Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
larvae emerged, they were transferred to a bed of chopped leaves, either individually by
hand, or by some device such as spreading the leaves on a sheet of paper in which holes
were made, and covering the eggs with this: the larvae soon found their way through the
holes on to the leaves. It was very important to keep the foodstuff clean and fresh. The lar-
vaewereprovidedwithuptofivemealsadayandtheirbedshadtobecleanedatleastonce
during this time, which lasts a little over a month and in the course of which the larvae cast
their skinsfourtimes; thentheyspintheir cocoons,attaching themselves totwigs orstraws
provided for them.
It takes three or four days for the spinning of the cocoon to be completed, and it is left
for another week or so to mature: it then consists of an outer covering of loose silk which
cannot be reeled off as a single thread, but is used as floss or wadding for padding quilted
clothing. The bulk of the cocoon forms a length of silk, perhaps 500 yards long. The best
cocoons are picked out for breeding, the moths being allowed to develop and make their
way out of their integuments to mate and deposit their eggs for the next season. In the pro-
cess of breaking out, they split the silk, and the cocoons that are to be used for thread do
not reach this stage, but are killed by being exposed to the sun or immersed in hot water.
Before the thread is unreeled, the cocoon is soaked in warm water, which frees the outer
layers and makes it possible for the end of the thread to be discovered. The various sorts
of yarn used to make different varieties of fabric are made by spinning together the threads
from varying numbers of cocoons.
