Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-04-18

two or three days the spinning will I've
completed and IN six OF seven days
the chysalts will bc formed.
GATHERING Inr CoCuoNs.
In eight days fran the commence
mcni of the spinning !, will be time to
gather the cocoonS The stained co
coons should first be removed and laid
aside he very careful not to stain the
clean ones with the black fluid of worms
that have died this will happen in every
cocooncty
The loose outer ot floss silk, must
then he picked OF from the inner solid
cocoon. which process is called strip
ping and the latter separated according
to weight color and hrmness those
which feel most solid, and resist pres
sure, being the best Soft OF imperfect
cocoons must be separated from the
tirmcr ones, as they would be crushed
and soil the others. The finest and
| tirmcst must now be taken Tot seed for
| the next crop, as II is preferable 10 kccp
tho eggs, to buying from large establish-
mcntS as they are apt to bc unjust
worthy II is always best for silk raiscfs
to provide their own seed. The cocoons
for seed must be chosen for their firm.
ness, and the hncncSs OF color OF their
! silk, rather than for size. II white,
take the purcst white II yellow, the
straw color is considered the best II
green, the darkest, glosSicst ones must
be chosen, as these have the best
quality of thread. DO not use the pale
shade OF green cocoon ior seed. Should
there be any double or treble cocoons
that is, those made by two or more
worms II they are OF the right color
and quality, use them for seed, for
which purpose they are just as good,
though unfit for Keeling. Should il I've
desired to have an ounce OF seed, or
forty thousand eggs, for the next crop,
or for sale, i, would he safe to take, nj
least, three hundred cocoons, half male
and half female. Each female moth, it
is estimated, will lay from two hundred
and fifty to four hundred eggs The
cocoons must now be laid aside, await,
ing the appearance of the moth-carc
being taken to keep them from rats and
mice. Then take care of the other
cocoons, which must all be stripped,
and they are then ready for sitting or
choking.
CHOKING OR STIRLING CoCooNS.
II the cocoons can be sold imme-
diately on their completion, or by the
eighth day from their commencement,
no further trouble will be necessary
after stripping them, than to pack them
in bales and ship them to their desti
nation. II the raiser intends reeling, or
il some time must elapse before the
cocoons can be sold or sent to a reeling
establishment or "filature," some means
must be taken to prevent the moth from
leaving the cocoon, thus injuring the
silk for rceling purposes This can be
done by sitting them with steam or
choking them with dry heat Steaming
is said TO be the surest and quickest
method II Conveniences are at hand Ii
can be done at any steam-mill. The
cocoons are placed on shelves in an
alright box, and steam turned into ii.
| Twenty minutes will do the required
work, and the cocoons are then dried
in the sun. Dry-heat choking takes
longer time. Place the coCoons on
shallow dishes, on iron frames, in an
oven heated TO temperature of about
two hundred degrees, or about heat
necessary for baking purposes This
should not bG increased for fear of
scorching the silk. The operation takes
about an hour, though one and half
hour is not too long to insure success.
a slight humming noise in the cocoon
may be heard while there is life, and
its cessation shows that the chrysalids
are dead After this operation is com
pleted, the cocoons should be placed on
shelves, in the shade, with plenty Of
air, and be frequently stirred tor the
first few days. After remaining on the
shelves for few weeks with occasional
stirring, the chrysalids become quite
dry and the cocoons will keep for an
indefinite time. They are still subject
to attacks from rats, mice and insects,
which are attracted by the dead chrysa-
lis within. After thoroughly drying,
place the cocoons in bags of thin ma
terial and hang them up for future use.
EGG LAYING, OR REPRODUCTION.
Second Cyop Nor especially recon-
mendtd toy this ooHnt,y. United States.
From the tenth to the twentieth day
from the time when the worm com
mences to spin, the moths will begin
issuing from the cocoons set apart for
breeding purposes They make their
appearance IN the greatest number in
the morning early, from four to eight
o'clock-and as they appear should be
taken gently by the wings, placed on
paper, and the sexes kept apart for a
short time. The males may readily be
distinguished by their smaller bodies
and by the incessant fluttering of their
wings. The females remain quiet, their
abdomens being distended with eggs.
When they first issue from the cocoon
they are wet, their wings clinging to
their bodies. They soon dry themselves,
however and after being separated for
an hour or two, the sexes in equal num-
bers may be placed together upon
pape. or cardboard, and the room be
kept as dark as possible, For the com
plete impregnalion of the eggs the sexes
should be kept together six hours,
neither more or less, and they should
be occasionally visited, in order to re-
| niaca III. ~, , iae ,rh,,h ,,,,,, h,,a k.,,,,..