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JJ:BC. LIBRARY

THE LIBRARY

THI IMVF.RSITV (II BRITISH COLUMBIA

Born 1871 In Walo, Krvcd in the Himalayas wilh the BHiikh Trampon Coqn and in the Boxer Rebellion, helped conslnjcl ihc CP.R, foughl with the Canadian Expeditionary Force 191417, a reaideni of Vancouver (or forty yean, itill a reader at 94, donated hit collcetion of 4.000 iKxiki in 1969.

THE

SILK INDUSTRY

OF

JAPAN

BY

L Honda,

DIRECTOR

OF THE

Imperial Tokyo Sericultural Institute*

t^

TOKYO

The Imperial Tokyo Sericultural Institute.

1909.

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2010 with funding from

University of British Columbia Library

http://www.archive.org/details/silkindustryofjaOOhond

PREFACE.

This work is intended to introduce to the world the sericultural industry of Japan, giving a full descrip- tion of the history and the present state of this industry, and also venturing upon some impersonal opinions as to the possibility of its further development in the future. It is, therefore, a humble hope and assurance of the author that the reader may get some idea of the general features of the sericultural industr}' in this country.

In the compilation of this book, the author owes valuable assistance to Messrs. C. Tsuji, T. Hayashi, Y. Tsuchiya, Y. Machida, C. Yokota, Experts of this Institute, and to Mr. T. Mitani, an Assistant-Expert.

IWAJIRO HONDA,

Director of the Imperial Tokj-o Sericultur.^1 Institute.

Tolcyo, March 30th, 1909.

I'ltlNTIT) UY Tin: YoKOriAMA RONBHA.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

Chapter I. History of the Sericultural Indus- try of Japan 1

Chapter II. The Present State of Sericultural

Industry ii

Chapter III. Government Enterprises for Seri- cultural Industry 25

I. Instruction* and Investigations.

A. Sericultural Institutes.

B. The Higher Sericultural School.

C. The Prelectural Schools of Sericulture.

D. The Prefectural Institutes of Sericulture.

E. Schools and Institutes Providing the Sericultural

Course in the Curriculum.

F. Experiments and Investigations.

II. Encouragements.

A. Exchequer Subsidies for Industrial Schools.

B. Exchequer Subsidies for Agricultural Training

Places and Experiment Stations.

C. Special Subsidies for As;ricultural Experiment

Stations and Agricultural Training Places.

D. Encouragement for the Increase of Mulberry

Plantations.

E. .Subsidies from the Local Government Offices.

F. Circuit Lectures.

G. Competitive Exhibitions.

III. Pi^ECAUTIONS AGAINST SiLKWORM DISEASES.

IV. Conditioning of Raw Silk.

Chapter IV. Sericultural Associations 39

I. The Sericultural Association of Japan.

II. The Takayama-sha and the Kvoshin-sha.

III. Sericultural Guilds.

IV. Sericultural Cooperative Societies.

V. Miscellaneous Societies.

rAGE

Chapter V. The Cui;ri\AiioN of Mulbkrries. ... 4:;

I. The Varieties.

H. The Modes or Propagation.

A. By Seedling.

B. By Graftinc:;.

a. Branch Grafiing.

1. Cutting Graliing.

2. Splice Grafting, li. Root Grafting.

C. By Cutting.

n. Common Cutting.

I1. Tiie " Kiniaki " Metiiod.

c. The •' Sudare-buse " Method.

D. By Layering.

a. The " Shumoltu-dcri " Metliod.

b. The " Voko-buse " Method.

c. The " Karalcasa-dori " Ntethod.

d. Tiie Mound Layering Method.

in. Plantation and Managfment.

IV. Cl'Ltivaiicn.

V. Crops.

VL The Injuries to thi; Mulbekkiks caused ry Diseases, Insects and Fkost. A. The Diseases of the Mulberries, I. The Mulberry Dwarf Trouble. 2- The " Mompa " Disease.

3. The Pourridie.

4. The Agaricus Mellens.

5. The Bacteria Disease.

P.. 'I'he Injurious Insects of the Mulberr\-.

1. 7 he Scale Insect of the Mulberry.

2. Leafrollers.

3. Hemelophira atrilineata Bull.

4. Apriont- rugicoUis Chev. s. Slug.

6. Field Mice. C. Frost Damage.

Chapter VI. Thk I-'pfdinc; of Sh.kwok.ms 73

I. The V^akietiks oi Silkwroms.

II. The Silkworm Rearinc. House and Instruments.

A. The Situation of the Silkworm Rearing House.

B. The Direction of the Silkworm Rearing House.

C. The Construction of the Sllkwoim Rearing House.

D. Instruments.

III. The Silkworm Seed or Grain.

A. Rgg-card Making.

l'.. Precautions with the Seed.

in

IV. Rearing of the Silkworm. paQK.

A. Brushing.

B. Feeding.

C. The Chopping of Mulberry Leaves.

D. The Preservation of Mulberiy Leaves.

E. The Extention of the *' Silkworm- Bed."

F. Litter-clearing.

G. The Protection of Silkworms after Moulting.

H. The Temperature and Ilumidiiv of the Kearine Room. " ^

I. Application of Fire. J. The iMounting of the Silkworm. K. The Protection of Silkworms after Mounting. L. The Gathering of the Cocoons.

V. Diseases of Silkworms.

1. Pebrine.

2. Grasserie.

3. Muscardine.

4. Flacherie.

5. The '• Uji " Disease

Chapter VII. Manufacture of Raw Silk 132

I. Reeling Methods.

1. Hand-reeling (TV-.c^^^rz).

2. Sedentary reeling {Za-gttri). 3 Foot-reeling {Aslii-bimii).

4. Machine-reeling.

II. Machines and Instruments.

A. Reding Machines and Instruments.

1. The Frapping Reeling Instrument {DZ-tori-kikai).

2. The Hand-reeling Instrument (7>^«rz-/f/i(«').

3- The Sedentary reeling Instrument (Zf7-^/rz-/i;?-^j/).

4. The Foot-reeling Machine {Ashi-bitini-kikai).

5. The Reeling Machine.

P>. Kc-ieelmg Machines and Instruments.

1. The Re-reeling Instrument by Pulling (Sha-kuri).

2. The Hand Re-reeling Machine {Temawashi).

3. The Rs-reeling Machine. C. Cocoon Drying Chamber.

III. The Cocoons.

A. Handling.

B. Stifling.

C. Drying.

D. Storing.

IV. Reeling.

A. Cooking.

B. Discovering of the Filaments,

C. Reelinsr.

IV

V. Finishing and Packing. A. Re-reeling.

H. Drying.

C. Inspection.

U. Dressing.

E. Packing for Shipment.

VI. Waste Silk.

A. Chappy Silk.

B. I'lo.ss.

C. " DohyO."

D. " Furi."

R. The Snapped Unreclable Part of the Cocoon.s.

Chapter VIII. Sai.fs of Raw Sir.K

I. ''Dziyari."

II. " Hamauri.'

A- The Process of Consignment.

B. The Process of Forwarding Raw Silk.

C. The Process of Executing a Sale.

D. The Examination of Raw Silk,

E. Customs and Usages in Dealing.

F. Charges for I*'ffeciing a Sale.

G. E.xporters and Dealers of Raw Silk.

III. Direct Export.

A. The Modes of Direct E.xport.

B. The Piocess ot Shipping.

C. Documentary Bills and Exporting Charges. I). Colltction of Prices and Selling Charges.

E. Direct Fxpcrters at Yokohama.

F. Amount of our Exported Raw Silk and its Destinations.

PAOK

166

Chapter IX. Wild Silkworms. ...

1. Antherea yamamai Guer-Men.

2. Antherea pernyi Guer-Men.

3. Caligula Japonica Moore.

Chapter X. Conclusion

170

191

THE

Sericultural Industry

OF

JAPAN.

CHAPTER I.

HISTORY OF THE SERICULTURAL INDUSTRY OF JAPAN.

The existence of silkworms as early as in Jindai (the Sacred Age) is stated on record, but whether their rearing was then practiced as an occupation is not ascertained. During the reign of the 14th Emperor, Chu-ai, 199 A,D., Koma-O, a descendant of a Chinese Emperor, came over to Japan and got naturalized, paying a tribute of precious things from China, among which were included some silkworm eggs. This was the first introduction of Chinese silkworm eggs into this country ever known in history. Some ninety years later, Tsud/.uki-no- Kimi, son of Koma-O, also came over to Japan bringing with him the inhabitants of 127 districts of his countr}-, who were, accordingly, distributed among various quarters of this Empire and ordered by the then Emperor O-jin to engage in silkworm rearing. This took place some 1020 years ago, and tiic leal origin of the sericultural industry of Japan may be said to have dated from that time.

( 3 )

Tlie succeeding Emperor Nin-toku sliowed his warm interest towartl this industry by sending the Empress to visit Nurinomi, a Korean lady, who was engaged in silkworm rearing at Tsu- d/.uki in the province of Vamashiro. This Imperial encourage- ment gave the people an affective inducement to pay further attention to this industry.

Another important event in the history of sericulture in Japan is to be met with in the reign of the 21st Emperor Yu-ryaku, who induced the Empress, by way of setting an example, to try rearing silkworms in person. The Emperor also gathered all the naturalized Chinese, who had been scattered throughout various districts, and made them imdertakc this industry more exclusively undci the leading of Miki-no-Kimi, a descendant of Koma-O after six generations. An Imperial decree was also issued, encouraging the cultivation of mulberry trees in a greater extent in all places fit for such plantation. This reign is indeed marked by the imprecedented progress of sericulture in ancient Japan.

In the celebrated Constitution of Prince Sho-toku, promul- • ' gated in the reign of the 33rd Empress Suiko, about 1300 '' j^^|/> years ago, one clause is inserted to secure to the people freedom ^ from public services during the sea.sons of farming and silkworm rearing. Eire warming was even practiced, as is recorded, in regulating the temperature of the rearing room in such remote days

Some years afterwards, in the reign of the 36th Emperor Ko-toku, .some 1260 years ago, a new system of collecting taxes was inaugurated, whereby taxes were made payable in silk textures, which caused a subsequent increase in the production

( 3 )

of silk fabrics. The 42nd Emperor, Bum-bu ordered by a special decree that every family should cultivate mulberry trees according to its class, vi/,., 300 trees for the first class, 200 and 100 for the second and the third respectively.

Up to this time sericulture had been restricted to the central and south-western parts of Japan, but during the reign of the 43rd Empress, Gem-myo, some of the rich families in the central part of Japan were transferred to the north- eastern part, and therefrom dates the origin of the sericulture in the north.

In the reign of the 60th Emperor, Daigo, some loco years <?O0/4 ago, the districts producing silks of a superior quality were the following prefectures : —

Miye, Aichi, Shiga, Gifu, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Wakayama, Tokushima.

The districts producing silks of a medium quality were the following : —

Fukui, Ishikawa, Niigata, Kyoto, Tottori, Shimane, Yama- guchi, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Saga, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and the southern part of Shidzu- oka.

The districts producing silks of an inferior quality were the following : —

The northern part of Shidzuoka, Yamanashi, Kanagawa, Tokyo, Chiba, Ibaraki, Nagano, Gumma, Tochigi.

Thus it will be noted that the geological distribution of sericulture at that time was quite different from that of to-day, this industry flourishing more in the central and south-western parts than in the north-eastern districts.

( 4 )

The practice of silU-raisincj liacl been kept on in as lively a condition as before until twenty years later, by which time, however, farmers be^^jan to pay less attention to this industry, resultin^jj in the gradual decrease of the production of silk ; this was especially the case in the turbulent era of Gem-pei (the time of the contest of the t\Ao rival families of Minamoto and Taira).

It is an undeniable fact that the prosperity of industry of any kind depends upon, and goes together with, the political vicissitudes of a countr}'. The peace Japan had been enjoying up to this time with little interruption had offered favorable conditions for the general development of sericulture, and the mode of paying taxes in silk fabrics, as has already been j/\^^ mentioned, had induced the people to give stronger efforts for "^ the production of silk. But from the end of the 12th century '2/ A/ to th.e end of the 16th century, the country was disturbed by , H^

/ 'j c

civil discord ; wars were frequent, farmers were overburdened with heavy taxes, and the youth were called off from farming for military service.

In this state of things, it was but natural that no due atten- tion should have been devoted to such a delicate industry as sericulture. Another drawback was also brought on the practice of silk-raising by the [)revalence of the use of cotton clothing, y ^

which had been gaining ground against the use of silk fabrics _^hj in the north-eastern and central parts of Japan some 4C0 years k

ago. The chief silk-producing districts at that time are given below : —

Chiba, Ibaraki, Gifu, Nagano, Gumma, Fukui, Ishikawa, , \'^

Niigata, Kyoto, Tottori, Shimane, Ilyogo, Okayama, Ehime, Saga, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima.

( 5 ) This geological distribution of sericulture shows some difference as compared witli tliat of looo years ago. The sericultural sphere seems to have moved somewhat in the north-eastern direction.

Towards the close of the i6th century peace began to prevail in the country by the establishment of the Tokugawa Dynasty, and industry of every description received fresh encouragement, sericulture naturally resuming its long-suppress- ed development. But as a result of frugality being the funda- mental principle kept through in all state affairs by the successive Shogiin, the use of silk for clothing was permitted only to " Samurai'' (military clan), and common people were strongly prohibited from wearing silken clothes, which gave considerable restriction to the demand for silk.

It may, however, be noticed that by the reign of the ii8th Emperor, KOkaku, about loo years ago, the prevalence of the sericultural industry was moving still northwards. Here are

given the chief silk-producing provinces at tluit time :

Shiga, Gifu, Nagano, Gumma, Tochigi, Fukushima, Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukui, Ishikawa, Tokyo. Yamanashi, Kyoto, Hyogo. After this time sericulture met with more or less encour- agement; but at the time of that dreadful famine which occurred in 1785, devastating the whole country, the Shdgun issued a decree absolutely prohibiting the common people from wearing silk clothes, which influence was felt not only by silk traders, but extended to all silk-raisers.

Upon the opening of Yokohama harbor for foreign trade at the beginning of the Meiji era, tiie sericultural industry of Japan assumed a new asfiect. Wide markets being now open,

( c^ )

the ever increasing demand for Japanese silk gave a fresh stimulus to the development of this industry, and the amount of exported sill< has enormously increased year after year, till at ,, present silk has assumed the foremost position of all exports •>", J from Japan, so much so that both the government and the ' ,^5

people are giving every j)ossible attention not only to the encouragement, but also to the further betterment of this \

inchistry.

Thu-^ far we have treated of the gentral survey of the

histoiy of the sericultural industry in Japan before the Restora- tion. Here we are led to observe more at length the changes and growth of this industry since the beginning of the Meiji era. It is to be well remembered that about fifty years ago, the silk-raisers of Italy ami France, alarmed by the fearful ravages * of pebrine, imported Japanese eggs with the view of introducing f/i^ ^ w a healthy stock- to replace the nati\'e races. The annual export ''

of our egg-cards reached sometimes the enormous figure of over *'(^

i,ooo,coo. In fact, the production of silkworm eggs was a profit- I ^

' «»^ able branch of industry at that time. Rut since .M. Pasteur "j

introduced his system of egg selection, the number of such ex- i'

ported egg-cards gradually decreased to 4,000 in 1S86, to 800 in |'f '

1895, till at present the export is reduced literally to nothing.

Silk-reeling had so far been performed by means of the

simple hand-wheels, but in 1869 Ono-gunu established a factory

for 100 reelcrs at Tsukiji, Tokyo, introducing filatures after the fjj^l,

I'rench model. This factory was removed three years later to , '

Nihonniutsu, Fukusiiima prefecture, where it still remains by the

name of the Sosho-kwan. In 1870, the government also

started a factory at Tomic^ka in Gumma prefecture, in which new

\

( 7 )

filatures were set and a Frenchman, Paul Bruner, was employed as an instructor, and the factory commenced its work in the following year. This gave rise to the successive establishment of many other factories in various localities, and at present we have throughout Japan 2,320 of those factories which employ more than 10 reelers each, the total number of the reeling basins provided therein amounting to 128,152.

Formerly, local silk-raisers used to sell off their products at Yokohama. In 1875, a certain Chotaro Hoshino of Gumma prefecture tried the direct export of sUk through Kindon & Co., No. 89, Yokohama, which attempt, however, resulted in failure. In the following year, this man in company with a Momotaro Sato of Chiba prefecture, succeeded in executing the sale of 400 /cin^ of his silk at the price of ¥65cf per /ci'n to a certain American merchant of New Jersey. This was the first instance of the direct export that has ever been known.

The establishment of the Uoshin-kwaisha at Yokohama in 1879 opened the way for the direct export, and the Yokohama Specie Bank inaugurated the following year afforded a great facility to its practical management.

It is a matter of coun^e that the silk of forty years ago should have been much inferior to that of to-day. A greater part of the silk at that time was reeled from yellow cocoons, and consequently assumed a yellowish tint, which, however, not being much admired by the dealers concerned, gradually gave place to the white silk, so that at present the latter enjoys a vmique importance in the field of this industry. The silkworms that had been reared in Japan were in the main the univoltine

* h'/i = 0.6 Kilogramme. t ¥ =-- ^ Dollar.

( >^ ;

race iKitchini,^ in spring, but the rearing of the bivoltine race had also been tried for the summer crop. About fifty years ago, however, it was found by chance in Nagano prefecture that the silkworm eggs of the univoltine race preserved in a cave would retard their hatching until autumn. By this means the so-called autnuDi silkivornis are now reared with satisfactory results, and the practice is quite extensive.

The stifling and drying of cocoons had usually been done by the heat of the sun, thus causing not a little harm to the quality of the silk so produced. The stifling apparatus by fire heating invented by the Tomioka factory, therefore, may be said to have been a great improvement in the metliod of cocoon preservation. In 1888, S. Morita succeeded in applying the canning method to the {)reservation of cocoons. In 1899, the Scricultural Institute at Ni.shigahara invented a certain cocoon drying apparatus fit for the practice in Japan, and brought its recommendation into public notice, which called forth many other successive improvements in the preservation of cocoons.

