CONVENIENCES FOR FEEDING. 7 
tack, drawing it across the frame both ways, and secure bv 
driving in the tacks. This makes a square mesh. "When 
a large number of trays are made, it is better to have the 
mesh different sizes, using* the smallest first, and the larger 
as the worms increase in size. To do this set the tacks from 
one-fifth to one-half inch apart. A small nail with large 
head should be driven half its length into each corner, to 
raise the tray up from the shelf. This gives air, allows the 
excrement to fall through, and prevents the worms being 
crushed. One tray of this size, will hold at the first age, 
one thousand worms. Some prefer to dispense with trays, 
and feed on branches laid on the shelves. This process is 
not recommended as it involves much more labor and is not 
so cleanly. Those having used the trays find them a great 
convenience, saving both time and trouble. If preferred 
they may be smaller than the size given. 
Hatching the Eggs. 
|N this climate no special preparation is needed. The 
1 greatest difficulty is to keep the eggs from hatching 
too early. As soon as the leaves appear on the Osage 
— which is about the middle of April — brino-the seed 
(eggs) in the evening, into the room prepared for them. It 
is better that the room be not too warm at first, so that the 
change from cold to warm will be gradual. They will hatch 
at a temperature from sixty-five to eighty degrees. When 
the worms begin to appear, which will be in from one to 
two days, spread over them a piece of mosquito netting, on 
which lay a few branches or leaves, they will soon crawl up 
through the netting and the branches will be covered with 
little black worms almost too small to be seen by the naked 
eye. Those that hatch the first day, should be removed on 
the netting and placed in a tray, and marked as first hatch, 
with day of the month. Treat eacli day's hatch in the same 
way until the fourth day, after which it is thought the 
worms produced are not worth feeding, they are apt to be 
feeble and perhaps sickly. It is well to bear in mind that 
the eggs that hatch the soonest will produce the healthiest 
worms, and will make the largest and heaviest cocoons. 
The worms hatch in largest numbers from five to eight 
o'clock in the morning. 
