298 
THE ART OF REARING 
which produces about six cwt. of cocoons, should 
be 40 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 13 feet high. 
to manage the same quantity of eggs when divided in six or 
seven small laboratories. 
2. There is a smaller quantity of fuel consumed in a 
large laboratory than in several small ones. 
3. One single man may with greater ease overlook one of 
these large laboratories than several separate small labora- 
tories. 
4. The large laboratories effect a great saving in the 
consumption of the leaves. 
5. The circulation of air is better. 
6. Whatever be the exposition of the great laboratory, 
the interior temperature, in equal circumstances, will be less 
susceptible of sudden changes than the interior temperature 
of the small laboratories. Neither is it liable to breed so 
great a quantity of carbonic acid gas, or mephitic air, so 
peculiarly noxious to the silk-worm, as the small laboratory. 
7. Finally the silk-worms succeed better in the great la- 
boratory, and form finer cocoons. 
The total result will shew that the great laboratory is less 
expensive, and better overlooked, consumes less leaf, preserves 
the worms better from the attacks of disease, and affords an 
abundant and finer produce of cocoons. M. Dandolo ob- 
serves, that having reared silk-worms in large, middle- 
sized, and small laboratories, the cocoons of the large labo- 
ratories were invariably of a superior quality. The art of 
rearing silk-worms will require some knowledge of physic 
and chemistry, and the advantage or success to be obtained 
will depend much on the instruction and information of that 
person who directs the management, as well as a certain de- 
gree of intelligence in the lower workmen. Thus M. Dan- 
dolo particularly recommends the choice of persons of good 
capacity. The education necessary is not very long, and 
the reward is great, as it is the principal and surest income 
of the proprietor. These two advantages should surely be 
sufficient to induce us to adopt the rules pointed out by the 
