SILK-WORMS. 
211 
strip them of any down or floss that may still hang 
about them. 
This floss does not form a part of the cocoon, 
and must be removed, because the cocoon is clean- 
er, and not so apt to get soiled without it ; and 
also that the moth may not get its feet entangled 
in the floss when it first appears. I have known 
them sometimes obliged to have assistance to get 
rid of the floss. This is a very tedious part of the 
work ; however, a good hand at it will clean thirty 
pounds a day, without much exertion. While 
cleaning the cocoons, all those that appear to have 
any flaw or defect should be laid aside ; this is 
also the time to separate the male and female co- 
coons, as far as we can distinguish them. 
When this is done, the sorted cocoons must be 
put on the tables, in layers of about two inches, 
allowing the air to pass freely through them, that 
it may not be necessary to stir them too fre- 
quently. 
When they are too much heaped up, they must 
be constantly turned and stirred ; and as the 
chrysalis produces a constant evaporation, as will 
be seen hereafter, it follows that when the under- 
most cocoons are not stirred, they may become 
moist, and injure the chiysalis. 
If the heat of the apartment disposed for this 
purpose is above 73°, and that the cocoons can- 
not be placed elsewhere, every method of dimi- 
nishing the heat should be tried ; such as keeping 
