 
produce an ounce of eggs, estimated to number from thirty- 
six to forty thousand, each female laying from three to four 
hundred eggs. In selecting them, the male cocoon may be 
known by its being slightly constricted about the center. Its 
extremities are also more pointed than those of the female r 
which is somewhat egg shaped, ^without any constriction. 
In order to better ascertain the sex, some weigh them, the 
female always being the heavier. An equal number of 
each should be taken. These cocoons for breeding, may 
then be pasted upon cardboard on their side, to enable the 
moths to escape more readily ; or merely laid upon paper in 
the trays, or on the shelves. They must be protected from 
rats and mice, which are the enemies of the silkworm in all 
its stages. 
Preparing the Cocoons for Reeling or Sale. 
f^fjf^ order to prepare the cocoon for reeling, the chrysalis 
|| | must be killed ; this must be done in from eight to ten 
|p | davs after the spinning commenced. Steaming is the 
jj$'f best method, as dry heat destroys the color and luster 