The government has frequently sent abroad specialists in order to make them investigate and observe the state of the sericultural industry in Europe and America, and foreigners have often been employed for the further betterment of the industry in japan. In 187^, the Sericultural Experiment Place was opened by the Department of Home AfTairs at Naito- Shinjiku, Tokyo, which, however, was abolished in i87(). As already mentioned, the fearful silkworm disease that had prevailed in P'rance and Italy some years before, induced the government to est.iblish the .Station for the Investigation of

r

y

( 9 )

Silkworm Diseases in 1S84, at Yamashita-cho, Kojimachi-ku, Tokyo, Careful examination practiced in this station proved the presence of pebrine in Japanese silkworms also. As an immediate measure, official regulations for the examination of silkworm eggs were promulgated in 1886, whereby silkworm eggs were made to undergo strict examination before practical use. Some months later, this station was moved over to Nishigahara, a suburb of Tokyo, and there students from various silk-raising districts were trained in the methods of ex- amining pebrine. This continued for three consecutive years, '^(t*^^\ after which, the scope of this training was somewhat widened, and instruction was given there more at lengtli in the general knowledge of sericulture.

Induced by the general development of society, another extension was introduced in the scope and system of this sta- tion, which was, thenceforward called the SericuUtiral Institute, according to the regulations issued in i8g6. Three years later, another institute on the same basis was established in Kyoto, where experiments and instructions concerning silkworm rearing were exclusively conducted.

The need of reeling equipments being strongly felt by the Tokyo Institute, the Filature Department was newly established in 1902 in addition to the Silkworm Department, and experi- ments and instructions regarding filature work were carried on there, so that these two Departments might combine their efforts for the perfection of the work aiined at.

Besides these two Institutes, many sericultural schools and institutes on a lower standard sprang up in a later date in various localities.

( lO )

It is a most desirable as well as an essential thing in the sillc trade V)oth for the buyer and the seller to have an accurate knowledge of the quality and weight of the silk intended for such trade. In order to meet this necessity, which had long been felt and acknowlegded, the government established in 1895 two Silk Conditioning Houses, one at Yokohama and the other at Kobe. The number of tests operated in the Kobe Con- ditioning Mouse, was, however, almost nil, while in the Con- ditioning House at Yokohama operations increased abundantly, so that the former was at length closed in 1897, and its business was carried over to the later. Since that time the number of operations in the Yokohama Conditioning House has been ever increasing, and at present the Silk Conditioning House has attained such importance that it is now considered to be an in- dispensable institution in the silk trade of Japan.

These governmental encouragements detailed thus far, combined with energetic endeavors on the part of sericulturists at large, have brought forth the prosperity and state of develop- ment that the sericultural industry of Japan is enjoying at present, as will be illustrated in the following chapter.

*

CHAPTER II.

THE PRESENT STATE OF SERICULTUKAT. INDUSTRY.

The sericultural industry of japan has been given so much encouragement and protection from various quarters since the Restoration that it has attained remarkable progress and is now carried on almost everywhere throughout the Empire except in Saghalien,

Generally speaking, the production of silkworm eggs is undertaken on a comparatively large scale, and is more common in Nagano, Fukushima, Gumma, Aichi, Saitama, Yamanashi, Gifu, Yamagata, Shiga, and Tokyo prefectures, while there are few, if any, who attempt silkworm rearing as an exclusive industry, this being carried on mostly as a supplementary employment of farmers. It may, therefore, be noted that silkworm rearers are found all over the country, though, of course, their number may vary according to the district.

In Japan, mulberry trees can be cultivated everywhere between the Hokkaido and Formosa in an area extending over 23 degrees of latitude, which fact renders the rearing of silkworms possible at any place so far as economic circumstances allow. In fact, the number of those families, in which silkworm rearing is practiced, constitutes fully fifteen per cent, of all the families throughout Japan.

The reeling of silk from cocoons had long been performed by means of a '^sedentary reeling^' apparatus as a supple-

( '2 )

iTientary eniploynient of farmers, but since the introduction of filature or reeling machines some forty years ago, professional reelers have increasctl in number a great deal. Some are, however, still engaged in reeling with a somewhat improved scdcutarr reding apparatus, while others use what may be called a ''foot reeling'' apparatus, a modification of the sedentary reeling apparatus and filature machine, the result being the co-existence of the professional reelers and farmer reelers, with a variety of scales in the standard of their work.

Filature machines are usually used in factories, where reeling is performed on a large scale. Among all the prefectures of Japan, Nagano stands foremost in filature work. Gumma, Yamanashi, Fukushima, Aichi, Saitama, Gifu, Yamagata, Tok>o, Miye, Shidzuoka, Miyagi, Kanagawa, and Niigata following successively.

In order to give some idea as to the geological distribution of the sericultural industry in Japan, we insert here the tables showing the number of the families engaged in silkworm rearing, the amount of silkworm eggs, of cocoons, and of raw silk produced in each prefecture. The map attached is also intended to illustrate the development of the industry in each prefecture.

N. li. The number of the families rearing silkworms given here is the figure for 1907. The amounts of silkworm eggs, of cocoons and of raw silk are the average figures for the last fi\'e years.

MAP OF JAPAN

WITH STATISTICAL SCALE OF COCOON PRODUCTION

j '^ ^ramagata^ J'V'^'L^

L.I /- i ^ \

i

j J'rodiictionof Cocoons.

I Above \lZ0O0.0O0 ESafframs.

7pOO.OOO-lCI<l)OCpOO

fpoojaooifioofioo

Y,000,000-4/)00,000

kooo,ooo-:iooo.ooo

IsoqpOO -1,000,000

yoa.ooo - 500,000

Undo- 100,000

( 13 )

Number of Families rearing Silkworms, 1907.

Prefectures. Families engaged

Tokyo 29.103

Kyoto 25.210

Osaka 1.894

Kanagawa 37-3^4

tlyogo 33.316

Nagasaki ^-33^

Niigata 44-757

Saitama 98.078

Gumma 7S-^7^

Chiba 36.433

Ibaragi 49.102

Tochigi 15.253

Nara 5.733

Miye 36.323

Aichi 7r.888

Shidzuoka 53-286

Yamanashi 47.43°

Shiga 24.989

Gifu 62062

Nagano 108.004

Miyagi 25.733

Fukushima 63.183

Iwate 21.189

Aomori 3 454

Yamagata 41-333

Akita 14.365

Fukui 27.449

( '4 )

Prefectures. Families engaged.

Ishikawa 20.153

Toyama 14.037

Tottori 18.665

Shimaiie 25.133

Okayama 13.057

Hiroshima 6.962

Yamaguchi 18.483

Wakayama 9.670

Tokushima 24.950

Kagawa 3.485

Ehime 20.708

^-^"'^1^' 35.546

Fukuoka 12.676

Oita 24.325

Saga 25.506

Kumamoto 33 901

Miyazaki 17. 141

Kagoshima 27.597

Ol-;ina\va 484

Ilokl^aido 7-797

Tot.il 1. 421. 030

A^. J). Silkworms arc reared in three seasons in Japan, i. e. spring, summer and autumn. But generally the families rearing '^^priiig silkworms''' are the same as those of the "summer'' and "autumn rearing^ Thus the above mentioned statistics are the number of the spring raisers only.

( 15 ) Production of Silkwoiiii-eggs.

Prefectures. Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Kanagawa Plyogo .. Nagasaki Niigata .. Saitama .. Gumma .. Chiba Ibaragi .. Tochigi .. Nara Miye Aichi Shidzuoka Yamanash Shiga

GifLl

Nagano ..

Miyagi ..

Fukushima

Ivvate

Aomori ..

Yamagata

Akita

Cellular Reproduction.

No. of Moths. 894.047

4.470.950

27.759

1.237.528

444-341

912,521 2.322.906 2.923.613

473-377

788.811

416.068 5.060.608 r.695.774 1. 390.710 3.634.267 2.331.992 1.936.428 5-551-302 14.916.648

2. TGI. 922 4.704.051

224-373

265.128

4.604. ICO

421.840

Industrial

Reproduction.

Sheet.

79-389

50.302

I. 518 15.098 26937 11.085 59132 29.548 205.789 24.21S 51.815 72.227

6.459 64.918

•12.933 66.220

183.787 306.838 186.356 2,41 1. 281 58.S22 363.011

> 4-033

4.158

121.439

( '6 )

Prefectures.

Fukui

Ishiknwa

Toyama

Tottori

Shimane

Okayama

Hiroshima

Yamaguchi

Wakayama

Tokushinia

Kagawa

Ehime

Kochi

Fukuoka

Oita

Saga

Kumamoto

Miyazaki

Kagoshima

Okinawa — —

Hokkaido 1.098.026 3S-72i

Cellular Reproduction. No. of Mollis. 320.516	Industrial Reproduction. Sheet, 66.967
178.412	I 1.020
645.761	56.426
1. 318.787	33.082
2.457.144	18.482
176.200	10.777
373.409	6.170
218.813	5.960
695.689	1.695
1.398.084	10.044
23.322	1.047
1.274. 118	21.344
1.005.722	22.281
287.792	3.556
693.563	15-223
1 69. 1 I 7	5310
3.848.845	26.900
270.336	19.786
401.251	16.227

Total 88.740.558 5.349.216

A'. /!. The egg-grains on a card of the '' industrial reproduction" arc the result of the deposits of 100 female moths.

( 17 ) Production of Cocoons.

Prefectures. Tokyo ... Kyoto ... Osaka ... Kanagawa . Hyogo Nagasaki Niigata Saitama Gumma Chiba ... Ibaragi Tochigi Nara ... , Miye ... Aichi ... Shidzuoka Yamanashi Shiga ... Gifu ... Nagano Miyagi Fukushima Iwate ... Aomori Yamagata Akita ... Fukui ...

Quantity.

Kg 2.961 523

2.005.715

86.377 2.821.985 2.01 1.526

119-743 2. 412. 819 8.198.651

8.337-739 2.852.164 4.107.404

1-483.179

358.179

2253.599

5.213.547

3.295.146

4.267.899

2.565.666

5.501.020

17.281.278

2.614.065

7.604.622

1.465. 109

142.312

3.904.096

634.968

1.233-384

( i8 )

Prefectures. Quamily.

Ishikawa 1.050.135^

Toyama 539-631

Tottori 1.147.194

Shimane 1.075. 176

Okayama 637.592

Hiroshima 281.512

Vamaguchi 430.873

Wakayama 430.123

Tokushima 697.089

Kagawa 97-774

Ehimc 954.533

Kochi 1. 114.840

Fukuoka 284.024

O'ta 739903

Sa.cra 31S.553

Kumamoto 1.374.946

Miyazaki 645.090

Kagoshima 654.013

Okinawa 6.71 1

Hoklcaido 270.753

lotR\ 109.199.260

Production of Kaw Silk.

Piclccturcs. Ou.iruity.

Tokyo 213.425

I^y<Jto 143.380

Osaka 2.944

Kanagawa 159.842

( 19 )

Prefecturers. Quantity.

Kg.

Hyogo 125.848

Nagasaki 6.930

Niigata 158.848

Saitama 397.720

Gumma 590.801

Chiba 74.212

Ibaragi 126.38S

Tochigi 47-872

Nara ii-707

Miye 195. 23S

Aichi 413-616

Shidzuoka 187.209

Vamanashi 449.687

Shiga 143-833

Gifu 353-242

Nagano 1.839.540

Miyagi 182.334

Fukushima 425.308

Iwate ... ... 77.440

Aomori 3-626

Yamagata 283.489

Akita 47.981

Fukui 104.586

Ishikawa S7-^3S

Toyama 69.562

Tottori 74.092

Shimane 79-319

Okayama 47 9'*^ 4

( --0 )

Prefecturers. Hiroshima ^'amagucbi W'akayama

Tokushima

Kagawa

Khimc

Kochi

Fukuoka

Oita ...

Saga...

Kumamoto

Miyazaki ..

Kagoshima

Okinawa ..

Ilokkaidr...

Total ..

Quantity.

Kg. 26.936

23-977 25.320

22.534 2.100 101.976 83.894 19.080 39712 19.729

95-339

55.657

31.297

i6j

6.892

7.631.095

Besides, in order to show the state of sericultural industry in Japan, let us give the principal statistics as follows: —

\ve.\ of MiiUjoir.v farms, mv.i to 11)07.

'i'ear. Farm

•903 ...

1904 ...

1905 ...

1 906 . . .

1907 ...

AveracTc..

Acre. 782.302

796.432

•'533.27I >'^93.923 957.943 852.774

( 21 )

Annual production of Silk worm-eggs ami the Niniiher

of Fa mi lies engaged in the Egg-card

manufacture, 1903 to 1907.

Year. 1903	Families engaged. 17.404	Cellular Reproduction. No. of Moths. 44.791.423	Industrial Reproduction. Sheet 5.163.072
1904	18.031	57.612.006	5.530.658
1905	14.189	56.672.349	5.039.934
1906	13.514	96.781.913	5.077.176
1907	15.101	l87.945.IOI	5.935.242
Average	15.648	88.760.55s	5.349.216
Number	of Families	engaged in Silkworm
	Rearing, 1903 to 1907.
Year.	Spring.	Summer.	Aiilumn.
1903	1. 445. 220	587.782	652.997
1904	1.474-587	587.215	7 1 2.6 1 8
fc,05	1.484.750	549.649	746.038
1 906	1.407.766	564.619	S04.554
1907	1. 42 1. 030	593.190	890.136
Average	1.446.671	576.491	761.269

Annual production of Cocoons, 1903 to liH)7.

Year.	Spring Cocoons	Summer Cocoons	Antumn Cocoons	Total amount.
1903	61.947.913"	14.204.849	20.836.942°	96.989.704
1904 ...	69-390.354	14.657.015	2i.S87.224	105.934-593
1905 ...	66.423.057	13.784.061	2i.S9O.636	lO2.C97.754
1906	69.918.887	15.505.452	25.94S.2i6	I 11.372.555
1907 ...	84.035.635	17.596.306	27.969.752	129.601.693
Average . .	70.343.169	15- 149.536	23.7C6.554	109.199.599

( 22 )

NuiuIkm- oI' Haw Silk iiiaimradiirors, ltK)3 to HM)7.

1. Total Manufacturers.

Year.

I90.-5

1904

1905 .

1906

1607

Aveiaijr

Manulacturers Manufacturers Manufacturers Manufacturers

having; under having 10 to having 50 to having above

10 basins. 49 basins. 99 basins. 100 basins.

Total.

407.224 397.885 392.581 399.230

3.809 2.916

3.770 3.498

603

597 619 606

307 330 369 335

402.475 408.055

411.943 401.728

397.339 404.308

II. FiLA'fUKE MaNUI-ACTUKERS.

Veai.	Manufacturers having under 10 basins.	Manufacturers having 10 to 49 basins.	Manufacturers having 50 to 99 basins.	Manulacturcrs having above 100 basins.	Total.
1903	—	—	—	—	—
1904		—	—	—	—
1905 ...	5.173	1.677	560	297	7.707
1906	4.392	1.6 1 1	564	326	6.893
I9U7 ...	4-839	1. 615	566	364	7.384
Averaj^c..	4.802	1.634	563	Z^i-J	7.328

111. MANUh.\Cl UKERS LSlNti SEI )1:N1 A K V Rl-.Kl.lNG

Instruments.

^ear.		Manufacturers having under 10 basins.	Manufacturers having 10 to 49 basins.	Manul havin 99	laciuicrs ig 50 to basins.	Manulacturcrs having above 100 basins.	Total.
1903		—	—		—		—	—
1904 1905		354-792	^■777		22		9	356.600
1906		350.227	1. 116		6		2	351. 35>
1907		351.133	1.954		24		4	353-115
Aver.	I Lie.	352.05!	1. 616		17		5	353.089

( 23 )

Year.

1903

1904

19OS

1906

1907 ..

Average.

IV. DoppiONi Makufaciurers.

Manufacturers Manufacturers Manufacturers Manufacturers

having under having 10 to having 50 to hining above

10 basins. 49 basins. gg basins. 100 basins.

47-259 43.266 36.609 42.378

355 189 201

248

12 27 30 26

Total.

47.636 43.484 36.841 42.653

Annual production of Raw Silk, 19C3 to 11)07.

Year.

1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 Average

Amount of

production by

Filature.

4.361. 591

4.486,268

4.526.655

5.282.258

6.169.778

4.965.3 I I

Amount of production by Sedentary reeling. Kg.

2.554.871 2.491.433 2.369.958 2.456.254 2.598.3CO 2.494.162

Total.

Kg. 6.916.462

6.977.701

6.896614

7.738.512

8.768.078

7.459473

Annual production of Doppioni, U)03 to 1*J07.

Year. Quantity.

1903	Kg 575 573
1904	509994
1905	4'2.588
1906	475228
1907	-\^?>.1>1>7
Average	487.342

( 24 )

Annual production of Waste Silk, 19C3 to 1907.

Year. Quantity.

N. n.

1903 ... .		Kg . ... i.47S.9'8
1904 ... .		1.640.398
i9"5 ... .		1. 716.822
1906 ... .		1. 948.014
1907 ... .		1.996.873
Average		1.755.605
Tlie waste sil	k includes " NosJii '	' and " Kibiso.''

CHAPTER III.

GOVERNiMENT ENTERPRISES FOR SERICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

The present development of the sericultural industry of Japan owes a great deal to the encouragement from the Im- perial Households. Not to mention those given by our ancient emperors, O-jin, Nin-toku, Yu-ryaku, the late Empress Dowager was, as is well known, personally engaged in rearing silkworms, reeling and even weaving in the Aoyama Detached Palace. It may also be noted here that H. I. M. the Empress and H. I. H. the Crown Princess were pleased to visit the Tokyo Sericultural Institute last year in order to see how the work of sericulture was being done there. In fact, the Crown Princess is giving a great encouragement to the industry by her personal experi- ments in silkworm rearing in the Royal Palace, every season. In response to the Imperial wishes the government is also giving every encouragement and assistance to this industry, which may be summarized as follows : —

I, INSIRUCTION AND INVESTIGATIONS.

The enterprises as regards instruction and investigations vary a j^reat deal. Here we shall give some of the chief details.

