414 On the Management of the Silk- Worm. 
and on the paper, small twigs of mulberry with the leaves on, should be 
spread. As soon as the Worms get through the holes, they immedi- 
ately get on the twigs, which, when covered, remove to another paper 
tray, about fifteen inches square; more twigs should be placed over 
the egg's, and removed as soon as loaded with Worms, all the time they 
continue to hatch for the day: — the time of hatching is generally from 
5 to 9 o'clock in the morning. In about three days, the principal part 
of the eggs will be hatched, and each day's hatching should be placed 
on a separate tray, observing to place them in the middle of the tray 
so as to occupy about one-fourth ; the day of the month on which they 
were hatched, should be noted down, so as to prevent confusion 
afterwards. 
As soon as the Worms have done coming forth for the day, and are 
removed, they should have a little food given them, viz. — a few young 
leaves chopped very fine, and sprinkled over them, — it must be given 
to them in very small quantities. They ought to be fed at least four 
times a day, — the first meal, at four o'clock in the morning, then at 
nine, again at three in the afternoon, and lastly, at nine in the evening; 
between these times of feeding, a sprinkling may be given; as a little 
at once, and often, is the best way of feeding the Silk-worm. 
If I were to enter minutely into the subject, it would be necessary to 
state the quantity of leaves required for each day's consumption, but 
that would swell this paper to a greater length than is necessary; suf- 
fice it to say, — the quantity of leaves given, should increase at every 
feed, up to the fifth day, and the chopped leaves should be spread a 
little wider every time they are fed, so that as the Worms increase in 
size, they may have more room to feed ; on the sixth, a less quantity of 
food should be given them ; on the seventh, little will be required ; and 
on the eighth, they will become torp-d, and cast their skins ; probably, 
it will be the next day before they are fit to remove to another tray. 
Great care must be taken in giving them dry leaves, — they ought to be 
gathered some hours before they are used. 
I may here observe, that the time of moulting or casting their skins, 
depends entirely on the temperature in which they have been kept ; in 
the above time, the thermometer should range between 68 and 72 
degrees ; but if kept up to 75 degrees, they would cast on the sixth 
or seventh day, in fact the hotter they are kept, the more vapid their 
growth, and they consequently go through their changes more quickly; 
but the risk is greater. 
The time taken, as stated above, will nearly correspond with the 
degree of heat that the cottager may command in this uncertain 
climate, and as low as they can, be reared in with any degi'ce of 
success. 
