Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-02-29

the leaves, course tool and nets, or
perforated paper for changing the beds
and equalizing the worms, a little
straw brush or shavings to start the
spinning place and a thermometer.
One kind of silk worm culture is for
production and another is for repro
duction. The object in the first case
is to get the greatest number of
cocoons, and in most cases this may
be carried on by any one of ordinary
intelligence.
The object of reproduction is to
obtain eggs free from hereditary faint
or disease and experts only can do this
work.
The silk worm is not a tropical in
sect md attains it's best development
between So and n degrees. s}r
. The appetite of the worm increases
or di1uinishes with heat. Matches
usually occur early in the morning and
the second day the temperature should
be adjusted to about ~ degrees.
The worms are fed by sprinkling
tender mulberry leaves finely cut up
into small bits, and about the fourth
day they should be fed from four to
eight times every twenty-four hours.
Before cutting the leaf remove the
stem.
Silk worms must have a good supply
of fresh air at feeding time. If the
day is warm the windows may be left
open permanently, but should be pro-
tected by curtains through which the
air passes freely.
The beds must be changed frequent
ly. This is done best by using thread
nets aud perforated paper. Place the
last meal at night on the nets and ex-
tend them over the worms. BY morn
ing the worms will have mounted
above the opening in search of fresh
leaves; then lift up the nets and place
them on clean shelves
When the worms mature they indi-
cate their desire to spin by running
about, by moving their heads like a
blind person seeking their way
The spinning place must be pre-
pared i'll advance, which consists Of
any dry, bushy material, free from
gum The worms will all have spun
their cocoons within thirty or forty
hours after their development. The
temperature during the spinning time
should be kept at about rs degrees and
the air must be moist
The worms must not be disturbed
while spinning and the rooms in which
they are kept must be quiet and abso-
lutely clean. The floor must be wiped
with damp cloth frequently, so that
no dust will arise.
The cocoons are ready to be gath
cred and sorted in seven to ten days
from the time at which the first worm
begins to spin.
To prepare the cocoons for market
the chrysalis must be killed and the
cocoon dried until no moisture re-
mains The killing is accomplished by
baking the cocoons in the oven or
stea1nilg them. They are then placed
in the sun daily and dried in much
The same way that fruit is dried, car
rying indoors at night and when rain
threatens.
A thoroughly dried cocoon weighs
but one-third as much as a newly
j spun one. The thread of the cocoon is
continuous with that of the web and
It's length varies from 600 to 500
Yards.
Cocoons thoroughly dried can be
Splaced in cloth bags and sent by mail
sSwithout injury. There is always a
good demand for cocoons both at home
aAnd abroad, and as the work is light
sslnd exceedingly interesting it forms
"a profitable and pleasant occupation,
particularly for women and children.
al Silk culture in foreign countries is
conducted almost entirely by women.
81 Silk worms are affected by MANY
diseases and the grower must combat
8 hese at all times. A great deal of
aluable information in regard to this
FORK nay be obtained in Farmers Bull
stin No. 165 on silk Worm Culture"
his will be sent to any address upon
guest TO the Department of Agricul-
re at Washington.