A. Sericultural Institutes.

Sericultural Institutes originated, as mentioned in the preceding chapter, in the Station for the investigation of

( 26 )

Silkworm Diseases established in 1884, At present there are two of them, one in Tokyo, the other in Kyoto, both under the direct control of the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, intended to give instruction and to conduct experiments con- cerning sericultural industry. The Tokyo Sericultural Institute is situated at Nishigahara, Tokyo, and the scope of the work is divided into the five departments, viz., (i) The Silkworm Department, (2) The Filature Department, (3) The Summer and Autumn Silkworm Department, (4) The Department of Reports, (5) The Department of General Affairs. The Silkworm and the Filature Department conduct experiments as well as give instruc- tion, while the Summer and Autumn Silkworm Department conducts experiments exclusively, and has its branch office at Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture. The Silkworm Department provides instruction to the male students, the course of study extending over three years. The students to be admitted therein must all be the graduates of Middle Schools and their number must not exceed sixty. The Filature Departnient gives instruction to both male and female students, the course of study and the number of the students in the Male Depart- ment being just the same as in the Silkwonn Department, whilst in the case of the female students, the instruction is divided into two courses, Regular and Special, the former admits twenty students, all of whom juust be tlie graduates of the Higher Course of the Primary School, engaged in filature worl:, and the term of study extentls over two years; the latter adn^its fort\' students, all of whom must be the graduates of the Lower Course of the Primary .School, engaged in filature work, and the term of studv extends over ten months

# • o ,

\ 4 \ • .

^ei9

tf>l

mm

Silkworm J!)iseases established in 1S84, At presr_-nt there a e two of them, one in Tokyo, the other in Kyoto, both under t'l- .'■ <t control of the Minister of Agriculture and ' ■ rcf,

iiiUnded to give instruction and to conduct experiin..

ccrning sericultural industry. The TokyS Sericultural 1: _

is situated at Nishigahara, Tokyo, and the scope of the work is divided into the five departments, viz., (0 The Silkworm Department, (2) The Filature Department, (j) T'le hummer and Autumn Silkwo. it, (.%) The Department

^"hc Department ot Gent i The Silkwor

umoto, Nagan;^ provides instruction to the male students, the course of study extending over three years. The students to be admitted therein must all be the graduates of Middle Schools and their -her must not exceed sixt> . Tlie Filature Department instruction to both male and female students, the course j! itudy and the number of the students in the Male Depart- ■ " t being just the same as in the Silkworm D ;'•»• "^ ; ill t1 c lasc of the female students, the r

i jurses, Regular and Spec 1 1

' ; ' twenty students, all of whom must graduates

I ligher Course of the Primary S t ngaged in

1,'at u u r ..nd the t tudy extends oyer two years

the latter admit ill of whom mi

■uate^ofthe i. Aver Luiu.^l ot the Primary Schi-- * -' and the term of study cxten'

^

it

'..•. V

S*V2X^4»A

*e«

k

•*»y'

X>#.«^

-^V'f.^^

ir-^!^.

\

■F'

( 27 )

The total number of the graduates from this Institute up to 190S, is as follows : —

Silkworm Department 2,002

I male 98

Filature Department<

'female 172

Total 2,272

As to the present state of these graduates, some are teaching either in governmental or in private schools, some are working in prefectural government offices with credit and skill, while some are personally engaged in the actual managem.ent of this industry ; and most of the female graduates are employed in filatures and factories as women teachers, all affording every possible effort and playing an important part in the development of the sericultural industry throughout Japan,

Besides instruction, the Silkworm, Filature and Sununer and Autumn Silkworm Departments conduct various experi- ments and investigations, and the results collected and printed are distributed to those interested in this industry. The Institute also sends out its officers to different localities from time to time and gives lectures in order to disseminate the general knowledge of sericulture.

Egg-cards of elaborate j^eparation are also distributed to silkworm rearers with the aim of propagating superior varieties of silkworms. All queries concerning sericulture propounded by the general public are readily answered by the expert officers of the Institute.

The Kyoto Sericultural Institute is situated at Kinugasa, Kyoto, and its scope of worl^ consists of the four departments,

( 28 )

viz., (i) The Silkworm Department, (2) the Female Department, (3) the Department of Reports, (4) the Department of General Affairs. The Silkworm Department provides instruction as well as conducts experiments, while the Female Department gives instruction only. The instruction of the Silkworm Department which is limited to male students, is divided into two courses: Regular and Special ; the former is just the same as that of the Tokyo Scricultural Institute in its term of study and the number of students to be admitted, while in the latter the stated number of students is sixty, the term of study extending over seven months, and the applicants for admission must be the graduates of the Higher Course of the Primary School, who have been engaged in .sericulture. The Female Department provides instruction in sericulture and the stated number of students to be admitted is sixty, the qualification for admission being the graduation from the Higher Course of the Primary School, the term of study extends over two years.

The number of graduates from the Silkworm Department up to 1908 was 6S8, while the i^'emale Department has no graduates so far, having been established only last year.

The present state of these graduates may be said almost the same as that of the Tokyo Sericultural Institute.

H. The Higher Scricultural School.

This school is to be established at Uyeda, Nagano prefecture, under the direct control of the Minister of Education with the same curriculum and course of study as that of the Tokyo Sericnltural Institute. Its actual opening will take place within a year or two.

( 29 )

C. The Prefectural Schools of Sericulture.

The SericLiltural Schools under the direction of prefectural governors are the following four : —

Nagano-ken Chiisagata Sericui.turai. Schooi,.

(a.) The Nagano-ken Chiisagata Sericultural School,

0.) The Fukushima-ken Sericultural School,

(r.) The Toyama-ken Sericultural School,

{//.) The Ilyogo-ken Sericultural School.

The former three have the same standards of instruction as the Middle School and the last the same as the Higher Course of the Pimary School.

Besides these, there are thirteen sericultural schools established by oy^?i (county). As for private institutions, there

( 30 )

FUKUSHIMA-KEN SeRICULTURAL SCHOOL.

are many of them ; two of them named below arc somewhat noteworthy. They are the Takayama-sha Sericultural School, at Fujioka-machi, Tano-gori, Gumma prefecture, and the Kyoshin-sha Sericultural School, at Kodama-machi, Kodama- gori, Saitama prefecture.

D. The Prefectural Institutes of Sericulture.

Sericultural Institutes under the control of prefectural governors are all intended to give training to the students, to conduct various experiments, and to send their officers through- out different districts in order to give guidance to those engaged in silk-raising. The standards of instruction given therein vary according to the districts, where such institutes are situated. The sites of those Institutes are shown below : —

( 51 )

{a.) The Hokkaido Sericultural Institue, Sapporo, Hokkaido. (&.) The Niigata - ken Sericultural Institute, Nagaoka-shi,

Niigata prefecture. (c.) The Miye - ken Sericultural Institute, Komata - mura,

Watarai-gori, Miye prefecture. (d.) The Aichi-ken Sericultural Institute, Hotei-machi, Nishi-

kasugai-gori, Aichi prefecture. (e.) The Aomori - ken Sericultural Institute, Shinjo - mura,

Higashitsugaru-gori, Aomori prefecture. (/.) The Shimane-ken Sericultural Institute, Hirata-machi,

Hinokawa-gori, Shimane prefecture. (ji^.) The Okayama-ken Sericultural Institute, Ninomiya-mura,

Komota-gori, Okayama prefecture. {/i.) The Saga - ken Sericultural Institute, Koshiro - machi,

Koshiro-gori, Saga prefecture.

Besides these, there are five sericultural institutes established by counties. Private institutes are innumerable, the one at Ayabe-machi, Ikaruka-gori, Kyoto prefecture, called the Jotan Sericultural Institute, enjoys some reputation. As to such temporary institutes and training places as are open only during the rearing season, they are indeed countless.

E. Schools and Institutes providing the Sericultural Course in the Curriculum.

In the Agricultural College of the Tokyo Imperial University instruction is given in sericulture besides other subjects, and various sericultural experiments are performed both theoretically and practically. The same is the case with the Morioka Higher Agriculture and Forestry School and most of the agricultural

( 32 )

schools in various prefectures and counties, in which sericulture is placed among the subjects of studies provided. Moreover, in nearly all agricultural training places, sericultural instruction and investigations assume the chief feature of their works. So, it might safely be added that the instruction and investiga- tions concerning sericultural industry are now being undertaken in every part of Japan with energy and assiduity.

F. Experiments and Investigations.

Sericultural experiments and researches are sometimes conducted likewise in local Agricultural Experiment Stations, as in the various institutions above described, and the results of such experiments and researches are usually published in book- form and distributed free of cost to the sillc-raisers at large with a view to improve this industry.

II. FInxouragements.

These previous)}' mentioned equipments for instruction, experiments, and investigations have no otlier aim than the improvement and propagation of the silk industry, but further attempts are very frequently made by the central government and the lower local offices to give direct and substantial encouragement in stimulating the rapid progress of the industry, which fact may be illustrated in the following articles.

A. Exchequer Subsidies for Industrial Schools.

At the establishment of any industrial school in the country, the government sometimes gives aid towards its fund, or affords a subsidy for its annual expenses.

( 53 )

B. Exchequer Subsidies for Agricultural Training

Places and Experiment Stations.

This kind of subsidy is granted alike as in the preceding case.

C. Special Subsidies for Agricultural Experiment Stations and Agricultural Training Places.

Tha government may sometimes order any local Agricult- ural Experiment Station to undertake a certain specified experiment, for which a special subsidy is often granted. To quote some examples : annual subsidies have been given to the four Agricultural Experiment Stations in Miyagi, Gumma, Miyazaki, and Shimane prefectures, and the Sericultural Institute in Miye prefecture, for their respective specified experiments concerning mulberry cultivation. The eleven Agricultural Experiment Stations in Fukushima, Yamagata, Nagano, Gumma, Aichi, Shiga. Okayama, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Ishikawa, and Tottori prefectures, also received subsidies respectively for experiments regarding the varieties of silkworms.

D. Encouragement for the Increase of Mulberry Plantations.

The government has been giving a certain amount of .subsidy to induce the enlargement of mulberry plantations.

E. Subsidies from the Local Government Offices.

Local Government Offices likewi.se afford subsidies for the establishment or support of industrial schools and agricultural training places.

( 34 )

1'. Circuit Lecturers.

The effectual improvement of silkworm reariiv^ and filature ca'ri only be attained through the combined efforts all those who follow the proper methods of silk-raising based upon scientific investigations. So in all prefectures, counties, towns, and sericultural associations, those who are well qualified in the knowledge and practice of sericulture are employed as circuit lecturers in order to give direct guidance and encouragement to those engaged in this industry. Some circuit lecturers are employed all the time, while others are only for the silkworm season. In either case, such lecturers are supplied from among the graduates of the before-mentioned schools or institutes, so that the efTect of this system is very encouraging.

G. Competitive Exhibitions.

These exhibitions aim at giving encouragement to sericult- urists by collecting and exhibiting their products and giving a chance to study the manners and devices taken by others and the results actually achieved, thus giving a stimulus for the betterment of this industry. These are usually undertaken by the central government, or the local offices, but sometimes private associations may open such exhibitions imder the auspices of the government, or local offices. Prizes or certifi- cates of excellence are given to those whose exhibits have shown superiority cither in quality or manufacture. The number of such exhibitions has also increased to the annual figure of fifty.

( 35 )

III. PrECAUI KJNS AGAINSl' Sll.KwORM DiSF.ASKS.

While the government is thus on one hand striving for the

dissemination and progress of sericultvu'e by every jjossible

means, it is also on tlie other hand, talking great |)ains for the

precaution against silkworm diseases by the compulsory force of

law so that the modes for preventing such diseases may be

observed in every particular. Tliis was so done, because the

acute contagion of these diseases can not, as is usually the case,

be properly checked by mere individual endeavors. The first

promulgation of such regulations came in the form of " the Law

for the Examination of Silkworm-Eggs " issued in 1886 with the

intention of preventing the most fearful silkworm disease, pc^brine.

The enforcement of this law was postponed for some time, and

the matter was left to the discretion of each prefectual

administrator. This indulgence, however, instead of bringing

the desired effect, rather tended to loosen the observation of this

law. Consequently, another law No. 22 was issued prescribing

the Regulations for the prevention of Sillcworm Diseases, thus

giving uniformity to the methods and the practice (.0 such

precautions.

Here are cited some chief articles of these regulations : —

Art. I. Silkworm diseases prescribed in this law are five in number as follows : —

Pebrine, Flacherie, INIuscardine, Grasserie and ' Lj'i' -disease.

Ar'I'. 2. All silkworm-egg producers, silkworm rearers, raw silk producers, cocoon dealeis, and those engaged in stifling and drying cocoons shall come under the control of this law.

( 36 )

Art. 3. Those parties stated in the preceding; article shall strictly folk>w the prescribed methods necessary for the prevention of the various silkworm diseases.

Mi( K<>-.t i-,i'it Ai i;.\an;in\iiox ok i hk, fkmaik moth.

AK'J'. 4. Silkuornvetjt^ productis shall observe the following provisions : —

{(7.) Silkworm e^g-cards for reproductive purposes shall be prepared according; to the cellular system.

(/; ) Silkworms of iin[erfect growth, or cocoons of inferior quality shall not be used for reproductive purposes.

{c.) Silkworm rearing room-- and implements shall be disinfected e\er\' year or at e\ery rearing season.

{(/.) All such silkuorui egg-c.irds hatched off, silkworms in the course of rearing, cocoons, pierced cocoons, moths, and eggs, that are intended for reproductive

I

4\>KV

^«ii^

iiosc parties staled in tlic preceding article shall ill ,tJy follow the prescribed methods necessary tor the i<revent'.on of the various sill;\^orm diseases.

Mil l<f>-.( nl'I, AT F\ kV'S' V iJnV f)!' I HI FhVli V Mmn.

■TovisKJTi^- :-

.1,-^1! y.,

j)rcp;ired accnrdinj^ t«) tl>e celhilar system. (ff) Silkworms of itrprrfc t j^rovth, or cocoons of inferior

juality

. eproduetive purposes.

(.. ' rearing room*- nplcments shall be

disinfected every year or at every rearing .season.

I eg^i-card.s hatched off, silkworms 111 Luc icaiing, cocoons, pierced cocoon.s»

i^..«

,1 (r.- .. .... '.w f;>

i I

o '■J

'Jl

! <

mmm ^

( 37 )

purposes shall umlergo strict examination by the office in cliarge.

The offices for the prevention of the silkworm diseases are 132 in all throughout Japan, the number of the offices employed therein, amounting to 3.175, the annual expenses paid out for this purpose by the central government or prefectural offices reaches the vast sum of nearly ¥r,030.000.

IV. CovDri loNiNG uF Raw Silk.

A greater part of the raw silk produced in Japan is exported into Europe and America, mostly into the latter, and its con- sumption at home is comparatively very small, the export of silk fabrics being likewise limited to a small figure.

As the filament of raw silk is very fine, it requires special tact and delicacy to get at the true quality of raw silk, and its strong humidity renders its weight subject to constant change, which is a source of serious difficulties in the dealing with raw silk. The government, therefore, judged it an indis|)ensable measure for removing these difficulties to ha\e some institution established for the conditioning of raw silk, and in consequence, in 1895 the law No, 32 was issued prescribing the regulations relating to the Silk Conditioning House. The construction of this institution was commenced at Yokohama, the central market of silk trade, and the inauguration took place in August of the following year (1896). The management of this house was modeled after the regulations of the Conditioning Houses in Europe and America, more particularly after those at Lyon, and the work is classified into the following inar operations: —

( 3« )

I.

2.

3-

A-

Te.st tur net weight. Test for conditioned ueicdit. Test for boil-off.

Test for qualit}' (winding, si/.c, cleanliness, tenacity and elasticity).

. A certificate is made out of each test in two languages, Japanese and French, the latter being intencled for foreigners;

At the beginninL,^ of this establishment, the intended purpose of this house was not full}' understood by the people, so the requests for conditioning; were not very numerous, but the usefulness antl value of this institution was gradually recognized, and the number of tests began to show rapid increase }'ear after year, s<j much so that in 1901 and 1907 an extensive enlargement was made in its building, apparatus, and oflicials, giving a fresh impetus to its work, and at present 1,000 tests for net weight 600 tests for conditioned weight, and 500 tests for quality are daily executed in this house with ease.

The followifig table shows the annual number of tests performed in the Silk Conditioning House at Vojxohama for the last five years.

Year.	TrstS loi net wciglit.	1 csts lor tondiiioned uci'^lu.	Tcsi.s lor ([ualit)-.	Tests for l)oil-ofr".	Total.
1904 ...	... 35	4i,99«	28,544	6	70,581
1905 ...	... 13	32,527	27,909	76	60,525
1906 ...	0	45,196	35,503	59	80,758
1907 ...	5	37,^07	46,824	4	74,640
I90S ...	10	43.036	54,666	1 1	97.723

r;.s.u:;i^:

J^&i

^\^'

;/H:

"!i

I ie.st tor net weight

2. Test for condittoneti ueit:[iit.

V lest for boil-ofT.

; T'-.-st for ':i;;ilit\' fwiiidinr si.

I. liMnlint-;^, ten.iritv .i;iil

n

At

tests foi

tc^ts fiK pm:

Tlv [-erf cm List five veai

ign.; I 90 '-, i oC i J 9c; loc:

French, tht.- latter heinjr intended f< r f' "> icjners;'

MnnintT of this establislimcnt intended

hnusc ^\as not fully understood by the people,

re not very numerous, but

I'.Mi va tliis institution was gradually

nmni.v. I of tests began to ■ ipid

n 1901 and 1907 an

;!.i:i i w.ii I icic: ::' r. > ofiidino', apparatus, and

f'esh impetus to its worl^ and at present 1,000

600 tests forconditioned weight, and 500

!aily executed in this liouse \yith ease.

table shows the annual number of tests

k Conditionincf House at Yokohama for the

1 csts for	Tests for quality.	I't-,-;,- :■ ;
4I.99S	28,544
,^,5-^"	27,909	76	':o,525
45,196	35,503	59	80,758
.80;	46,824	-1	1,640
,036	54,666	1 1	97.723

*

2- *

■Si

< p

CHAPTER IV.

SERICULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS.

The existing number of those private associations intended for the progress and improvement of sericulture may be num- bered by the hundred, among wiiich the Sericultural Association of Japan stands foremost. Here we shall describe some of the chief examples of such associations.

I. The Skricui/i URAL Associaiion of Japan.

This association was estabHshed in February, 1892, for the furtherance of sericulture by malting investigations and re- searches in the theory, art, and practical management of the industry, and at the same time, for the mutual exchange of knowledge among the members ; and after going through many changes and transforniations, it has attained to the present state of prosperity. The office is at Sanchome, Nishiki-cho, Kanda, Tokyo. It has at its head the Honorary President and Patron H. I. H. Prince P\ishimi, and Paron Masanao Matsudaira takes the present presidency, with 30 councillors appointed from among the influential men in the sericultural circle. Its Board of investigation includes many noted scholars and sericulturists throughout the country, and the members reach the enormous number of 6o,oco, thus forming an association of unique impor- tance in the sericultural field of Japan. The scope of work managed in this association is summarized as follows : —

( 40 )

1. Making investigations and researches regarding sericulture.

2. Making, in case of necessity, petitions to the government on

behalf of the scriculturists.

