Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-04-11

YIELD PER ACRE, SAY 200 TREES TO
THE ACRE.
An acre planted in mulberry trees,
when four years old, should produce
5000 pounds of leaves to the acre /;
that is, 5000 pounds suitable for feed
ing" and, during feeding time, without
injury to the tree Those leaves should
feed at least r4o, 900 worms. We have
followed the best authorities in stating,
that 5000 pounds of leaves will feed
10000 worms, but some writers say
5000 pounds to 10000 worms and
their statement must not be left out OF
calculations.
TIE SILK WORM.
The silk Worm (Bom6yr NoyiJ
originally a native of China, which in
this country supplies silk ordinarily used
in commerce, and often called the
Mulberry silk Worm, is produced by
cream.colored Moth, with brownish
markings more or less distinct across
its wings. This moth is called scientifi.
cally, .Ss,ifaria Mon. The worm gives
one and two crops OF silk each season,
and by following the directions given in
this work, with strict attention to de
tails, success will follow.
The great secret of success in raising
silk is, first have plenty of food for
your worms, for If not well fed they
will not thrive, nor give silk in large
quantities or of good quality and sec
ond, even with plenty of food at com.
mand, if the worms are not properly
attended to, fed as often as they require
to be, and strict attention paid to
cleanliness, your time and labor will be
thrown away These points will be
well to remember
GENERAL MANAGEMENT or a COCOON
cry.
Ii is necessary in all well managed
cocooneries to have thermometers, and
observe and record the temperature
each day. would caution any one
against the teachings of some treatises
vi BIN tuttulC II 10 tidiiiiSb
that silk worms can be raised in most
any sheltered place" 1t may happen
that some unusually fine spell Of
weather may enable one to raise a crop
in this manner but in variable
climates one cannot rely upon it. A
uniform temperature is very important
ii one wishes to do the business we'll
The temperature should never be
allowed to fall below 65, and at that
temperature it should remain but as
short time as possible. If at any
time during the raising OF the worms
the cocoonery should be overtaken by
hot days, make every effort to keep the
mercury from going above So. TO
prevent this, the floor must be sprinkled
with cold water. This may prevent the
"jaundice" or ''grasserie," prevalent
disease among silk worms in this coun-
try.
1t is good plan to accelerate the
growth of crop OF silk worms by all
proper means. With the thermometer
kept at IS or So a crop should be
completed from Matching to spinning in
"a OF IS days. OF course, good food,
fresh and plentiful, should be on hand
and freely given. A vigorous ventilation
should be in every cocoonery still
there should never be draft upon the
worms. II is a good sign OF success
when all the worms on the tray are OF
the same size. To accomplish this,
they must be made to mott and awaken
as nearly as possible at the same time
The clearing OF the litter every two
days during the first and second ages,
and every day the fourth and fifth age,
canno, be too much insisted upon. BY
all means, keep the worms from getting
too much crowded Keep them apart.
DO not let them pile up Attend to
this at whatever cost of time or labor.
The eggs OF the moth, called by
raisers the seed" are nearly round and
very small in size. When frs, laid they
are yellow, and il they retain this color
they are worthless. II, however, in !,
or IS days they change to a darker
color (gray or slsss), it shows they are
impregnated and are good for seed.
They also become slightly indented
End are fastened to the card on which
they are laid by natural gum produced
by the moth. As the Matching time
approaches the egg becomes lighter in
color, its fluid contents becoming con
centrated in the centre, where tn,
worm is forming, leaving the space be
tween il and the shell transparent
Just before Matching the worm become,
active, sometimes producing faint click
ing sound After il has Matched. the shel
becomes quite white.
rHr WORN