The morning call., 1891-05-24

HOWCfOES W UC uu6 u IRuOIduCO VI ColOkCSo-
ness in rearing the worm, and those who
have more experience are hardly ever known
TO lose any. The worms are also sometimes
too weak when ripe, and spin cocoon
which is thin and worthless, but this may
also be attributed to neglect. In size the
cocoons compare unfavOrably with the Eu-
ropean kinds, being only about two-thirds as
large. But in the northern Laos provinces,
where there are two rearing seasons, one
In the late summer and the other in the late
autumn, the cocoons of the first produce are
said to be of a larger size. When formed,
they are detached, and. If only in small
quantities, they are thrown into boiling
water and reeled within the next few days.
IL larger quantity is obtained than can be
reeied conveniently without delay, or if it is
desired to keep them for some time, they are
put in the sun for day. With clear sky
the worm is supposed to have been killed by
midday.
DRAINAGE.
When it is desired to obtain the seed the
c0coons are kept in one of the baskets de-
scribed, and carefully guarded from insects.
The rearers who have most experience can
easily distinguish the cocoons containing
the male chrysalis from those containing
the female by shaking them, when the
former are said to give tirmer
sound The female moth, however,
is plainly distinguished by Its iarg-
stationary after leaving the cocoon, while
the male futters about. They come out OF
the cocoon before morning, and, IL then
coupled, must be detached in the afternoon.
The male is then thrown away and perhaps
forty or fifty of the females are placed on
small piece Of cotton cloth and covered Win
a cup to prevent their straying and scatter
ing the seed over too large surface. Inc
next morning the females, having laid their
eggs, are thrown away and the piece OF
cloth is folded and put away on one of the
trays until the eggs are nearly hatched.
There appears to be very little disease
among the chrysa and if the cocOonS
are properly taken care of hardly any die.
SPINNING AND SPINNING MACHINES.
The thread is generally coarse, for at
present little care is taken to render it fine,
and, excepting for their best silk cloths,
thick and strong thread is preferred. The
spinning machine is of a very rudmentary
description. A thin piece of soft wood some
two inches broad is bent in the shape of
horseshoe. About ten inches from its eX-
tremities q piece of wood of like thickness
and breadth and having small hole in the
middle, is fixed horizontally. Some six
inches above it is a small Wnder, placed
horizontally in the same manner. The two
eXtremitleS of the machine are fixed on
two small fiat pieces of wood, having
groove on the inner side, which enables it
TO be fixed on 10 the rim Of an earthen pot.
1t thus stands over the mouth of the pot
filled with boiling water. in which a num-
Der OF coCoons-perhaps forty or fifty-are
thrown. The spinner sits before a small
fireplace on which is placed the pot with the
spinning machine fixed firmly on to it, and
with stick having small slit at the top
shakes the coeo0nS IN such manner as to
collect the threads of about half the num-
Der ia the pot Having twisted them with
the hand into a single thread, it is passed
through the small hole and fastened loosely
over the winder. 1t is then pulled out with
no lnht han yvin haIn ptG
caused to reVolve. and is gradually heaped
up in basket close at hand In the left
hand the spinner holds the stick described
before with which to keep down the fila
ment when it becomes entangled. An ex-
perienced hand is able TO spin with con-
siderable rapidity, but it is evident that it
is not easy to produce rapidly firm or
regular thread. The Laos machine is gen.
orally about three feet high, made of bam-
boo slit in half, and fixed on the pot in the
shape OF an lSoSceles triangle.
Keeling.
The thread is reeled on a winder twenty
inches long, fixed horizontally on a stand,
on which the thread is improved by scrap
ing off with knife where it appears irregu-
lar, and by removing any blemishes. 1t Is
then re-reeled on another winder, made of
two sticks fixed horizontally on the extremi-
ties Of piece of wood about two feet high.
This is held in the left hand, and the thread
is wound in ZigZag fashion with the right
over the extremitss of the cross sticks.
The skein thus takes the shape in which it
is generally sold Sometimes this winder is
replaced by another formed by four cross
pieces instead of two, the extremities OF
which are joined with a string. II is then
laid horizontally OH a stand, it is furnished
with handle and the thread is reeled over
the string. This winder is used both by the
Laos and the SiameSe. When it is required
to twist double thread, or tram, another
instrument comes into use. A narrow stand
about four feet long contains at one end Il
large wheel turned by handle. string is
passed over the latter and around piece of
iron foot in length. projecting from the
stand on one side and rounded at the en- d.
Some rough cotton is wound over tho
middle part in which the string catches, so
that in turning the wheel the iron point
revOlves quickly. The two or more threads
are tied together to the extremity Of the
iron instrument, and this, in revolving,
twists them firmly together. This instru-
ment as well as the winderS, is used for
cotton as we'll as silk thread.