3. Giving answers to queries concerning sericulture pro-

pounded by the government ofifices in charge.

4. Giving answers to queries concerning sericulture from the

general public.

5. Giving efforts for the expansion of the market for our silk,

6. Forming connections with sericultural associations abroad.

7. Investigation of the services rendered by sericulturists and

their recognition.

8. Opening competitive exhibitions of sericultural products,

implements and apparatus.

9. Giving lectures and instruction in sericulture.

10. The compiling and translation of books on sericulture to be

distributed among the members.

11. The publication of monthly reports to be distributed

among the members.

12. The publication of a series of lectures on sericulture for the

benefit of those interested in the industry.

13. Giving efforts for the development of the co-operative work

concerning sericulture.

14. Introduction and supply of teachers and experts in

sericulture.

15. Giving encouragement to the growth of this industry by

every possible means. This association has its branches in every prefecture throughout the country, and a firm connection is constantly kept alive between the main office and the branches, so that

( 4F )

the object of the association may be executed effectively. Women's departments are also attached to this association in various districts so that the female members may be induced to cultivate the admirable virtues of frugality and economy as well as to improve their mutual intercourse.

II. The Takavama-sha and the Kyoshin-sha.

There are a great number of those corporations intended for the improvement and growth of the sericultural industry, but the above mentioned two are the most important.

The Takayama-sha.

This association is at Fujioka-machi, Tano-gOri, Gumma prefecture, established in 1873, and its function is to give supervision and encouragement to the members, as well as to train instructors who are to be sent out to various districts to improve the management of the industry, thus contributing a great deal whether directly, or indirectly, to the development of sericulture. The present number of the members is some 40,000, and those who are trained therein amount to some 2,400.

The Kyoshin-sha.

This association is at Kodama-inachi, Kodama-gori, Sai- tama prefecture. Since its establishment in 1877, it has passed through many variations. Its function is exactly the same as that of the Takayama-sha, highly conducive to the furtherance of the industry. It has some 36,000 members, and those trained therein are some 3,200.

( 42 ) III. SkRICUI/I URAL CiUii.ns.

Tlie <Tovcniinetit issued in 189S a law relating to the Chiet Exports Guilds with a view to induce the improvment of the chief exports from Japan. The law of this kind was later found necessary not only for exports, but also for all th.e chief products of Japan, and accordini^U', in 1890, the scope of this law was extended so as to cover the <Teneral products by the promul- gation of the revi.sed law relating to the Chief Products Guilds. These guilds under this law are jurichcal per.soris or eis.sociations organized by those engaged in the same occupation in a certain locality with the purpose of removing defects and increasing profits iti the practical management of their occupa- tion by the joint efforts of the members. The enforcement of this law proved effectively likewise in making the silk raisers combine themselves into such guilds, with the result that their products ha\e been much improved to the immense benefit of the members. As the promulgation of this law was a matter of quite recent occurrence, the establishment of these guilds is not yet so universal as is desired.

The [present number of such institutions is as follows : —

Sericultural Guilds 67

Silkworm-egg Guilds 35

Raw Silk Guilds 21

Silkworm Rearers' Guilds 1

Silkworm Rearers' and Silkworm-egg Pro- ducers' Guilds 2

Double Cocoon Reelers' (juilds 1

Total 129

( 43- ).

In order to keep ^c<'miection amon<:; these guilds, two or more of them unite themselves in ;i guild-union, wliich is also a juridical person or association prescribed b}' the law. The number of these unions is as follows :- — ■ ; ■

Sericultural Guild-union 5

- ■ : . ; i Silkworm-egg Froducers';Guild-union i

Raw Silk- Producers' Guild-union i

Total 7

IV. SERICUI/IURAJ. CO-OrEKATlVE SuCIETIES.

In March, 1898, the go\ernnient issued the law relating to the Co-operative Society, the object of which is to induce the industrial as well as economical expansion of the people, and the societies organized in conformity to this law are sanctioned as juridical persons or associations. The present mmiber of the societies concerning sericulture established under this law is shown below : —

Socieities iov I'roduction, Sales, and

Consumption 2c6

Credit Societies 1,1 39

Societies with the combined function of

the above two sorts of societies ',091

Total 2,442

Thus it may be seeen that the sericultural co-operative societies occupy 57 9^ of the whole number (4,264) of the Industrial Co-operati\'e Societies.

( 44 )

V. MiSCElIJ.ANKOUS SOCIKJIES.

Besides those above mentioned societies, there are thousands of those societies, whether temporary or standing, that have to do with sericultural, scientific, or miscellaneous technological investigations.

*

CHAPTER V.

THE CULTIVATION OF MULBERRIES.

The total area of the mulberry farms in Japan is 957552,61 acres, according to the investigations in 1907. It is 7,44 per cent., comparing to the total cultivated lands, 12876465,735 acres and over 16,2 per cent, to the total farms antl they tend to increase gradual!}' year after year.

The percentage of the mulberry farms to the cultivated lands in each prefecture is as follows : —

Prefectures. Percentages. Prefectures. Percentages. Prefectures. Percentage.

Gumma	. 31,5	Iwate ... .	. 7,7	Akita ... .	. 4,2
Yamanashi .	■ 30,2	Ibaragi ... .	. 7,5	Shimane	. 4,1
Fukushima .	. 21,6	Shidzuoka .	■ 7A	Ishikawa	. 4,0
Nagano	.. 21,4	Shiga ... .	.. 7,1	Miyazaki	. 3,5
Saitama	. 15,6	Hokkaido .	. 7,1	Wakayama .	. l,Z
Tokyo ... .	. 15,0	I\Iiye ... .	. 6,8	Nara ... .	. 3,0
Yamagata .	. 14,6	Hyogo ... .	. 6,4	Oita ... .	. 3,0
Kanagawa .	• 14,4	Fukui ... .	. 5,4	Kumamoto .	. 2,8
Gifu	. 13.9	Tokushima .	5.3	Ehimc ... .	. 2,7
Miya.c;i ... .	. 13,5	Chiba ... .	■ 5.0	Kochi ... .	. 2,0
Kyoto ... .	. 10,3	Niigata ... .	. 4,6	Ok ay a ma	■ 1,9
Aichi ... .	.. rc,o	Tochigi	. 4.6	Kagoshima .	. 1,9
Tottori ... .	.. 8,1	Toyama	. 4,4	Yamaguchi .	. 1.4
Saga ... .	.. 1,2	Kagawa	. 0,9	Osaka ... .	. 0.4
Hiroshima .	i.i	Nagasaki	.. 0,6	Okinawa	0,1
Fukuoka	. 1,0	AonK-)ri ... .	. 0,6

( 4<^> ) I. TnK Vakikih.s.

On account of tlic fact that wild mulberry trees are found in the llokkaidr*, the island of llachijo and the Lu-chu group, Japan is thought to be one of the lands where the mulberr)- ijrows Tiaturaliy.

The \ariety most widely cultivated n(j\v-a-days, is one of the white mulberry species, the Morus alba, according to the classification by De Candolle but all jjnds are indigenous except the Kosr. transplanted from China. Although over four hundred names of mulberries are found, there are not a few synonyms in the lists, owinq; to local nomenclature.

These are practically classifietl into three varieties, early, middli' and Lite, according to the period of budding. The early varieties are used to feed the silkworms of the first and second age, because they bud earliest among others and their leaves harden also earliest. Those which belong to this variety and are most widely cultivated, are as follows: —

Fnslii-maii\iri, Ic/ii-liei, Jago-ioase, Yanaj^n'-ila, Slii'ro-u'ase', O'lliirimcn.

The middle varieties bud in tlu' mitldie between the early and the late season and serve to rear the silkworms of tlie third and fourth age. The following arc the important ones among these varieties : —

l\,>in>}L-i. Kiiiiiini-ryn, lfi{\>-j/i\', l>iini-t>i, Aka<^i, Koso.

'1 he late varieties bud latest among the three and supply t4)cir leaves chiefly to the fifth age worms. The principal varieties bclotvjintr to this class are as follows: —

( 4/ )

• 'Nesinni^gayts/ii, Jifi-moiiji, Yamauaka-t'akastLkc, Hosoye, Yotsumr, Obafa.

■ II. TnK .Modes of Piu)rA(;ArioNS.

There are four modes of propai^ations commonly prac- tised : Seedling^, grafting, cutting, layering. Kach mode has different modifications as follows : —

( ciumn Seedling<

iSprin

Grafting

Summer seedling

Spring seedling

< Cutting grafting Branch grafting <

(. Splice grafting

r Cutting grafting Root grafting < , "

(. Splice grafting

Common cutting

Cutting \ The Kivia-ki method

The Sudare-hiise method

The SlminoJcii-dori method

The Yoko-busc method

Layering *( ,^, ^

The Karakasa-dort method

Alound layering

A. Seedling.

By seeds, we may obtain a new variety which has different characteristics from the original and often tends to degenerate into the wild \ariety. It is not profitable to propagate the ■plants by means of sowing seeds, on iiccount of the waste of time, but bj'^ this method growers may sometimes set not only plants superior to the parent-st(Kk-, but if they use the phints as

( 4S )

the stocks of p^rafts, healthy and lonj; lived speciiTJeiis may be obtained, (^n account of the latter advantage this method is popularly practiced in some districts.

In the practice of this method, well ripened berries arc collected from the end of April to the middle of June. Then they are soon planted either by rubliinj:^ them against each other, mixed with ashes or fine sand, or by taldng off their pulp and washing them in water. Sowing seeds in the same year that they arc gathered is called '^ sitiinncr sccdlivoy The seed, washed in water as described above, arc well dried in the shade, placed in a box or a dry straw bale and buried in a dry sandy soil. The next spring they are taken out and sown. Thus this method is called " sprim^ scedliv(^y the seeds being preserved and sown in the next year, after their production. On account of the fact that the power of germinations is injured in seeds preserved a long time, sniniiicr scai/iii^^ is widely practiced. A seed bed has been beforehand tilled and manured. The surface is leveled down, covered with earth, and then seeds are sown in the propcjrtion of one or two grains per one-tenth foot .square.

Then the seeds are covered with soil, and straw is scattered over them for protection from dryness. Esjecially when the weather is fine and dr}-, water is splashed over them both morning and evening to l;eep the proper moisture. When the seeds germinate, the straw is tal^en off and a fence, about two feet in height, is made round the bed and a cover is spread over it, when the sun shines or when it rains heavily, the young plants are well taken care of to keep them from injury.

( 49 )

At the beginning very dilute liquid manure is applied to them but the concentration should be made stronger as they grow on. Wiien their height is two or three inches, thinned out and weeded. Afterwards they are gradually reduced in number, until the distance between every two plants is some five or six inches. Thus the plants will grow on from two to three feet in height by the close of autumn, when tiie leaves fall.

B. Grafting.

The well grown and vigorous shoots are selected as scions. Then with their terminals and roots are cut off and only their middle parts are used. There are three different periods of cutting, (i) shoots are cut off after the fall of the leav^es and before the autumnal frost, and preserved until the next spring ; (2) shoots are cut off about lO days before grafting and preserved by stricking them in potatoes or radishes ; (3) they are cut off at the time of the actual grafting. The first and second method are widely practiced but the third but rarely, owing to the fact that the scions take up the juice of the stock with difficulty, when they contain too much sap in themselves and good results can scarcely be obtained. Grafting is practiced about two or three weeks after the buds have begun to develop. The grower should take special care of the following two points ingrafting, namely, (i) that the cut surfaces of scions and stocks are flattend, both the cambiums and the barks of each shouUl be brought so closely into contact that both air and water may he completely excluded, so that it can not enter into the inserted part, (2) that the shoots, with the short internodc,

( 50 )

which lia\c two to throe buds, aiul arc about two to live inches in length, serve as scions. Stocks are cut off from two to five inches in length, and grafting is practicetl on the sniooth surface, where the texture of the barl^ is not disturbed. Soft straw, after being soaked in water oxernight, is used to tie up the inserted part.

a. Ihanch drafting.

1. Cutting Cirafting.

The proper stocks, ha\ ing been selected beforehand, are cut off three or four inches from the ternu'nal part when an extended period of fine weather seems probable. One jjart of the baric, with the small wood, is cut off with a sharp knife and the cut surface is made smooth. A scion, having a smooth and even cut, is inserted in this part. The fit should be so complete as to contact clo.se and firm in all parts and be bound together .so properly as not to mo\e. Then the grafted plants are trans- planted to a seeds bed.

2. Splice (irafting.

This grafting is i)racticed commonly in case where stocks and scions are of a .same si/c. h'or tliis puriJO.sc both are cut off and the cuts are made of the same size and the same form. Then they are ])laced in close contact and bound together in the same iiianner as the jircvious method.

b. Root (irafting.

" I\x)ot /^raf/iii^ " is practiced when stocks are wanted. This metlu)d can not be distinguished from *' haiu/i gmftinji^" except

( 5« )

that roots are used in the place of the stocks. Roots are dug out and cut off five or six inches long and shoots, prepared with two or three buds, are grafted to them by ^^ cutting f^raftin^'' or ^^ splice grafting'' according to the size of the roots.

C. Cutting.

This is a method to propagate mulberries by taking advan- tage of the fact that the plants are capable of producing a new individual by divisions. Cuttings are generally more easily pre- pared from the shoots which are in the low part, and have a short internode or are in an oblique position, than by those in the opposite cases and they are always taken off beneath a node.

a. Common Cutting.

There are two ways in this method, namely, shoots are either cut off about lo inches long in early spring, when the buds have not yet developed, or they are preserved until the spring planting after cutting them between the late autumn when the leaves fall and the earl}' winter. The latter method is most widely used because the cuts will b\- that time have been quite cured and the cuttings will strike root vigorously. For the preserving of the cutting, a pit seven or eight inches in depth, is dug out in a sand\-, well-drained and shady place. The cuttings are placed in it layer by layer, covering each layer with sandy soil one or two inches deep until the pit is filled up. A mound of earth is drawn up over it and the surface is covered with straw or straw-mats to keep in the moisture. The farms for the planting of cuttings are deeply tilled and manured. Ridges, three or four feet wide, are made on which holes are

( 52 )

o|x.'netl, sloping towards the south, with .i stick, having the same size as the cuttings. They arc inserted in tlie holes so deep that only two buds will be above the surface of the ground. Their bases are hardened ; straw and dry hay is scattered over the fields to protect them from diought. When the buds grow one or two inches long, other buds are tal<en off, leaving only a single, most vigorous one in every cutting. The dilute manure is sprinkled near the base of the plant and the earth between the ridges, is drawn thickly to it as the bud grows. Thus we will have plants, five or six feet in height, until the close of the autumn.

b. The " Ki-maki " Method.

in the early part of July, the new shoots, over three feet high, of the " Imsh planted'^ mulberries {iicfj^ari-kuiL'a) are turnetl down on the ground and buried with earth or straw, leaving their terminal parts remaining, about six inches long, upon the surface. After the leaves fall, the shoots, bleached in the earth, are taken out, and after being cut off some four or five inches in length are placed in dry soil until the spring. In the other way, the shoots are taken out in the coming spring and cut f>ff. In both cases, the cut shoots are planted, until the budding commences in the spring. For this purpose, seed beds have been ])reparecl beforehand and ridges, two feet in width, are made, on which small trenches, four or five inches wide, are dug out. The cuttings are laid in them in an oblique position, keeping them five or six inches from each other when they are covcrctl with fine soil, so that their terminal parts are not exposed.

( 53 )

The soil over them in trodden down slightly, straw is scattered over the \\ hole, to ])rotect the plants from the damage caused by dryness, wind and rain. When buds grow three or four inches, dilute liquid manure is aj)plied and afterwards they are nursed as described before.

c. The " Sudare-buse " Method.

This method is practiced on buds in the spring. On the farm, tilled and manured, trenches, about eight inches deep, are opened, so that they are from three feet and six inches to four feet from each other. The soil is heaped up on both sides. One end of the cutting, one foot and three inches to one foot and nine or ten inches in length, is put into a mound on one side of the trench, as deep as three or four inches and the other end is placed in the other mound on the opposite side. The distance between every two cuttings is about four or five inches. The exposed part of the cutting is covered with bamboo leaves, straw or green grass to protect them from dryness. Dilute night-soil is applied occasionally. When the young shoots grow to be four or five inches high, all of them, except two, are taken off, and afterwards earth is drawn up two or three inches high, when these two shoots are six or seven inches in height. Thus we will get the young plants some five or six feet high, by the close of the autumn. They are taken out in the autumn or the next spring and transplanted in other fields, after cutting them in the middle into two ]")arts if they have two new shoots.

D. Layering. In this method, roots are made to spring out from twigs or

( 54 )

branches Ijy Iniryinq; tliem completely or only their middle parts in the soil, <m- by drawinj:^ earth to tlie bases of new shoots, turned down to the ground, and then when they have sprouted, they are sejiarated from the mother plants, as individuals.

a. The *' Sliumoku-dori " Method.

I'Or pr.iclicinLj this method, all the branches of a Inish pliDitid mulberry are taken off in the middle of April, leaving only three or four straight and vigorous ones which have a moderate size. When the buds grow three or four inches high, trenches, three or four feet in length and four inches in depth, are opened in the place where they are laid, in which fertile soil is set. The earth surrounding the trenches is made to be three or four inches liicfher than the surface <\ the ''round. Then the shoots to be laid down, are cut off three or four inches in length at the terminal parts and bent, so as to turn them stcmward. Thus the downward buds .ue got rid of. At lirst the twigs are f.istened down at a (Jistance of about one inch above the ground and after one week, they are brought in contact with it, then earth is drawn n\) to them, by using a rich soft soil. Afterwanl they are toi)-dresseil with dilute liijuid manure in the latter i)art of June and the shoots are covered with earth to the depth of one or two inches, at the same time an incision is made at the bent part of the shoots, one or two inches long, by parth' strii)i.ing off the bark. In the middle of July the plants are again manured, earth is drawn up to the de])th of one or two inches and the bark is again stripped off, leaving only a small part which will be completely stripped of bark at the end of the month. In the close of the ,-iutumn, the shoots are taken

( 55 )

out wlicn the weather is fine, and are cut off into somethinc^ like a knocker shape, whicli serve as sprouts,

b. The " Yoko-huse " .Metliod.

