Resources of the Southern Fields and Forests, Medical, Economical, and Agricultural; Being Also a Medical Botany of the Confederate States with Practical Information on the Useful Properties of the Trees, Plants, and Shrubs (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863 edition. Excerpt: ...shelves; but the labor required.to keep the worms properly cleaned renders this plan objectionable. At Economy, Penn., the rearing of the silk-worm is now carried on to a great extent, and more successfully than in any other part of the United States, or perhaps the world. Their houses are two stories high. The worms are fed on small trays about eighteen or twenty inches wide, and about three feet long. They are supported in the same manner as the hurdles above described, and are about six inches apart. When the worms are about ready to wind, they are transferred to the upper story, to permanent shelves about sixteen inches apart, where they form their cocoons in bunches of straw placed upright between the shelves. The worms are cleaned at least once after every moulting, and after the last, every day. For this purpose they have nets woven or knit of cotton twine, something larger than the size of the trays, with meshes of various sizes suited to the age of the worms. For the last age they are about three-quarters of an inch square. They are used without frames. When it is required to remove the worms from their litter, the nets are laid lightly over them, and then plentifully fed. When the worms have arisen upon the fresh leaves, they are removed by two persons taking hold of the four corners of the net and transferring them to clean trays, held and carried oft' by a third person. One hundred thousand are changed in this manner in two hours. Description of the silk-worm.--It will be necessary for the inexperienced culturist to have some knowledge of the forms, changes, and appearances of the silk-worm before he enters upon the duties of his interesting charge. The silk-worm is a species of caterpillar, whose life is one continual succession of...