106 
THE ART OF REARING 
The impression of the air thus forcibly blown 
over them is disagreeable and painful to them, 
when they have newly cast their skins ; but gentle 
motion of the air through the laboratory is plea - 
sant to them, and does them good, provided the 
renewed air is not colder than their usual atmo- 
sphere. 
They should be l’emoved in the same order and 
manner as in their former age (§ 11.) 
The space of 174 feet, allotted to the third age, 
should be disposed in a strip down the centre of 
the wicker hurdle, and of nearly half the width 
of the hurdle, so as to leave rather more than a 
quarter’s width down each side of the strip. 
When the space is well ascertained which the 
silk-worms are to occupy in their different ages ; 
there is nothing more easy, more useful, and more 
economical, than to remove, cleanse, and place 
them in the manner I have described. 
Once placed upon their wicker hurdles, they 
are no more touched until their casting is accom- 
plished ; they feed well without interfering with 
one another, and without requiring to have the 
intervals on the sheet of paper cleaned. Their 
litter does not become mouldy, unless there should 
be a very unusual and continued dampness of 
weather, but is of a fresh green colour, thinly 
scattered, nearly dry, and composed of the fibres 
of the leaf, and little portions of the leaf fallen 