This method is [)opularly practiced in some districts of the prefecture of Shiga. According to this method, new sprouts are obtained from those of the previous year, without using the old stock as in the preceding method. J^'or this purpose, a well- drained and fertile Ijed, which has been thoroughly cultivated, is used, and vigorously rooted sprouts, without cutting their terminal parts, are planted on the ridges, which are about three feet wide, sloping them about 40 degrees and keeping them some four or five feet from each other. When buds develop about one inch, the shoots are brought down to the ground and the buds are reduced so as to have, say, one in every six or seven inches of the shoots. On the buds turning straight, their bases are covered with earth. Afterward they are treated just as in the preceding method, ami thus ntw plants are produced at the close of the autumn.

c. The " Karakasa-dori " Method.

In order to [practice this method, branches are cut off before budding and earth is drawn up to the bases of the mother trees. When new shoots grow from one foot and six inches to two feet, radiate trenches, less than five inches in depth, are opened round the mother trees. At the bottom of the trenches, well decomposed compost is placed, and covered with earth in <i thin ]a}'er. Then the new shoots are tL.rned down into the trenches and burieil, leaving some four or five

( 5" ;

leaves in the terminal part on tlic surface of the ground, after stripprinc; off all the leaves except these. Afterward they are occasionally manured. Thus during tlic dog days or thereabouts the bark of the bent |)art is stripped off partly and the incision is made gradually greater until the shoot becomes separated from the mother tree in the late autumn or in the coming spring as new sprouts.

d. The MoiMui La}'ering .Method.

Tiie young mulberries on budding, are planted in a trian- gular positions in well cultivated fields, keeping them five or six feet from each other. The next year tlie stocks are cut off some three or four inches high above the surface of the ground before the growth commences. In this state they arc left and when the new shoots reach one foot in height, earth, mixed with compost, is drawn up to the lower part of the shoots, and covered with other soil some three or four inches deep. After- wards those arc properly manured and sometimes before or after September, the parts between the stocks are tilled. The shoots arc cut off in the autumn or the next spring. Thus sprouts are taken off from the same mother tree in a similar manner every year.

111. I'L-VNTAllON ANI» M A .\ A< lEMKNT.

The preparation of farms for the planting of young mulberries sliould be commenced in the autumn or the winter of the preceding year, h'or this purpose, the whole farm is deeply spaded out and well decomposed compost (300 /ctuati* to 500

* k-r/7u — 3,75 kilograiTiK.

( 57 )

kzvan per taji\) is scattered on it, after mixing it with surface soil. Then the soil is turned upside down, by deep tilling antl in the next spring cultivated once more. In the warm districts, the season of the planting of mulberries is in the autumn when the leaves fall, but in the very cold or snowy districts, it is practiced in spring when snow and ice disappear. The best season for planting is believed to be about the time of the vernal equinox.

For the convenience of rearing silkworms, the early, middle and latf varieties are generally planted in some proportion.

The proportion is changed, according to the j^eriod of the silkworms' brushing in relation to the budding of the early varieties. It is shown in general in the folknving table :—

In the di.stricts where the hi llie districts

hatched silkworms are early w here the opposite

brushed, compared wth the is the case, budding of mulberries.

Early varieties 20 9^ 10-15 °/o

Middle varfieties 30 Oq 20-25 o/g

Late varieties 50 o/^ 60-70 o/g

Young mulberries are planted, deeply or shallowl\-, sepa- rately or closely, accroding to various circumstances. In case, the soil is loam with a well-drained subsoil, or sand with a deep surface soil, the mulberries should be planted one or one and a half feet deep, keeping them five feet from each other, and the distance between the ridges should be some six feet. In the opposite case, when the surface soil is shallow and the subsoil is

t tan = 0,245 acre.

( 5S )

cla}- ;in(l cjf had drainaL^c, nv when tlic sandy but poor, the plant"^ sliould be planted seven or eight inches deep, keeping tlicn> two feet antl Vive inches to three feet froni each other anil the distance between the ridi^es should I)C some fi\'e or six feet.

Hcfore planting; the young i)lants, their roots are dressed. l"'or this purpose, the number of roots and their future growth are ascertained by looking at their forms. The roots injured by cut or diseases, and those which ha\'e no prospect, owing to bad growth, (M- are of no use, arc thrown out. Also the overgrown parts of the roots which are to remain, and any withered and tufty radicles are removed. There are two ways of planting, namely, Mizobcri-iiyc (planting in trenches) and Tsubobcri- iiyc ([planting in pits). The latter may be practiced only when the whole farm is deeply tilled, but otherwise the former is widely used. In planting, the direction ami the width of ridges are at first determined according to the features (^f the fields. Then ropes are streched along the direction, and trenches or jiits are dug \\\> to the projur de|)th and width, in which compost is placed, covering it with earth some two or three inches deep. The earth trodden down slightly, the young plants are laid in and their roots are put in the proper position. Then the jjlanter liolds the shoots upright with one hand and covers the roots with dry, '[xwc soil, gathering it \\\^ with other hand. The i)lant is moved slight!)' and then the earth is trodden down. Again the soil is drawn up some four or five inches tleep, in shape like an inverted basin. In " />/ijiifi>ij^ in fnnc/us," the earth on the foot of the plant, is leveled down with a spade, after tlnishing, the ojieration. If the shoots

( 59 )

have not been cut off V)eforeliand, they should be taken off with a sharp sickle soon .ifter planting. At first, the trenches or pits are filled, leaving some four or five inches under the surface of the ground and gradually leveled up, as the buds grow, by putting in the earth some two or three times, which serves at the same time as weeding. After transplanting, the mulberries are pruned in various ways and so trained as to facilitate their cultivation, their manage- ment, the gathering of the leaves and the forcing of the growth. Thus the methods of plantation are generally classified as four : —

The bush plantation {A^i-gari-jitaii-).

The dwarf-plant plantation {Chn^arl-jitate).

The high-grown-plant plantation {Takagari-jitate).

The full-grown plantation plant {Kydhoku-jitatc).

The fourth consists of many ways among which the " Akita inriJioiV is widely used and is thought to he a good one.

The " bush plantation " {Ncgarl-jitatc) : Many disadvan- tages are caused on account of that in this method, mul- berries are planted close to each other and many shoots are made to come out froui the stock by cutting them off on a level with the ground every year, that is to say, it is incon- venient to manure and cultivate them ; the leaves of the lower part of the stem are almost all stained ; the tlamages caused by frost and snow arc most severe ; antl the plants get easily attacl^:ed by racJiitis and are soon decayed. Hut this method has the following advantages at the samo time ; the plants grow

( 6o )

quickly and yiekl a cidp in a short period ; the leaves are soft for a long time ; it is convenient for gathering them and other management and there is less fear of insects and funjii which are

The "dwarf muliserry plantation" [Ne^ari-jiiaii:).

easily driven off even in the case of their attack. For these reasons, this method is popularly used in level districts. Ac- cording to this method, 600 to 900 mulberries are planted per /(111. They are well manured and should not be harvested in the year when i>lanted. In the following sirring, the shoots arc cut off before the buds develop, leaving one or two of them. Then they should be well manured and cultivated as in the j)revious year. In the third >ear, the leaves may be supplied to the annual silkworms and in the fourth, the plants will yield an ordinary crop.

( 6i )

The "dwarf-plant plantation" {CJtugari-jitate) : This is popularly practiced in the prefectures, of Fukushima, Gumma and Tokyo. According to this method, 400 to 700 mulberries are planted per tan. All the buds, except certain vigorous one, which have come forth in the next spring after plantation, are removed and manure is sufficiently applied. Before budding in the spring of the second year, the plants are cut off one to three feet above the level of the ground and two or three buds

The "HKiH-(.KOUN mi-lberrv plantation " {Chii^ari-jitale).

on the end are made to grow. Then the plants are carefully nursed as in the previous year. In the third year the leaves may be gathered and supplied to the spring silkworms. From the fourth year we will have an ordinary crop.

The " Iligh-grown-plant plantation" ijakagi-jitati^ : This is one in which the mulberries are trained to some four or five

( 62 )

feet above the surface of the ij^roiiiid and is widely practiced in the mountainous districts of Gumma and \'amanashi. According

The " fl'll-ououn muli!i;urv plan r.\i ion " (^Tnka^ari-jitate).

t<j this method of i)lantation, 300 to 500 mulberry trees are planted jK-r tan. h'or practicint; this, a single and most vigorous bud is left remaining after transplanting, and the removing of all of the others, and the trees are so managed as we do those in the preceding method of plantation. In the spring of the third year they are cut off some five feet in height ; all buds are then taken off, leaving only two or three at the terminus. Afterwards the same management as in the preceding case is performed.

The Akita mftliod of plantation : This is practiced in some districts in the prefecture of Akita. Fifty to hundred trees

( 63 )

The '■'■ Akita" system of

MULBERRY PLANTATION

(^Akita-niethod)

are generally planted in every tan, according to this method of plan- tation. In February of the next year after transplanting, when the buds will not

The Mulberry 'i ree of Akila-method.

develop, the vigorously grown shoots are cut off about four feet high above the surface of the ground, and weak f)nes are taken off near this bases. Thus the main trunk is carefully nursed. On the shoots, thus cut off, three vigorous buds are left in a triangular position, after removing all of the others. Until the autumn they will have grown some five or six feet in height. Before budding in the spring of the third year, each shoot is pruned to fioin some two to two and a half feet in length, but the weakei ones are sl^orter. Again two or three vigorous buds are left on each shoot aftt r taking (^{\ all the others. Thus in the autumn, the height of the shoots will be over si.x or seven feet. In the fourtii \-ear, the shoc^ts are cut

( ^-^4 )

off to the lieii^ht of one foot and five or six inches and again two or three buds are left on eacli of them, which will grow some five or six feet until the autumn. Thus the mulberry trees are i)runed and trainetl until we finish the operation in the fifth year, and we may gather an abundance of leaves in the sixth year.

As described above from the year ot transplanting to the sixth, the trees are prunetl in the spring but in the seventh, in the summer. After this, spring and summer pruning are alternately performed. We call it '^ siiuivur pruning'' inasmuch as that after 'the developing of the leaves, shoots are cut off, leaving some one or two inches in length and the leaves are applied to rear the annual silkworms, and '" spring pruning'' is that in which shoots are pruned in the middle of February in such a way that the mature or woody shoots are cut off shorter than the [^ unripe ones and the leaves of the now shoots are gathered to feed the sununcr si/kzihrnis.

IV. Cultivation.

Ihe mulberry farms are cultivated generally three times, l)eside tillage for manuring or weeding, namely : —

The first time about one month before budding.

The second time s >on after the gathering of the leaves.

The third tinie after the fall of leaves in the autumn.

Hut when the soil is moist or lumpy, owing to heavy clay, one more tillage is necessary at the end of September or in the beginning of October.

( 65 )

The first or spring tillage is in general done by means of the " level tillage " but sometimes mounds are opened by tilling both sides or one side of the ridge, and earth is drawn to the feet of the the plants. The soil between the ridges is dug out so as to make a small trench which will be gradually filled up in manuring or weeding. The second tillage, that is, the tillage after gathering the leav^es, is done by means of level tillage^ but if it is difificult to practice it or it is not necessary owing to the light soil, the earth between the ridges is dug up deeply by tilling both sides of the ridge and afterwards the opening is filled up when the trenches for manuring are prepared. The third, or autumn tillage is done by tilling one or both sides of the ridge. The earth on the bases of the plants is piled up between the ridges. The fourth tillage is performed between September and October and the methods of cultivation are changed, according to the conditions of the farms. In the case of level fields, they are cultivated in a shallow manner, by drawing the earth to the feet of the plants, and if there are any ridges, they are leveled down.

The depth to be tilled varies, according to the hardness of the soil and the depth of planting, but as a general rule, about one foot is the standard, except in the fourth tillage, and in the spiring, summer and autumn tillage always the same depth is lield. Weeding is practiced rather rarely, because weeds are hoed down, in cultivating and manuring practically they are weeded once or twice from midsummer to autumn. For this purpose, in the wet and stiff clay soil, they are buried by spading over the surface soil not deeply while in the sandy soil, they are picked out or cut down with a sickle.

{ 66 )

The manures arc nitrojjcnous and late-acting in many cases, on account of the fact that the mulberry is a perennial crop and requires less phosphate and lastly the soil in Japan is in general rich in potassium salts. The fertilizer which is most widely used, is the compost, consisted of night soil, horse dung, the litter of the silkworms, straw, weeds, fallen leaves and dust. Besides which, there are not only the commercial fertilizers, but also soybean cakes, herring refuse, SJiocJiu refuse, ammonium sulphate, chili saltpetre, Sake refuse and S'loyjt refuse are also popularly in use. The manure is applied generally at the following two seasons : —

The first time in the spring after the first tillage.

The second time in the summer after pruning or gather- ing the leaves.

The fertilizers are in many cases given between ridges or stocks and the depth of the manuring is the more variable, according to the properties of the manures and the soils than that of planting, say, eight or nine inches to about one foot for a clay soil and compost or farm yard manure ; three or four inches to six or seven inches for a sandy soil and a liquid or quick-acting manure. In all cases, the manure is applied in the small trenches which are soon filled up with earth. In the cutting of the mulberries, shoots should be taken off close to the stock, without leaving any foot to them, but farmers are so busy in the time of gathering leaves that they are not capable of practicing such careful treatment. For this purpose, the shoots are taken off somewhat higher and are afterward cut off again in the proper position. This operation is done at midday when

( 67 )

the weather is fine, within a week after cutting, by taking off the shoots also to the stock with a sharp sickle and so leveling and smoothing their cuts as much as possible. The cutting is so operated that the outside buds on the bases of shoots, are made to develop, for the purpose of setting many shoots spread outwards from the stock. The pruned shoots of mulberries are bound together during the winter. This is because the shoots are kept from drooping, the surface of the ground may receive such an abundance of sunlight, that the soil would be warmed and dried, the shoots are kept from being broken by snow and the damage, caused by the late frost, is lessened. At the close of the autumn, when the weather is fine, the low part of the shoots is loosely bound together, then after the leaves fall, their upper part is also bound together at two points, and the time, when their ties are unbound, is from the finishing of the spring tillage and manuring, to that of budding.

V. Crops.

The period of gathering the leaves and cutting the shoots is changed, according to that of the rearing of the silkworms, but generally it is as follows : —

P'or the rearing of the spring breed, — both the gathering of the leaves and the the pruning of the shoots are undertaken in the spring.

For the rearing of the autumn breed, — in the spring the shoots are pruned before budding and in the autumn the leaves are gathered.

( 68 )

Plucking of Mulbf.ury leaves.

For the rearing of the summer and autumn breeds, — in tlie spring the shoots are pruned before budding and the leaves are gathered in the summer and autumn.

For the rearing of the spring and autumn breeds, — in the spring, the leaves are gathered and the shoots are pruned, in the autumn the leaves are again gathered.

For the rearing of the spring, summer and autumn breeds, — in the spring the leaves are gathered and the shoots are pruned, in both summer and autumn, the leaves are again gathered.

When we gather the leaves and cut off the shoots in spring, it is always to collect the leaves only until the fourth age of the silkworms, but afterwards the shoots arc cut off little by little, in order to rear the silkworms of the fifth age with them, without plucking off the leaves.

( 69 )

The yield of the nuilberry varies according to the fertility of the soils, the ways of cultivation, the varieties of climate, the varieties of the mulberry and the management, but the usual crop in the biisJi-plantation is about 600 kzvan of the shoots, including their leaves which are about 200 kivaii, in every tail.

The results of the experiments conducted by the Tokyo Sericultural Institute, concerning the comparative crops of the early, middle and late mulberry leaves per tan respectively, gathered in the proper periods are shown below : —

Early Varieties ...<

If

rFor the tni: Middle Varieties... <

(.For the fou

F'or the first age 146,851

For the second age 367,183

For the third age 485,401 rth age 633,613

Late Varieties For the fifth age 934,728

In the same institute, the crops, concerning the different varieties are also investigated with the following result : —

Early Varieties.

	the number of stocks	the weight of the leaves	the weight of the stems	the weight of tlie shoots	total	the average weight of leaves in one stock
		e-	g.	'A-	c.'-	K.
Shiro-wase .	. 48	36,507-	14,117.	89.456.	140,080.	75»-
Fushi-magar	.. 63	45.599-	17,211.	82.386.	1.45. 196.	718.
Tago-wase..	68	422,701.	19,614.	92,836.	159,151.	6S4.
Ichi-bei	. 64	46,573-	15.241.	88,622.	150,436.	725.
0-chirimen..	. 69	28,44c.	n.078.	63.574-	103,093.	412.

( 70 )

Hi<l(IIo Varieties.

of stocks

Kumon-ryu. . 41

Roso 39

Tsuru-da ... 51

Aoki 5)

Akaki 36

the number the weight the weight

of

the leaves e. 50.356- 52,q66. 5S,57G. 49,652. 60,754 •

of

the stems

K.

H.536- 1 5,748- 2 1, ego. 20,412. 22,658.

the weight

of the shoots

61,792. 92.035- 83.215- 80,512. 83.^)83.

total

119,164 160,749 162,881 150,576 167.195

the average weight of leaves in one stock

K.

1030.

•334- 1 140.

801. 1677.

Nezumi-

gayeshi Jyumon-ji

Kobata ...

Late Varieties.

the number the weight the weight the weight

Yotsuine ... Yamanaka- | takasuke .. (*

ut slocks

73 6g 46 81 52

of the leaves

63,974 67,806 53,866 56,191 55,934

of

the stems

e 27,604.

27,246.

23,528.

23.615- 20,084.

ol the shoots

B. 98,^35- 102,371. 84,927. 86,298. 7S.943-

the average weight of total leaves in

one stock

(,'•

189,913 197,424 162,321 166,104 154,961

865.

974- 1171.

690. 1069.

VI. The Injuries to the Mulberries caused iJY Insects, Diseases and Frost.

A. The Diseases of the Mulberries.

There are different kinds of diseases, namely, mulberry- dwarf-troublc and many diseases, caused by parasitic i\nv^\. Now \vc will describe briefly these diseases :

I. The Mulberry-dwarf-trouble.

This di.scase is characterized by the sprouting of many feeble .shoots from the stock, after their being cut off for their

( 71 )

leaves, by the shrinking and wrinkling of the leaves on the shoots, and by the fading of the leaves into a pale green for the want of their normal amount of chlorophyl. Some of the varieties liable to be attacked dy this trouble, while others are not, but in general, Negari mulberries (the kind of the mulberries cultivated as bushes) are more liable to be troubled by this disease than Chiigari and Takagari mulberries (dwarf and high-grown-planted mulberries). This disease is caused physiologically by the want of the preserved nutrients, especially nitrogen, in the stock, on account of the cutting off of the shoots while they were growing vigorously. The only cure for the disease is to select the healthy varieties and to gather their leaves and shoots properly.

