46 
FOREST AND STREAM 
January, 1918 
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CULTIVATING SILKWORM GUT 
(continued from page 30) 
the caterpillar, which was the last living 
thing observed in the cocoon, a,t the be¬ 
ginning of the spinning process, a brownish 
pupa is seen, being a sort of case contain¬ 
ing the embryonic organs of the future 
moth. Most of the cocoon, inside of the 
closely-woven exterior, will be a mass of 
fluffy silk filaments surrounding a hard 
inner case, apparently lined with some 
compact, gum-like substance, and contain¬ 
ing beside the pupa, the cast-off skin, now 
shriveled, brown, and crowded out of the 
way into the back of the cocoon. 
Of course you will want to draw the 
gut from most of the worms which you 
have raised. The first important matter is 
to know the right time for the operation. 
After a little experience, you will be able 
to tell by the film hanging from the cater¬ 
pillar’s mouth that the worm is what is 
technically known as “ripe.” Until that 
proficiency is developed, you will more 
safely wait until the spinning has actually 
begun. Then prepare the solution in which 
to pickle the ripe worms. The proportions 
are: a sufficient quantity of vinegar (de¬ 
pending upon the number of worms ready) 
into which put enough salt to make a satu¬ 
rate solution, diluted with the same quan¬ 
tity of water. The salt should be put in 
the vinegar and thoroughly stirred, until 
all the salt possible has been dissolved. 
Pour off the vinegar, leaving the undis¬ 
solved salt, and then add an equal quan¬ 
tity of water. I have thought that vinegar, 
in which the “mother” had formed, was 
best for this purpose. You need not pre¬ 
pare more than a cupful ordinarily, as the 
caterpillars will ripen only a few at a 
time; and many of them may be pickled 
in one solution before it is used up. The 
purpose of the pickling process is to 
toughen the silk sacs sufficiently to permit 
of their being pulled out. Into the solu¬ 
tion, prepared as above, put whatever 
worms may be ready to spin, first tearing 
them across the back about a quarter or a 
third from the head, but do not entirely re¬ 
move the torn portion of the worm. 
W HILE the pickling process is pro¬ 
ceeding, let me say that some have 
drawn gut without putting the 
worm into a solution of any kind. I have 
tried this method on cecropia and polyphe- 
mus, but with unsatisfactory results. I 
am not denying the possibility of doing it, 
I am merely stating my own experience. 
I try a few worms by this method from 
every brood that I raise, and hope some 
day to be successful. My experience has 
been that the unpickled sacs are too weak 
to permit of being drawn out in this way. 
I will describe this method, however, in 
hopes that it may be useful to others. Take 
a board from six to nine feet long. Pin 
the worm securely to one end, putting one 
pin through the “tail” of the animal, and 
two more about a third of the way back 
from the head. With a sharp knife cut 
off the anterior part back nearly to the 
two pins. Take a large pin and dip it into 
the silk and draw out carefully as far as 
the fluid silk will go, and fasten each 
strand with a pin. Let the gut thus drawn 
out dry in the shade for several days. I 
have read that a method like this has been 
successfully tried in France. I must con¬ 
fess that I do not enjoy the experience; 
neither does the worm. Very likely the 
caterpillar could be killed or stupefied by 
some means before the pinning was done. 
The method which I employ has at least 
the merit of being more merciful. After 
the worm has pickled about half an hodr, 
I examine and draw out one end of a sac. 
If it is strong and firm, I continue the 
drawing process; if there is a suggestion 
of weakness, I continue the pickling process 
fifteen or twenty minutes longer. I am 
convinced by experience that the precise 
moment for pulling out the sacs is a highly 
important consideration. If the pickling 
process has been too short, the gut, while 
apparently strong, and of good quality, 
seems to be lacking in the proper con¬ 
sistency. On the other hand, if the pick¬ 
ling is carried too far, the resulting strand 
is lumpy, and the lumpy parts, while look¬ 
ing strong, are really the weakest part. 
I DO not feel sure that I can describe the 
exact point at which results are likely 
to be the best. I could easily show 
to another the. silk sac when it had the 
proper consistency to secure the best re¬ 
sults. But I will attempt a description, as 
even a poor one may be of some help, 
though experience and observation are the 
best instructors. At its best condition for 
securing results, the sac, on being re¬ 
moved from the body of the worm, has a 
peculiar whitish appearance, not soft or 
mushy, and yet not hard like a string of 
glue. When pulled out, the strand in ap¬ 
pearance suggests a tendon or “cord,” 
such as is found in meat before cooking, 
a peculiar “glairy” look. This color, on 
drying, becomes somewhat opalescent, and, 
later, may turn even dark brown. 
Having satisfied yourself that the sac ia 
pickled properly, work quickly, since there 
are two strands to every worm, and the 
pickling process must not be unduly pro¬ 
longed. On the shady side of the veran¬ 
dah, or of the house, stick a pin into the 
clapboards, and tie one end of the sac se¬ 
curely. Then take the other end of the 
sac in the fingers, or tie it to another pin, 
and draw the gut out to its full length. If 
any parts of the sac are not fully drawn 
out, these will be lumpy and weak when 
the gut is dry. Fasten the end of the 
sac just drawn out, and allow to dry for 
several days. While the gut must be 
stretched far enough to keep it from being 
lumpy, a little allowance must be made 
for contraction in the drying process. So 
ease up an inch or two, before making both 
ends of the gut fast. I have had very 
good success, when the gut was drawn 
on a rainy day, and the strands became 
moist and slack. In such circumstances, I 
have thought that the gut was peculiarly 
strong. But at all events, keep it out of 
the sun, and if it contracts so much as to 
pull out the pin at either end, ease up the 
pull somewhat, and refasten. You will 
usually find, in a day or two, that you have 
a variety of colors. Some will turn a dark 
golden brown. Some may have a bluish 
tint; others will be light, like a washed- 
out rootlet, or fiber. Still others will ap¬ 
proximate in color the ordinary Spanish 
