Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-17
From the american Farmer.
SILkWORMS.


MY Dean SKINNER:
send you incloscd the original, in Spanish and
atranslation, Of the mode of breeding silkworms,
and regret that time does not admit of INV going
into detail as explained to me of the manner of
making silk. 1t is very simple manner.
w nen the cocoons are formed, and the butterfly
has been killed by exposure to the sun, they are
lHr0Wn INTO boiling hot water, Il handful of slender
twigs OF birch any other convenient aud suitable
tree, are made into short broom, the soft end Of
which is thrust by the hard in active motion on
the cocoons and dctachcs from them the silk which
another person is employed in rccling off on a reel
made of piece of fishing about two feet
long with two short transverse pieces near each
end After which it is placed a dsialf and
spun off by hand as you spin flax. / send you
specimen Of this domestic silk, Of which large
quantities made in the island.
leave here to morrow next dav for Naples in
the John Adams, my way TO ConstantinopIc,
when hope TO be able to devote some Of nv tno
TO objec of general utility, unconnccted with my
public duties
The pine seeds will be delivered to you by Cap
tain Gordon of the navy, who will have also in
charge present for Mrs. Skinner TO ornament Il
side table mautlcpiccc, anl which doubt not
:sIo viii he pleased with.
With my best wishes for you and her, az well as
the boys, believe me, truly YOURS,
j. 4. Skinner, Esq. DAVID Porter.
p S. send you a twig OF the proper kind OF
wood to make the brush Of to separate the silk from
the oecoons, and much doubt whether any other
KIND viii suit so well: you will perceive that it must
the
the cocoons. | also send you few eggs which
were produced under my own inspection.
SECRETS OF THE SILKwoRM, UTILITY, DsEA-
AND REMEDIES.
To rear The silbworm, it will be necessary, in the
first place, to select suitable room. This should
be rather high, than low, in Il good atmosphere
perfectly dry and we'll furnished with windows, that
shc sun may penetrate It, in the morning and c.
vcniHg. These windows should be well closed and
BE- covered with glass or fine stuff Of some sort,
hat l., Ill,
cold weather may require it. II is very necessary
TO observe the weather, for the silkworm is very
dclIc-te under all circumstances. Nets spread be-
fore the windows will also be good precaution TO
prevent swallows and other birds from doyourinp
the Care should be taken that the walls
ofthc house he clean, and without holes or chinks,
through which rats might enter, and destroy or in
Jure the worms
The should be furnished with upright pie
ces Of wood or studs, with cross bars, and upon
these, arc to be laid shelves, mode Of small canes.
Before the worms be placed upon these shelves,
they should be sPrinklcd with little good vinegar
and thcn rubbed with odorifcrous herbs, southern
wood, &c. These fond Of sweet g.
dours.
As the mulberry trees begin to bud, the
leaves will be plucked for the worms if they be
hatchcd. But if the eggs, which have been pre-
served during the winter should be Matched before
the mulberry trees begin to bud, the worms may be
fed on the tender leaves ofclm, netlc or lettuce. !
in batching tho eggs Of the silkworm, they viii 1
FIRST be put ntotcpid white wine, m5lvasia. The
good eggs will be known by their sinking to the
bottom Of the vase, and the bad by floating. The
former viii then be spread out upon plate or board
covered with sheet Of paper, and exposed to the
The season Of Matching the siikworm crg, is thcjl
month Of April little earlier later, according
10 the climate. They should be Matched between
the new and full moon; for the worms Matched at
this period, spin larger, finer, and harder cocoous
than.those Matched during the last quarter Of the
moon.
The following is tho mode Of Matching the silk
worm egg. After thcy have been put into white
wine, place them before the FIRE, and as as
you perceive them to be about TO hatch, put them
into small wooden box and lay over them sheets
Of white paper punctured with holes larger than
those made by pins, and upon the paper, place one
or two young mulbe ~ leaves. As soon as the
worms are matched they will fix themselves upon
these leaves, and with those, they TO be trans
SsITed to the shelves Of reed or Tender null