2. " Mompa " Disease.

This disease is caused by the parasite, called the Stypinella purpurea (Tul.) Scbr. In many cases, the mulberries in the farms which are newly prepared by breaking up the forest land, are attacked, but in the old farms, the disease is found only in a damp soil. On the roots of the diseased plants, one finds the filament entangled like vines which will cause the roots to decay, and a mass of purple and vein, like filaments, on the base of the stocks. The remedy is to open a deep ditch, because this disease is an infection of the roots caused by their having too much moisture.

3. Pourridie.

The cause of this disease is the parasitic growth of a fungus, called Dematophora necatrix Hartig. The fungus shows itself

( 72 )

in the shape of white flakes, like a cotton cover, on the roots which will be soon decayed and then the trunks will die. When the mulberry plants are attacked by this disease, it is better to pull them up at once and burn them.

4. The Agaricus mellens.

This is a disease, caused by a parasite, called Armillaria mellea Vahl.. The roots of the diseased mulberry rot greatly, then their leaves become yellow and soon fall, and at last their trunks die.

5. Bacteria Disease.

This disease is caused by a bacteria, called Bacillus cubonianus Macch. Both the branches and leaves are attacked, especially, the trunk of the diseased mulberry rots into black and finally dies. The shoots of the Ncgari mulberry are injured in many cases and also those of the Takagari mulberry are often attacked in the districts, where the mulberries are often damaged by severe frosts.

Beside those described above, there are several l<inds of fungi which arc the parasites of the mulberry and cause several diseases : namely, Septobasidium pedicellatum (Sch.) pat., Schero- tinia libertiana Fuck., Septogloem mori Bris. et Cav., Aecidium mori (Barch.) Diet., Phyllactinia corylca (Has.) Karst., etc.

\\. The Injurious Insects of the Mulberry.

There arc many insects injurious to the mulberry, now we will describe in short about the very most injurious ones among them in the following pages.

i 73 )

I The Scale Insect of the Mulberry (Diaspis pentac^ona Targ.).

This insect dwells on the trunk of the mulberry and lives on the sap of the tree to its great injury. The distribution of the insect in wide and it injures the Ncgari mulberry and also "^the Takagari one. The female insects attach themselves closely to the branches or the trunk, concealing themselv^es under the scales where they secrete themselves and live on the juice of the tree, by sucking it with their long rostrums stuck into the bark. They lay eggs in the scales and the larvae which come forth from the eggs are distributed over the branches. The larvae which are female, attach themselves to the bark and secrete the scales, and those which are male, spin v^hite and elongated cocoons in which they are metamorphosed into chrysalids. Then the winged male insects come out from the cocoons to couple, inserting their generating organs into the scales of the female. Thus the insect reproduce its kind thrice a year. In order to protect the mulberries from this insect, we examine, whether the young plants have any scales of the insects or not and get rid of them, if there are any. The mulberry farms should be always made to be so far as is possible exposed to sunshine. If the farms have been once attacked b}^ the insects, they should be scratched with a bamboo spatula and the insects killed during the winter, if this is insufficient, the syring- ing with kerosene emulsion, kerosene and the mixture of lime and sulphur are recommended.

( 7-} )

2. Leafrollers.

There are several l;inds of tliese insects among which the Archips crateagona lib. and Exartema mori Mats, are common in their injury to mulberry plants, lioth of them injure the buds of the mulberries in the early spring. In the middle of May they roll the leaves by sppinning in which operation the insects become pupae. The small moths come forth in June and lay eggs on the slender shoots. The pupae of the insects are often killed by a parasitic bee.

3. Ilemelophira atrilineata But). .

This insect dwells on the mulberry through all seasons and lives on the buds and leaves. Especially, the insect injures greatly the young buds in the spring time. The larvae are grayish brown and just like a dead twig. When fully grown, the insect is 60 mm. in lenghth. The anterior part of the body is small, while tha posterior becomes gradually greater. The tho- racic legs are composed of three segments, while the abdominal has two. The insects mature from the middle to the latter part of May, then they are imprisoned within oval, pale brownish and coarse cocoons, that are spun in the crevices of the trunk or on the base of the tree, in which the insects change into a pupa. After about one week-, the moths appear and lay eggs on the mulberry leaves or branches which will be hatched about three weeks afterwards. The growth of the insects is sometimes quick and sometimes slow and they are cither divoltini or trivoltini. The insects are easily destroyed from winter to early spring, when the larvae stick themselves on the branches like dead

( 75 )

twigs. Here we add that the insects have a parasite called Kaniodoki-bachi (y. Logas sp.).

4. Aprione regicollis Chevr.

This insect injuries the mulberries in both periods, that of the larva and that of the imago. The larvae saw their way into the trunk of the mulberries, especially, tJic high- grown-platited imilbcrrics and dwell in the wood. After two or three years, they become mature. The injured trunk is retarded in its growth, or killed outright. The mature insects deposit eggs in June or July under the bark of the shoots which they turn up by biting. The injured shoots are after broken down by the wind. The imago is one of the large coleopters, 37 mm. in length and a pale green in color.

Their eggs are elongated ellipses of a light greyish white and their longer diameter is 2,4 mm, , The full grown larvae are 60 mm. in length and of a pale yellowish white color. Its head is a dark brown and it has strong mandibles which are quite proper for biting. The method for destroying them are either to pour the insecticide into the holes of the wood which are made by the insect or to stab the eggs on the branches. The eggs have, as an enemy, a parasitic bee which I should be propagated for their destruction.

There is also a small coleopter, called Clytanthus cubineusis Chevr., which injures the mulberries in a similar way. Beside those described, the important insects, injurious to the mulberries, are as follows : —

Anomoneura mori Sehw. {Ki-jiravii) Glyphodes pyloalis Walk. {Siiki-vnis/ii.)

( 76 )

Diacrisia imparilis Butl. {Sn-inushi.) Porthesia similis Fuessly. {Kinkc-nnishi.) Phyllotrcta funesta Baly. {Hivic/ia-vius/ii.) l^aris deplanata Roel. {HiiJiczo-viushi^ etc. .

There are two animals that are injurious to the mulberries besides these insects, one is a slug and the other a field mouse. The following is a brief description of them.

5. Slugs.

The slugs injure the mulberries cultivated after the biish-plantcd mulberries by eating their buds, which come out after the leaves have been plucked. They live in a wet place along a stream. This kind of slugs is called Limax agrestis L. . For protection from the slugs, the dust of quick lime may be scattered about on the farms in the evening.

6. Field Mice.

The mice eat during the winter the bark of the mulberries, gnawing the cortical layer of the root to the woody part, until the tree will die at last. This kind of mice is called Microtus montbelli M.E. and they live in every district. During the winter, when the mice can find no food in farms, they do injury to the mulberries ; especially in the snowy districts the injury is serious. For killing the mice, Mereskowskys bacillus is practically employed.

C. Frost Damage. The mulberry leaves are often damaged by the late frost,

( 77)

after the buds have developed. The frost damage is either severe or light, according to the climatical conditions of the years or the districts, sometimes there is no fear of the damage. In the nothern part of Japan, frost damage has been caused hitherto once in three or four years. The damage is caused by the freezing of the young buds and leaves to death. The frozen mulberries show such a wretched conditions that they have no green leaves but only black. A good method for protecting the mulberries from frost, is esteemed to be the smoking of the mulberry farms, otherwise there are no means except that of wrapping up the shoots with straw or matting, or covering the leaves with these means of protection against the extreme cold.

*

CHAPTER VI.

THE FEEDING OF SILKWORMS. T. Tii?: Varieties of Silkworms.

The sillavorms, reared at present in our country, are only a single species of the insect considered from the point of zoology, but through natural and artificial selections for many centuries, a large number of varieties have been established. These in- numerable varieties are classified according to the number of 'crops' in a year as follows: — the annuals, the bivoltines and the polyvoltines. The annuals produce one brood, the bivoltines two broods and the last more than three broods in a year. Among these varieties the annuals are conceded to be the most profitable for silk growers on account of producing the greatest amount of silk for a certain quantity of the mulberry leaves given to them, the bivoltines produce the middle amount of silk, and the last the smallest; while in feeding, the polyvoltines are the most vigorous and the easiest to be reared, the bivoltines are next and the annuals are rather difTicult to be fed. In other words, the varieties which produce the great amount of silk for a certain quantity of the mulberry leaves taken by the silkworms are weak, and those of the opposite sort are vigorous.

Varieties are often named after the colorations of their cocoons, namely, the white, yellow and green cocoon varieties. Those which are reared at present in our country, are chiefly the white cocoon variety. Although the green ones were papularly

( 79 )

fed formerly on account of their being healthy, now their feeding is very rare, owing to their producing an inferior grade of raw silk, which has not a bright lustrous tint. The remarkable differences between the qualities of the filaments of three kinds of the cocoons can not be found, but from the results of the comparative investigation concerning the boiling off of the raw silks reeled from these cocoons, we may conclude that the raw silk from the white cocoons has the least boiling off, while the others have the greater. Still from the numbers of the moults during their life-periods, the silkworms are classified into two kinds, that is, three moults worms and four moults ones. The former moult thrice from the time of hatching to that of spin- ning a cocoon, and the latter four times during the same period. On account of the fact, that the latter worms produce a large amount of the better grade of silk, although they have longer * cycles ' than the former, they are widely reared, while the former are very rarely. Lastly, according to the seasons of the cultivation, the worms are classified into the spring, mmvicr and autumun breeds. Though this classification is popularly used, it does not mean that they are different varieties, but only shows the different seasons of their feeding. The spring- breed is allowed to hatch after the budding of the mulberry trees, the snvivicr breed soon after the " vw7inti7ig'" of the spring worms and the autumn at about the commencement of the autumn' say, from the former part of August to the middle of September. The silkworms reared in spring, are almost all annuals, but according to colorations, sizes, markings, and the shades of colors on the body, and whether the cocoon is large or small, long or short, oval or round, and whether its granulations are coarse or

( «o )

not, v^irious names arc ^^iven as follows: — Aka-biki, Ao-biki, Mata-ninkashi, Koishi-marJi, Tsuno-mata, Kasnri, Ilinic-ko, Kiiina-ko, etc. Besides the above, several hundreds of the races may be found, but those which are widely reared for practical purposes, are only two or three races, namely, the Ao-biki, the ]\Iaia-vnikasJii, the J\oi.<;hii)iant, and the Shira-tavia, which are healthy, easy to feed, comparatively productive, and moreover produce good silk.

The silkworms fed tluring the summer and autumn are the annuals, bivoltines, hybrids obtained by crossing the former two races and rarely polyvoltines. So there are many names of the races, but only HakjL-ryUt Kas7iri, and YanoJia are widely reared, being conceded to be the superior ones.

It is general that the silk produced by the summer and autumn worms, is inferior to that of the spring. Formerly the annuals were commonly reared while the summer breeds were reared only in a certain district, and even those summer breeds were nothing but the second generation of the so-called bivoltines. But about 40 years ago a method was invented, by which the grains of the second breed of the bivoltines were preserved in a cool storage, and by this means the first breed is made to hatch in summer and the second breed in autumn. Thus we achieve the ability to rear the autumn breed. The season of the feeding of the new worm is suited to the leisure of the farming classes, and by this rearing of silkworms they may conveniently distribute their labours. On these accounts, the new genesis of the worms was welcomed by the sericulturists. The invention of the autumn breed has made active i)rogress during a short period.

^

ik

r »

■»«

h'

'!^P»

"Oil

Hi

Varieties of Silkworms.

I.	fCoishi-jnam.	6.	Omuh ika- marn.
2.	Ao-ziku	7.	Chinese racf.
3-	Kasnri.	8.	KOKEAN RACK.
4-	Kurohan.-.i,ji:.i!-ii.	9-	French race.
5-	Aray,	. lO.	IlALI.XN RACt

:<STrfd

sc

not, various names arc given as follows: — Aka-biki, Ao-biki, Mata-viukashi, KoisJii-viaru, Tsjiiio-inata, Kxsitri, Hi)iic-ko, Ktimn-ko, etc. Besides the above, several hundreds of the races may be found, but those which are widely reared for practical purposes, are only two or three races, namely, the Ao-hi/ii, the Maia-viukashi, the Kois/iiniaru, and the Sliira-tama, which are healthy, easy to feed, comparatively productive, and moreover produce good silk.

The silkworms fed during the summer and autumn arc the annuals, bivoltines, hybrids obtained by crossing the former two races and rarely polyvoltines. So there are many m:,i • .if t'^i races, but only Hakn-ryu, Kasuri, and ) ancha are n^ being conceded to be the superior ones.

It is general that the silk prfiduccd by the summer and autumn worms, is inferior to that of the spring. Formerly the annuals were commonly reared wliile the summer breeds were reared only in a certain district, and even those summer breeds were nothing but the second generation of the so-called bivoltines. But about 40 years ago a method was invented, by which the grains of the second breed of the bivoltines were preserved in a cool storage, and by this means the first breed is made to hatch in summer and the second breed in autumn. Thus we achie\'e the ability to rear the autumn breed. The season of the feeding of tlic new worm is suited to the leisure of the farming classes, and by this rearing of silkworms they may conveniently distribute their labours. On these accounts, the new genesis of the worms was welcomed by the sericulturists. The invention <jf the autumn breed has made active jnofj^res^ during a short jKrriod.

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Varieties of Silkworms.

I.	fCois/ii-tnaru.	6.	Onhoaka-tnaru.
2.	Ao-ziku	7.	Chinese race.
3-	luisiiri.	S.	Korean race.
4-	Kiirohtxm-seihaku.	9-	French race.
5-	A ray a.	lO	liALlAN RACE

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( 8r )

A natural cold cave, called Fukctsu has been found in every district as a storage for the eggs of the annuals and bivoltines, which are taken out and hatched at any times, as one pleases, from spring to autumn. Thus silkworms may be fed several times a year. It is said that the fact that the recent sericulture in our country has brought forth such prosperity, is greatly due to the discovery of Fiikcisu.

A cave or Fuketsu is often found in a rocky place in the volcanic districts. Cold air is always blowing in a Fukctsii through the crevices of the rocks and the interior temperature is so low that even in the hottest day of summer it is kept below 40 degrees F. . When the eggs are preserved in this cave, their nuclei are in the same dormant state even in summer or autumn that they are in winter. If the eggs are taken out and kept at a temperature of over 70 degrees F., they will hatch after one or two weeks.

II. The Silkworm Rearing House AND Instruments.

As the sericulture industr)- in Japan has been practiced in general case as an accessory occupation of farmers, many of them have reserved one part of their dwellings for the culture of cocoons, and except a few have not built any special building.

Whether the situation and construction of the silkworni rearing house are suitable or not, has a great influence on the health of the worms, and also the facilitation of the actions, and the amount of the labours of the rearers depend greatly upon them. For these reasons, those who wish to build a silkworm rearing house should select at first the situation properly, and

( 82 )

J#^ >

imMHI

'■Hk.

Silkworm Reaking House.

then construct the house so completely that it may be hygienic for the silkworms, facilitale the actions of the rearers and diminish their labours.

A. The Situations of the Silkworm Rearing House.

A suitable place for building the silkworm rearing house should be dry, open and airy. On the contrary, the moist, narrow and closed place which is surrounded with hills, forests, houses, etc., is not proper for the building. However as it is impossible on account of the topographical conditions in various places that all the sericulturists in different localities can select the fittest situation for their silkworm rearing houses ; therefore, the Imilders should endeavour to search as carefully as they can for the most suitable place and to compensate for the unavoida- ble defects of the situation in the construction of the house itself.

( «3 )

For example, when the place is moist, trenches are du^ out round the house or stagnant water is drained off by the under- ground sewers, but if this is impossible, the surface of the ground is elevated for drying, by piling up the earth into a mound. The house is built with a high floor and an upper or third story, so that the damp vapours arising from the ground, are avoided as much as possible and at the same time accommodations for ventilation are arranged. Especially should this be so, when hills, forests and houses are close to it. In short, a dry and airy place is suitable for building the silkworm rearing house and damp sultry place is not proper for such a building. But there is no exception in this case to the universal rule that profit always follows loss. Thus a silkworm rearing house built at the most proper place, may have much profit in view of the fact that the silkworms are easily protected from the unfavourable conditions of the climate, such as hot and oppressive weather, and may spin a good grade of cocoons, which may be easily unwinded in reeling. But at the same time the house has such disadvantages that much fuel is needed to keep the rooms warm in the feeding of the young worms of the sj^rino breed, and also the growth of the silkworms is often retarded by the drying of their litters too much. On these accounts, the house is suited for the rearing of the last age worms of the spring breed and the worms of the sumvicr and aiituvin breeds. On the contrary, although the silkworm rearing" house in an unsuitable place, as described above, has rather gloomj- rooms and often gets so sultry, in the feeding of the last age worms of the spring breed and the worms of the siiiiniicr and autianu breed, that their health is at times impaired ; oti the other

( S4 )

hand, the expenses for fuel can be spared in warming" the nursery in the first period of the rearing of the s/>ri)i^Q breeds and also there is but Httle fear of injuring the silkworms by the overdrying of their Utters.

In selecting the situation of tlic nursery for feeding the young worms of the spring breed, and the mature ones of the same breed, and the worms of the suvtvur and ajituvin breeds, the rearers usually consider profoundly the above relations.

B. The Direction of the Silkworm Kearing House.

The silkworm rearing house is in general constructed towards the south, for the reason that the room facing the south has something exhilarating and in its influence is always hygienic and also it is convenient to have ;i rich full draught of the breeze from the south which is the ordinary wind during the summer in our country, the rooms are easily kept it a moderate temperature, both the left and the right sides of the house being exposed to the rising and setting sunshine ; while the house built along the north and south directions, facing towards the east and the west, is so brightened on the front and back side, by the rising and setting sunshine, that in spring the rearers may have the profit of sparing fuel by utilizing the heat caused by the sunshine, but in summer, when the temperature becomes gradually high and fire is unneccessary to warm the rooms, the rearers may often be troubled by a too high temperature, caused by the rising and setting sunshine. Moreover bad ventilation is an unavoidable defect in the nursery, constructed in this direction.

