Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-05-23
sERICLTURE.
1he oo7efr>raant VIII Buy Silk orrn
Eggs fer Distribution.
Sks following circular has been received

I h'fAs following circular has been received.
which viii be of interest TO silk-growerS:
The Department of Agriculture will nur-
chase during the coming summer such
quantities OF silk. worm eggs as may be
deemed necessary for the distribution that
| it is proposed to make Tor the season OF
| 1886. So far as found practicable the eggs
will be purchased Of American producers.
There are certain precautions, however,
! that must be taken to insure purchase.
| Eggs Of improved races only (preterablv of
/ the French or Italian yellow races will be
! bought, and the producer should send one
or two samples Of pierced cocoons
| with the eggs. In addition to this the
| producer must conform to certain rules
| 10 be hereafter explained, so that
an examination may be made that
! will serve 10 show the degree of
/ purity Of the eggs. No silk culturist should
use his crop Tor the production of eggs
unless the worms have shown, until they
! begin the spinning Of their cocoOns, every
! sign Of perfect, robust health Any indi-
cation Of the disease called EGckerie, from
! which the worms 50 often die after the
! fourth mott and turn black from putrifac-
| ton, or Of any other disease from which
silk worms suffer. should be considered as
ample reason for not using the cocoons for
the purpose IN question. They should, on
the other hand, be sold for the lilahre IF
the worms have all the indications OF
health until the spinning period, then the
coc0ons may be used for the production of
eggs. The following brief instructions viii
Prove Of service to those who wish 10 Sc
cure sound eggs:
For each Dance Of eggs TO be produced,
about thTee-quarIeTs Of n pound Of fresh
CocOons from the finest and firme5t in the
lot shouid be chosen. These shoGld be
strung in sets upon thread, care being
taken not 10 pierce the chrysalis, and the
strings hung in Q cool, dark room. The
moths geucarily emerge from the Cocoons
early in the morning, and will be seen
crawling about over these, the males being
NOTICEABLE by heir smaller abdomeus. uQre
robust anteIiraa and their greater activity,
The moths sh0uId be placed, regardless OF
sex, on Il table where they will soon find
their mates and couple. AS soon Us formed
the couples should be removed to another
, table that they may not be disturbed by the
dntterings OF the single moths.
There should be prepared for each ounce
! of eggs TO be produced about 100 small bags
of fine muslin, made in the following man
ner: Cut the cloth in pieces 3x6 inches.
Then fold one end over so az 10 leave 8
single edge of about three quarters of an
! inch, through which the cord can be run
! for hanging up. This should be sewn up
into q bag with the upper end open, and
then turned inside out, SO that the seams
will cause the sides 10 bulge. Thus COM
plcted they are called cells" The cells
should be strung on . cord stretched across
the room.
The moths couple as aIulea bout8 o'clock
in the morning. About in the afternoon
they should be separated by taking them by
the wings and drawing them gently apart.
Each female shCuldnOw be placed by herself
in cell, which is then closed by a pin. Here
she viii lay her eggs and in due time die.
The males may, ~ . rule, be thrown away,
but il IS wise to keep q few Of the more
active ones, IN case there should be
superintendent Of females the following
day.
When the females have finished laying
their eggs, which operation occupies about
80 hours. they are ready to be shipped to
this office. The cell, with their Enclosed
moths and eggs, should be placed in
strong box of wood or tin, being packed
in such q manner that they viii not
be crushed and mailed to the l1ntomolo-
gis- at this Department. BY using
the inclOsed return penalty slip, payment
Of postage may be avoided. The name
Of Inc SchGeF SHGulu De paced III eaCh
box. The moths, as soon as received,
Will be examined microscopically and
the eggs Of those which are found to be free
rom disease Will be weighed and paid for
at the rate Of s. SO per ounce Of % grams
(about siX-Scyenths OF an ounce avoirdu-
pois.) Silk culturists are advised not to
attempt the production Of eggs unless they
are adopts at the industry and have had
at least one seasons experience. We
would advise each person desiring to sell,
to send sample first with statement of
the quantity offered.
c. V. riley, Entomologist
Department Of Agriculture, Washington,