D.—No. 3

22

REPORT ON SERICULTURE

adapted for hatching in this state, the weather being then more favourable, more warm and settled, and the leaves of the mulberry fit for use. " When I want to hatch my eggs," writes Mr. Prevost, " I simply take the papers on which my eggs are from my cellar to my garret, and there the heat Caused by the sun through the roof makes them hatch promptly, which they generally begin to do on the third or fourth day." From the fourth to the sixth day the worms are observed to crawl about on the paper on which the eggs have been laid nine or ten months previously. Then commences the real business of the silk-grower, the feeding and careful management of the worms; but this I shall reserve for my description of the Davisville Cocoonery, and will now briefly describe the worms themselves and the changes they pass through. The silkworm during its short period of existence, about six weeks altogether, passes through four changes or moultings, which consists in the shedding of its old skin, and occupies generally twentyfour hours. Tho periods between these moultings are termed ages, and are five in number. First Age—When hatched, the silkworm is of a blackish colour, and about a twelfth of an inch long. It eats well for tho first three days, then grows torpid, and must not be disturbed until it awakens. The first moulting usually occurs on the fifth day after hatching, and, when in this torpid condition, it attaches itself to whatever is in its way, stretching out its head, which continues to swell until the skin bursts and slips back to the tail. During this period the worms must not be disturbed. Second Age—The silkworm having thus cast its skin, is now become of a dark ash colour, and requires about three times as much food as in the first age. On the ninth day it usually passes into the Third Age—lts mouth has now become darker and harder, and continues so to do throughout the following two ages. It is therefore from this time forward fed on entire leaves. The thirteenth or fourteenth day it passes through its third moulting, and then enters its Fourth Age—The colour of the worm is now a sort of whitish flesh-colour, and it has become much enlarged in size. About the twenty-second day it enters the last stage of its existence. The Fifth Age—The worm is now dark-gray, and eats voraciously, taking a quantity of food that is really astonishing. It continues in this stage of its existence for ten days, and thus arrives at maturity in about thirty-two days, being then from 3to 4 inches long. It is now ready to perform the great work of its life, —• The Spinning of the Cocoon. When it is ready for this work the worm ceases eating, and is observed to move about uneasily, looking upwards aud trying to ascend to carry on its spinning; its neck, too, becomes wrinkled, and its body soft. It is now necessary to prepare some place to which the cocoon can be fastened. Boughs of willows or other small bushy twigs are used for this purpose, as is also straw. The cocoon is generally spun in four or five days ; and in six or seven days after this —that is to say, in about six weeks from the time of hatching —the cocoons are gathered, and such of them as are not required for hatching purposes are exposed to the rays of the sun for four or five days, until the chrysalis inside is Idlled. Producing the Eggs. —Whatever eggs are required for use the following year or for sale, must be produced from the moths or butterflies which emerge from the cocoons. Before destroying the chrysalis, it therefore becomes necessary to calculate what quantity of eggs will be required, and, as a basis for doing so, it is said the female moth lays 300 eggs ; there are 40,000 eggs to the ounce, which will therefore require 140 pairs of moths for production. It is almost unnecessary to say the best cocoons are always selected for this purpose —-such cocoons as are large, firm, and bright in colour. They are selected, too, in equal numbers, male and female —the former being easily known by their smallness, length, narrowness, and sharp-pointedness at both ends —tho female being larger, rounder, and more like an egg in shape. Having been first stripped of the outside floss, the cocoons are next laid, in single layers, in open paper boxes or baskets, and then put away in some dark, warm, but airy place. About the twelfth day after the cocoon has been formed, the moth emerges from it in the form of a butterfly; the male generally appearing first, and being known by its smaller size and the fluttering of wings; the female is larger, and seldom moves. They emerge from the cocoons between seven and nine o'clock in the morning, and must be then paired as soon as possible, by being placed on sheets of paper, spread on boards ; when this is done, they arc taken carefully by the wings, so as not to separate them, and removed to different sheets of paper, and are afterwards placed in a dark room, where they remain until four or five o'clock in the evening; then they must be separated, by taking the wings of the male in one hand and of tho female in the other and drawing them gently apart, so as not to hurt them. The males are of no further use, and are thrown away, unless, the following morning, when this process is resumed, it should happen there are more females than males. To meet this contingency, it is customary to keep some of the males, as a reserve, in a perforated box. The females are now laid on soft paper, and very soon exude drops of yellowish matter, which is usually deposited on blotting paper and thrown away. They then commence to lay their eggs, and in a few Tiours have finished doing so. If the eggs be of the annual variety, the papers on which they are laid are deposited in tin boxes perforated with holes ; the lids are carefully fastened, and the boxes put into some dry cool place, and there kept until the following May. This is the plan adopted in California. If, however, the worms be of the Bivolline or Trivolfine species—that is to say, if their eggs hatch twice or three times during the year —the eggs, instead of being laid aside in the manner just described, are put in some warm place, and in about eight days they will hatch, the worms going through the stages mentioned previously. There are three varieties of silkworms in California : the Annuals, which hatch only once during the year; the Bivoltines, whose eggs hatch twice in the season ; and the Trivoltines, three times ; but the Annuals are principally, if not entirely, used by the silk-growers of the State. They allege, as a