( '^5 )

C. The Construction of the Silkworm Rearing House.

There are in general two kinds of silkworm rearing houses, one storied and an upper storied house. Rarely there are three storied houses.

Now we will investigate the advantageous and disadvanta- geous points of these constructions in the following pages. Only on the point of the facilitation of the actions of the rearers, a one storied house is the best of all, but if space is unsufficent to build it or the ground has too much water or any adjacent obstruction prevents it from aeration, the upper or third storied house, is better. Though a one storied house tends to become somewhat damp, it is convenient at the same time to keep warm. On this account, it is suited for rearing the young worms of the spring breed. The upper and third story, being quite dry, such constructions are better than a one storied house as a nursery during the summer and as mounting house, but the difference of temperature between day and night being great, they are not suitable to rear the young worms of the spring breed.

The inside of the silkworm rearing house is usually divided with walls. The common extent is 12 feet to 15 feet by 12 feet to 1 8 feet. When the depth is too great, the room becomes .so damp and unhealthy for the sill<worms that they sometimes fall successively into Grasserie, Muscardine, etc., while too spacious rooms are difficult to regulate in respect to the interior temperature as the rearer wishes and also are not suitable for nursery purposes.

The floor is made two feet in height when the place is

( S6 )

moist ami one and a half feet when it is dry. A small window with a door which may be easily opened and closed, is made in various places under the floor. The board of the floor is about one inch in thickness and nailed down so closely each other, because if there are any open spaces in the floor, the regulation of the inner temperature is diflicult.

The ])roper distance between the floor and the ceiling is from eight and half feet to ten feet. If it is too low, the air of the interior becomes musty, while if it is too high, it is difficult to regulate the interior temperature. The windows for ventila- tion, prepared with a door which is opened and closed by means of two ropes, are made at the four corners and the middle of the ceiling. Their sizes depend on the extent of the ceiling. But the common sizes are that the windows at four corners are about one hundredth and the middle ones about five hundredth of the ceiling. It is indispensable for the silkworm rearing house to have al.so the preparation for ventilation of the roof.

There are several kinds of roofs, such as, tile, shingle and thatched roofs. Among which the last is the best suited for the nursery, so as to slowly conduct the outside heat and the tile roof is next. The shingle one is not suitable for a silkworm rearing house on account of the fact that if affords the least protecting from the influence of the outside temperature. Surrounding the nursery a gallery is made in order to regulate the sudden change of the outside temperature and to facilitate the actions of the rearers. The south and north sides of the gallery are from four and half feet to six feet in width, and the cast and west over three feet as one pleases. In the middle of the nursery a hearth is prepared, which is made of fireproof

( 87 )

stones or bricks and covered so as not to hinder the working of the industry.

D. Instruments.

Whether the instruments for feeding the silkowrm.s are suitable or not has also an influence on the health of the silkworms and the facility of their treatments. Finally it concerns the economy of the enterpise.

Now the principal instruments will be explained in the fol- lowing pages. The frame-work : On both sides of the nursery.

W"		^ i	it is made along
S^fl^^^^^^^^A.	r	the wall for the reception of the trays. Boards, I inch by 8 inches serve as the uprights.
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Implements for preparing	r	1
Silkworm Foon. the tops touch- ing the ceiling.	m
Light bars of bamboo to sup- port the trays should be sus-		^

Kl^AKINd IMI'IVMENIS.

pended across

the uprights horizontally with a proper space, about ten inches, between every two bars. The closer distance is not good for ventilation and becomes unhealthy for the silkworms.

( «« )

'1 lie silkwoinis trays: These arc made of split bamboo; there are two forms, the circular and rectangular, with various sizes, but those popularly used and found to be convenient for practical purposes, are the rectanj^ular 3.5 feet by 2.5 feet with a level border. The circular ones, 2.5 feet in diameter, are also widely used. The circular tray is made very easily, but in actual use, the rearers may have much trouble to cut the mattings ami nets, so as to fit to it, their being generally rectangular, and moreover their borders cut, should be repaired. Still their handling is troublesome and they become worn out and wasted in a short time. Another kind of trays is the one connected with a matting which is lined, but it is very incon- venient in handling.

Mats: These are better made as light as possible but not so light that husks (which are often scattered on them) and silkworms ' excrements may leak down. The Itodadc mats (the other name the Minagaxva mats) woven of cotton or hemp thread as the warp and of straw as the woof, are conceded to be suitable for the practical use.

Nettings: Those which are used until the fourth age, are made of cotton threads. There are different kinds of nettings with various sizes of meshes, o. i inch, 0.15 inches, 0.2 inches, 0.3 inches, and 0.5 inches. These nettings serve chiefly for the removing of the litter and the taking out of the late moulting worms after ceasing to give them the mulberry leaves. The nettings used during the fifth age are made of straw ropes, hemp or J uncus communis and are chiefly used for the removing of the litter. The most suitable size of the meshes in some 2 inches. Jiesides the instruments described above, basins, the

( 89 ) knives for cutting the mulberry leaves, the sickles for cutting the mulberry branches, sieves, winnows, the tray holders and feather brushes are wanted. As the instruments for mounting, Ebiragomo (the special matting for spinning cocoons) and Mahishi (the straw cocoonage) are necessary. There are several kinds of the cocoonage among which Orhvara and Mukade-inabushi are practically used. The former is a cradle made of straws folded and the latter consists of one or two ropes, with straws inserted cut 6 inches in length, with the shape of a caterpillar with long and thick hairs. The important instrument for graining is a moth frame which is a ring, with a funnel shape, made of thin zinc plate. The suitable size of the large opening is from some 1.8 inches to 2 inches in diameter, the small one 1.8 inches and its length some 0.5 inches to I inch. There are two kinds of moth frames, namely, the individual and the connected which consists of 28 rings (these are for one egg-card). Another convenient frame is a board, about one inch thick, of the same size as the egg-card, with 28 holes, some i.S inches in diameter, which are lined with zinc plates.

Ill, The Silkworm Seed or Grain.

The silkworm eggs, laid on a card is sometimes called seed. Whether seed is good or not, has a close relation to the crops of cocoons. How expert the rearer may be, he can not raise abundant crops from unsound seed ; so the egg-card manufact- urers should endeavour to produce sound seed with the most skilful arts and the most profound attention. Or how excellent

( oo )

the seed may be, the rearer can not get the most vigorous silkworms, if the seed should be improperly preserved .and protected, so the rearer should take great care of the seed to keep it sound and free from disease.

A. Egg-card Making.

Egg-cartl manufacturers select cocoons for reproductive purposes after fmishing the following examination on 'the original silkworms and the cocoons collected : —

(i.) The growth of the original worms.

The number of diseases during the period of feeding, is examined and if many of the silkworms are attacked by Flacheric, Tebrinc, etc., their cocoons are not used for reproduc- tive purposes.

(2.) The cjuantity of the cocoons collected.

If the quantity of the cocoons collected for one utoimne* of ** ants'' is less than 5.5 kilograms, that is short crojis, they are not utili/ed for the same ]iurposes.

(3.) The examination of lV:brine.

If when the pupae are examined under the microscope, over 1 5 per cent, of them are found to be attacked by Pcbrine, the cocoons are not employed for the preparation of seed.

After the above examinations, the size, color, luster and the roughness on the outside layer or granulation of the cocoons are next examined. Thus the cocoons which have the qualities peculiar to their variety, and a middle size, are selected for the

• »wow»/<' — 3,75 grams.

( 91 )

raising of eggs. The cocoons thus selected, are arranged on trays, placed on the frame-work in the nursery which is ventilated and whose inner temperature is regulated always to keep at from 70 to 75 degrees F. just as in the feeding of the silkworms. Three weeks in the case of the annuals and 17 or 18 days in the case of the bivoltines or the polyvoltines passing, after pupation, the moths appear. The cocoons are covered with papers at night before the moths come forth. Newspapers may serve as the covers, which are per- forated in the shape of the feather of an arrow to the amount of at least five or six in every square foot. The moths rest on top of the paper after passing through the apertures of the covers, soon after escaping from their silken prison. Ihe cover facilitates the picking up of the moths and prevents the cocoons, left by the moths, from being stained with their excretions. If the temperature of the nursery is moderate, the exist of the moth is generally made in the morning between four and eight o'clock. The female moth appears soon after the male does. While they are pairing, the couples are kept quietly in a dark room, carefully shutting out the wind. If the room is bright or the wind blows in, an accidental uncoupling occurs. Pairing is allowed to continue for five or six hours. Between noon and one o'clock in the afternoon, the couple are separated Before the female moths are transferred to the egg-cards, t]ie\- are allowed to excrete urine. For this purpose, some 60 or 70 moths are placed on a piece of paper which is shaken a little while by one end. Then after some five minutes more they are shaken again, for the purpose of causing them to urinate. After this operation, for industrial rc/^roducticu . the corresponding number

( «J2 )

of the moths for one cL;fi-caicl, is transferred to a card for the laying of its eggs, while, for ii-llular reproduction, each moth is individu- ally placed in a frame. During the laying of the eggs, the proper temperature is between 75 and 89 degrees F. and the proper hu- midity is about 70 per cent. When the tem- perature is too low, the moth takes too long time to deposit its eggs and moreover produces less eggs. When it is too wet, the egg-cards arc stained by scales from the wings and their .ittachmcnt to the egg-surfaces. In the proper temperature, the moths commence to lay their eggs at 6 o'clock in the evening and finish the operation at about 10 o'clock at night. In the method of imiitstrial rtproihictioti, the moths are soon picked out and disposed of, while in the cellular plan the moths are carefully collected. The making of common egg-cards by industrial reproduction is the method in which about a hundred moths are allowed to

'..KM.II.AR S\STEM KfiCi-CARn

( 93 )

lay their eggs indiscriminately on a card, i foot 2 inches by 9.25 inches, while in celhilar nprodtictioii. a card of the same size with that of industrial reproduction, is divided into 28 divisions to which the number is given, and small frames are placed in every division, in each of which, one female moth is kept to lay eggs. After finishing their laying eggs, each of them is placed in the bag of the cellular which has the corresponding number, for their microscopical examina- tion.

B, Precautions with the Seed.

Even if the seed be sound, yet if it has not been carefully protected, it becomes feeble, and in the worst cases, fails to hatch. The seed of the annual remains about ten months in this form, and during another two months, it is metamorphosed first into the larva, next the pupa and finally into the moth, which will lay eggs again. The eggs are exposed to various changes of temperature during these periods, namely, at the beginning they are kept very warm, then they are gradually allowed to become cold, and are again warmetl up in the spring, when the egg hatches.

On account of the fact that the nucleus of the egg is constantly changing in the state of its growth, according to the change of temperature, the methods of precaution should be varied in accordance with this fact. Generally, the period of the necessary precaution is divided into four, according to the growth of the nucleus. Now the methods for the exercise of precaution in every period will be explained in the following pages : —

( 94 ) (I.) I'rec.'iiiti(Mis tluriiij^ the first ijcriotl.

The first period is one week after the eggs have been laid, namely, the period during which, the light yellow eggs turn gradually to a drab grayish color, proper to the egg. The eggs change not only their outer aspects during this period, but their interiors also undergo a remarkable change. They are placed on the trays, which are sometimes put into frame-work after supplying them with enough fresh air owing to their strong respiration, and the temperature in the room is kept between 70 and So degrees F., thus avoiding away sudden change.

(2.) Precautions during the second period.

The second period extends over from the end of the first period to the close of December. On account of the fact tliat although at the beginning of the period, it is still warm, the respiration of the eggs becomes gradually weak and their unclei fall into a dormant state in the autumn ; the precautions taken during this period are the simplest amongst all.

The egg-cards are put into a frame-work or hung down by means of threads in a room clear and well ventilated. At the end of this period, the excretions of the moths, the scales on their wings, and any other dirt, attached to the eggs, which tnay often injure the larva in hatching, are washed off. For this purpose, several vessels of fresh water are allowed to remain for a while to permit the water to attain the same temperature as the air; then, the eggs are dipped into the water. After some four or five hours, they are taken out of the water one by one, and placed on a board, which has been prepared beforehand, in order to that they may be brushed softly and washed carefully.

( 95 )

After this operation, fresh water is poured on them, and they are transferred to a clean room, putting on the trays, where they are dried in air and then kept in conservation,

(3.) Precautions taken during the third period.

By this we mean the precautions necessary between the close of December and the period of the mulberries' budding. At the beginning of the winter, the eggs become dormant and breathe so feebly that the eggs, laid by a hundred moths (they weigh some 30 grams at the time when laid), are not injured for want of oxygen even in a sealed vessel, if only one litre of air is given to them during this period. The eggs in the dormant state are capable of beginning their growth at any time when they are kept at a temperature of over 50 degrees F., but they are so injured by their growth being stimulated out of the regular time, that the sound seed may often become weak and in the worst cases it may become of no use. Hence the precau- tions taken during this period are nothing but that the eggs in the dormant state are kept in stillness so as not to be exposed to any sudden warmth. The limit of the temperature in every month during this period is shown in the following list : —

i December under 40 degrees Fahrenheit January „ 35

Februarj' ,, 40 ,, ,,

March „ 45

^April „ 50

The keeping of the eggs at a constant temperature, notwith- standing the change of the external teinperature, is carried out by one of the following methods : —

( 96 )

The first mothod : A double case is made for conservation. The space between the outer and the inner case is at least over 6 inches, which is filled up with non-conductor of heat, such as saw-dust, etc. The case may serve to conserve 2CX3 egg-cards.

The second method : A store house is built for con- servation, which consists of two buildings one over the another. The walls of both buildings arc made thick to prevent them from being affected by the external heat.

The third method : The eggs are conserved in a cave or Fukcfsit, or in a store house specially prepared for cooling, among which the latter is very convenient for storing on account of the operators being able to regulate the inner temperature as he wishes.

(4.) Precautions during the fourth jjcriod.

This is the precaution taken between the end of the third period and the hatching of the eggs. This period is about two weeks, and is often called the period of incubation. The purpose of the precaution in this period is to make the nucleus of the egg grow up regularly by a steady rising of the temperature.

The standard temperatures during the period of incuhatioji. arc as follows : —

Day.	Standard teniperatuie.	Day.	Standard	temperature.
1st day	55 degrees F.	8th day	62	degrees F
2nd ,,	56	9th ,,	64
3rd ,,	57	loth ,,	66
4th ,,	5S	nth ,.	68
5th ,.	59	1 2th „	70
6th „	60	13th „	72
7th „	61	14th „	72

( 97 )

By the rising of the temperature as shown in the above table, the color of the eggs turns to a grayish white by the eleventh day, a few of them will hatch by the thirteenth day and a great many of them by the fourteenth day. The pre- caution taken during this period is to raise the temperature regularly, without making any mistake, to let a sufficient quantity of fresh air into the room for the respiration of the eggs and at the same time to keep the air sufficiently humid so as not to dry them too much.

IV. Rearing of the Silkworm.

The time for innihatio)i determines the time of " brushing " ; and the time of brtisJiing has very much to do with the crop of mulberry leaves and the quality of cocoons produced. In case brushing be carried on too early, the growth of the silkworms will be rapid, and the quality of the cocoons spun by such silkworms will prove excellent, while the crop of mulberry leaves will be considerably affected. If, on the contrary, brnshitig be undertaken too late, though we might expect a larger crop of mulberry leaves, they will lose some of their nutriment, and become too corase as food for the young silkworms, spoiling the growth of the worms and the quality of the cocoons. Moreover, maggots are more apt to injure such late hatched silkworms, and high atmospheric temperature and humidity would give much trouble to the latter ages of their silkworms. So strict care must be taken to determine the proper time for incubation in consideration of the budding of mulberry leaves. It usually done and satisfactory in result to take out the egg-cards

( 9S )

from the preservation room at the budding of the first leaf of the early-budding variety, and keep it in the standard tempera- ture mentioned before. This date of budding varies somewhat according to the place and year. In Tokyo and its vicinities, in the experience of more than ten years, the earliest date was April iith., a\u\ the latest April 23rd., the average date being 1 6th., cjr 17th., of April, which will, therefore, be the best time to commence the process of inc7ibatioii in a usual year, but in case the budding takes place very much Liter, incubation must be commenced one or two days before the day of budding, and if the reverse is the case, incubation should be undertaken one or two days after the day of budding. This is so done, because in such a year that budding takes place too early, we may inevitably expect abnormally cold weather after the budding to retard the due development of mulberry leaves, while in the year of late- budding, a sudden warmth after the budding will cause the rapid growth of the mulberry foliage.

A. Brushing.

By brushinj^ is meant the reception of newly-hatched silkworms into a feeding tray from the egg-card by brus/i- ing them off. Delicate treatment is required in brusJiin^ off the young silkworms, as they are extremely small and weak' in body, and may be lost or wounded through the slightest carelessness. Various methods of brnshing have been advocated, but the one most widely practiced at present is the IJiJiiotoshi method, a brief explanation of which is given below.

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the early-budding variety, and keep it in the . tandard tempera- ture mentioned before. This date of budding \arir!? so•T!e•'•^3^ according to the place and year. In TokyS and it.s the experience of more than ten years, the earliest April nth., and the latest April 33rd., the average date tieing

t

i6th., or 17th., of April, which will, therefore, be the best time commence the process of t a usual year, but in case

the budding takes pla ' ^ -• c; »

rommcnced one '^' ^-''^

,ng. Th:

I year that budding takes place too early, we may inevi^ -xi^cct abnormally cold weather after the budding to retard the

due development of mulberry leaves, while in the year of late- Lidding, a sudden warmth after the budding will cause the

Lipid growth of the ir.ulberry f '"

rushing.

By brushiiio is meant the rcceptii' w)y-hatchc>l

silkworms into a feeding tr.i} -card l\

em off. Delicate treat mt required in brushing

«>;i the young silkworms, as the xtremely small and

weak' in body, and maj' be lost -r wounded through the

slightest carelcssncb.s. Various methods of bruslnuj^ have been

iJvf a ito<l. btil the ' iu; !i,o^t widely practice! at prc'.ent i^

1 >lanati« below.

