200 
THE ART OF REARING 
not take off the cocoons before the eighth or ninth 
day, reckoning from the time when the silk-worms 
first rose. I take them off the seventh, and even 
the sixth day, because my laboratories are con- 
ducted with such regularity that I know with cer- 
tainty when I may do so. 
We shall see besides, that this delay only occa- 
sions a trifling diminution in the weight of the 
cocoon, rather improves the quality of them, and 
particularly the cocoons of which the worms hav- 
ing taken a longer time to purge themselves, con- 
sequently are slower in completing the cocoon. 
When the seven or eight days are elapsed, the 
cocoon should be gathered. 
This operation should begin on the lower tier of 
hurdles, removing all the cocoons regularly from 
the hedges and hurdles, and where there are no 
branches. 
The fagots should not be flung down, but 
gently taken off the hurdles, and given to those 
who are to gather the cocoons. 
By flinging down the fagots as some do, there 
is a chance of crushing some of the cocoons, and 
staining them by killing the worm, before the 
work is well finished. 
No such accidents can occur in a well-managed 
laboratory. 
The persons directed to gather the cocoons 
should be seated in rows, ready to strip the load- 