( 99 )

Some silkworms hatch out usually one day after silkworm eggs have assumed a whitish gray color. These early hatched worms are called HasJiiri (forerunners), and they must be brushed off and discarded, as they arc not likely to spin good cocoons. The egg-card, after these early hatched silkworms have been brushed off, is wrapped up in abroad sheet of Mijio paper, so that the young worms may not crawl off the card and be lost, and in this state it must be kept until the next morning, when under proper temperature and humidity the young silk- worms begin to hatch out at five or six o'clock and the hatching for the day goes on until about ten o'clock in the morning. In ordinary cases, some 70 per cent, of the eggs on the card hatch out in one morning, but in some rare cases, the percentage may fall below 50. In such cases, the egg-card must be covered up again and kept untouched in a room with a temperature of 70 degrees F. until the following morning, when the process of briisJiing is to be taken up anew. This method must not be resorted to, when the natural atmospheric temperature is above 72 degrees F., as it may tire out the worms in the act of hatching.

Brushing should be carried out at about eleven o'clock in the morning. In the first place the egg-card is taken out of the wrapper and the young silkworms that may have crawled over to the back of the card are gently brushed off by means of a feather-broom. Then the card is turned over and held up tight with the egg-side downward, some tive inches above a sheet of paper weighed beforehantl, and a few succeeding taps are given the card on its back witli the fcaher-broom or any other thing near at hand. Most of the W(irms are removed from the card in

( »oo )

this \v;iy, but the rest still clingin<^ to the cartl have to be brushed off on the paper with a feather-broom, and then all the worms received are weighed together with the paper, and thus the net weight of the newly hatched silkworms is determined by reducing the weight of the paper.

Silkworms immetliately after hatching are called d/i/s and the weight (A such }'oung silkworms is technically termed " rt;// li'ci^/it." As ant i^wi^i^/U is very essential in determin- ing the approximate number of silkworms, and a slight error in iDit ii'cioJit might bring an utter failure in all later plans, an accurate balance and strict care must be used in weighing such ants. As a rule, allowing 90 per cent, for hatching, the eggs laid by 100 moths will gain an ant tvc^c^Jit of between 4^ and 5 inoiiniu\ and one uioviiiu- of ants usually contains from 9,500 to 10,000 ants.

After the weighing has been finished, millet or rice husk is sprinkled o\er the paper just to cover the ants, and mulberry leaves chopped fine arc also scattered over just to equal the quantity of the ants. These mulberry leaves are not meant for food, but merely for the purpose of inviting the ants to come out over the liusk. Some thirty minutes later when all the ants have crawled out of the husk, a fresh supply of husk is again scattered over them, and the a)its and husk are then evenly mixed up by gently jumbling them with the feather-broom and the fingers. The usual (juantity of husk required for this purpose is 2 .i,'-J*iper one nwninic of a)its. After this, the ants and husk together are taken over into a bowl with a paper sheeting, over which they are to be scattered with })ropcr

* « ^5 — J pint.

( 'OI )

evenness, giving one square foot for one momuie of ants. Some twenty minutes after this, almost all the ants come crawling out over the surface, upon which the mulberry leaves are then given as food for the first time. Here begins the most impor- tant yet intricate process of feeding, which shall be treated of under the next heading.

B. Feeding.

The growth of the silkworm varies a great deal according to the difference of temperature and humidity. Necessary variations must be given also to the methods of feeding, to the litter-clearing, and to the extention of the silkworm-bed in consideration of the temperature and humidity, under which the rearing is undertaken. Taking 70 degrees F. of temperature from and from 75 to 80 per cent, of humidity for our example, we shall describe here the methods required in the proper rearing of silkworms.

Young silkworms are observed to take food at more frequent intervals than the old ones, and the soft mulberry leaves requir- ed for the young worms dry up more readily than the coarser leaves that are fit for the older worms ; therefore it is advisable to feed the younger silkworms with a smaller quantity of food at more frequent intervals, and according as the age of the silk- worms advances, to increase the quantity of mulberry leaves for each feeding and decrease the number of feedings in a single day. Supposing that the temperature and humidity of the rearing room are as those before mentioned, the appropriate number of feedings in one day in each age of the silkworm is as follows : —

( J02 )

No. ol fctdiiii;s in one day-

1st age From 7 to 8 times

^ 2nd , „ G „ 7 „

Srtl „ 5 „ 8 „

?tli „ 4 „ 5 M

Some feed their sillcworms less frequently in one day than is shown in the above table, for the mere purpose of saving the labour of feeding; it is, however, a bad practice, when the health of silkworms is taken into account, for, if too much food is given in one time, as is naturally the case, the silkworms may be led to take such leaves as are fouled by their own excrements, which would affect their health unfavorably and induce some con- tagious diseases. This is also unprofitable from an economical point of view, as many leaves may be left unconsumed. The quantit}' of the leaves to be given in one time, must be modified in accordance with the temperature, humidity and appetite of the silkworms. Generally speaking, in warm and dry weather, silkworms show evidences of a stronger appetite, .so that they must be given more food, while on a wet and cold day, they seem dull and want but little food.

During two or three days after every moulting, the appetite of the silkworms decreases, so that the quantity of food must also be decreased, Init as the time for the next moulting approaches, silkworms gradually. regain their usual appetite, and they must be fed accordingly. After all, the .serect of feeding is to make the silkworm eat as much as it pleases, and leave as little leaf as possible unconsumed. If much food is left un- consumed in the tray, it is tiot only uneconomical, but makes an

( >03 ) accumulation of litter, which is very objectionable for the health of silkworms So in feeding silkworms, a delicate and sympathe- tic discretion must be exercised as to the quantity of food and the appetite of the silkworms as well as to the cleanliness of the tray. The quality of the mulberry leaf varies according to the variety and state of its development : some are coarse, and others soft ; the younger leaves are invariably softer than the older ones. As the digestive power of the silkworm varies also according to its age, care must be taken in feeding silkworms with such leaves as are in the proper state of development. If young silkworms are fed with coarse leaves, they are likely to attain an irregular growth, and if very coarse leaves are given, they may fall victims to .some kind of disease. If on the contrary, older silkworms are given only soft leaves, they may grow very fat, but become also subject to diseases.

The thickness of the mulberry leaf varies somewhat according to the variety ; and the thick leaf is not suitable for young silkworms. So the early-budding variety that is used for young worms should be selected from among those varieties whose leaves arc thin, and the late-budding variety with thicker leaves should be cultivated for the use of the older worms. The quantity of moisture contained ni the mulberry leaf has \eiy much to do with the health of the silkworm. If silkworms are fed with leaves with too much moisture, they may grow fat but become more subject to disca.ses, while the leaves with scanty moisture will cause the imperfect growth of the worms and good cocoons can not be expected to be produced by such silkworms The appropriate degree of moisture can be attained when ico mouiuw of live leaves has been reduced to 95 or 90 viovintc.

{ t04 )

For so doing ample care is required in tiie preservation of the mulberry leaves, and the temperature of the rearing room must always be properly regulated. I n addition to these require- ments, the regular distribution of mulberry leaves in the tray must be carefully observed.

As young silkworms seldom move about very far, the uneven distribution of mulberry leaves in the tray may cause an uneven feeding, which naturally leads to the irregular develop- ment of those silkworms. As their age advances, silkworms become more active in motion ; neverthless the uneven distribu- tion of the mulberry leaves in every tray will cause some irregulalities in their growth.

C. The Chopping of Mulberry Leaves.

Mulberry leaves are chopped so that they may be evenly distributed among the silkworms in the tray. Chopped mulber- ry leaves are used for the silkworms from the first age to the beginning of the fifth age. They must be cut square, their sizes corresponding to the age of the silkworm. Irregularly chopped leaves will be quite contrary to the object of chopping and end in the waste of labour.

IJ. The Preservation of Mulberry Leaves.

As previously mentioned, mulberry leaves wet with rain drops or with much moisture arc liable to cause silkworm diseases. So prudent silkworm rearers will do well to keep some surplus mulberry leaves in store to prepare against rainy weather or to give chances for evaporation of the moisture in

( I05 )

the leaves. But a misguided method of preservation will often result in the withering or the fermentation of the leaves, making them quite worthless for practical purposes. There are two methods for the preservation of mulberry leaves ; one is suited for the preservation of plucked-leaves, the other for leaves left on their twigs and branches. Plucked-leaves, are convenient for preservation, taking up a much smaller space, but they often become fermented, while in the case of leaves left on their twigs, though they are free from that danger, yet they have the defect of requiring a larger space. Mulberry leaves for young worms, wither fast, but as they are usually plucl<ed from the branches, their volume is small, and if kept in a jmil or an earthen pot in such a way as to prev^ent'hard pressing, they may be preserved more than 24 hours without any injury. The silkworms in the fifth age consume a greater quantity of mulberry leaves, and their preservation requires more bulky equipments of the storage. The mulberry preservation room, must be kept at comparatively a low temperature, with but little light and ventilation. An underground room will make an ideal place of storage. Branch with their leaves left on ]>:ept vertical in loosend bundles can be preserved for two or three days without injury. Plucked leaves must be preserved in baskets (Sjft. long, 2|ft. wide, and 8 in. deep) and put on racks in the preservation room. Sometimes, roughl}'' woven bamboo mattings are used, on which some five kivan of plucked-leaves are set in regular lines and rolled up and tied in two places. If this roll is kept in an underground room in a vertical position, the leaves may be safely preserved for two or three days.

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E. Tlie I^xtcntinn of the " Silkwonn-Bed.'

In sonic five weeks that LO\er the pericul from the hatching of the sill^uonn to its niaturit}', the silkworm rapidly increases in its wcic^ht to the extent f»f about 10,000 times. Its growth is especially remarkable in the first age, at the end of which it attains the weight some 15 times its weight at the time of hatching. After from the second to the fifth age, the increase is from 4^ to over 5 times in each age. As the growth of the silkworm is thus wonderfully rapid, the dimensions of a bed allotted for each silkworm must also be widened, according as its age advances.

Different rearers follow different methods in extending the dimensions of the silkworm-bed, but here again moderation has much to do with the health of the silkworm and the econom- ical interests of silkworm rearing. The narrow bed may some- what save in the use of mulberry leaves and in the labour of feeding, but silkworms thus situated are apt to attain an abnormal development and, in consequence, a good crop can hardly be expected, while in case too wide a space be allowed for the silkworm-bed, though it may be very encouraging for the health of the silkworm, the labour of feeding and mulberry leaves will be wasted to some extent, so that this is also defective from an economical point of view. On the whole, narrow beds arc preferable to wide ones for the younger silk- worms, whereas in the ca<:c of the older worms the reverse is the case.

The dimensions of the silkworm-be<l fit for the silkworm in each age is shown in the table below : —

( lO/

	From the first to the middle day. sq. ft.	Fron: day	I the middle and later. sq ft.
1st age...	I- 3			5
2nd „ ...	3- 9			12
3rd ,, ...	... ... 12-18			30
4th „ ... .	18-30			60
5th „ ...	60-90			90

iV. />'. The table shows the dimensions required for the silk- worms of one uioDimc of original ant zveigJit.

The process of extending the silkworm-bed is generally carried about just before the silkworm attains its full-growth in each age. In the first age, it is performed three times, in the first day, in the third day, and in the fifth day, after the hatching respectively. From the second up to the fourth age, it is con- venient to perform this twice, each at the time of the first and the second litter-clearing, while in the fifth age, it is usually done once together with the first litter-clearing.

F. Litter-clearing.

The excrements of silkworms and the unconsuined mulberi} leaves remaining in the tray are inclusively called litter. The accumulation of litter in a feeding tray should be strictly guarded against, as it is bound to give excessive moisture to the tray, and render the silkworms subject to various diseases. So it is absolutely necessary to keep the trays always clear of litter, but if the humidity of the rearing room be properly regulated and the methods of feeding be justly followed, litter-clearing will be sufficient, say, once or twice in each age from the second

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to the fourth age of the silkworm. In the fifth a<je, however, the excretions of the silkworms become very lively, and the rainy weather makes the rearing rooms all the more clamp, so that the litter should be cleared off once or twice every day. In the first age, silkworms are so small in size that they may be lost in the very act of litter-clearing ; therefore, it is advisable to postpone this process until the time of moulting, unless an excessive amount of moisture is observed in the feeding tray.

The litter-clearing from the second up to the fourth age, is practiced three times in each age; the first clearing is to be performcdwhen the silkworms have been fed three or four times after moulting ; the second clearing is in the middle of each age, and the third clearing is just before moulting, when the silk- worms show a dull appetite. The litter is usually cleared off by means of nettings, but it is as commonly done by sprinkling rice husk in the tray, upon which the silkworms crawl out, and then arc carried over to other trays by means of a feather broom. The former method is applied to the silkworms in the fifth age, while the latter method is followed between the second and the fourth age.

(j. The Protection of Silkworms after Moulting.

W hen silkworms have attained a certain state of develop- ment, they drop their appetite entirely and have a rest for some time. Silkworms in this state are said to be " s/ir/>ifi^." A new skin develops in the course of slccpiug^, and they awake casting off their old skins. This process is called moulting. The skins of the silkworms that have moulted are delicate and extremely sensitive tf) trivial changes of temperature and

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humidity, so that special care is necessary for the protection of such worms. As sleeping silkworms are fond of airly and dry spots, they should be given a place as clean and dry as possible, and special care is required to prevent them from being left buried under the litter. In case some silkworms do not go to sleep even if fed four or five times after the last litter-clearing has been performed in that age, they must be transferred by means of netting into another tray to be fed therein, lest other silkworms that are sleeping should be covered up by the litter. During this period, the rearing room must be kept from any noise, and it is also desirable to keep the temperature one or two degrees lower than usual in the room. When any silkworms have finished moulting, draught and excessive light should be carefully kept from them, as those silkworms would crawl off from them and be crowded to one side. It is customary and better to resume feeding after all the silkw'orms have finished moulting. Should the silkworms that have moulted be observed as restless owing to an abnormal rising of the temperature, or a sudden attack of storm, they had better be given food, even though there be some one per cent, of the silkworms, still sleeping in the tray. Under ordinary conditions of weather and proper methods of protection, those silkworms that have finish- ed moulting do not like moving about, and keep their beds for about 30 hours after moulting. But in case of a high tempera- ture or a stormy day, or should they be affected by any bodily disorder, they will keep moving about in the tray incessantly. In such a case as this, if food is not given them, they may be compelled to succumb to some harm or other. In an ordinary case, twelve hours after moulting is considered the best time to

( "o )

resume (cctlinLj. Mulberry leaves to be given to nioultetl worms should be of a somewhat softer (juality, as their digestion has not yet regained its original activity. The quantity for one meal must also be moderated by one or two per cent., and some gradual increase should be made later.

II. The Temperatine and lluniidity of the Rearing Room.

The growth of the silkworm is very much affected by the difference of the temperature in the rearing room, and the method of rearing must be considerably modified by the humidity. So that temperature and humidity play an important part in the physical development and economical rearing of silkworms. We shall give here a resume of the different number of days required from tlic hatching of silkworm eggs to the spinning of the cocoons in the different temperatures.

Avtrafje lempcralure. No. of days required.

65 degrees F. Some 40

70 ., „ 35

75 .. .. 30

So „ „ 24

As is shown above, the number of days required for the rearing of silkworms in one generation varies according to the different temperatures of the rearing room ; nevertheless, if properly reared and protected, they may attain due develop- ment and spin cocoons in any case. \Vc may, however, infer from this table a certain moderate degree of temperature, in which silkworms can he reared with the most satisfactory results.

( III )

Silkworms usually grow up properly and can be reared with little trouble in a temperature of between 65° F. and 75° F. In a lower temperature, their growth is slow and ununiform, while in a higher temperature, though their growth may be quick, they are more subject to various diseases. Silkworm rearers have, therefore, to be very careful in keeping the rearing rooms at the proper degree of temperature. In the first stage of the spring yield of silkworms, usually a low atmopheric temperature prevails, while in the summer and autumn yields, the temperature is mostly high. In the former case, such rooms are recommendable as are convenient to retain iieat supplied by some heating apparatus. In the latter case, cool rooms should be selected, so that the effect of excessive light and heat may be averted and cool air may be let in to prevent the sudden rising of the temperature. In case the atmospheric temperature rises to 90° F., no matter whatever protection may be given, silkworms lose their appetite considerably, and in consequence, they spin cocoons of an inferior quality.

The influence of humidity on the growth of silkworms is not so remarkable as that of temperature ; nevertheless, it affects a great deal the hatching of silkworms and the quantity of mulberry leaves consumed. If the air in the rearing room be too dry, mulberry leaves will dry up quickly and become wasted, and at the same time, the scanty moisture in the leaf will render the silkworms that should eat such leaves subject to incomplete development as well as to diseases, while, on the other hand, in case the air in the rearing room contains too much moisture, the nnilberr\- lea\cs may not wither up so readily, and the waste ma}- be smaller

( '12 )

accordinj^Iy, hut sit is quite as probable that tlic litter and silkworm-beds may become moistened, inducing tlie fall of the appetite of silkworms, and the steady development of micro-organisms, to which many silkworms would fall victims with wondrous rapidity. In fact, the moderation of the humidity, together witli that of the temperature, is an indispensable condition in the rearing; of silkworms. The humidity fitted for this purpose lies between 70° F. and SO° F. Should the air in the rearing room be observed over-dried, sprinkle water on the floor or sweep the floor with a wet cloth, or in case- any fire be found in the room, get a kettle on it so that the water in the kettle may be evaporated and make the air in the room contain more moisture. If, on the contrary, the air should be observed to be saturated with moisture, throw open the windows and any other openings, and contrive to dry the room by means of fire-heating. In case the temperature of the room be so high that fire should not be used, parched rice husk, or lime must be sprinkled over the tray so as to hasten the dry- ing of the litter. Some two ])wunnc of lime will be effective if it is sprinkled over a square foot of the feeding tray.

I. Application of Fire.

Fire is used in the rearing room for heating and drying purposes, as already referred to. There is another way of applying fire used with equal frequency and substantial benefit. In case there is no breeze in the air and the room is close and stifling, a fire is often made for causing the circulation of air- currents in the room. This great benefit of fire may, however, turn out as great a cause of destruction through its misguided

( "3 )

application. If the rearinc^ room is not properly equipped for free ventilation, the room will naturally become filled with carbonic acid j^as produced by the combustion of charcoal in the room, which will do great harm to the silkworms. The repeated failures of those who use fire in the rearin^^ room lie in this point. Such men are strongly adviced not to neglect to open the windows and doors as that the carbonic acid gas may escape and fresh air may come in through so as to Iceep the circulation of air-currents always active in the rearing room In case fire is used as a mere contrivance of ventilation, not onl}' should the windows be wide open, but the paper-shutters round the room should also be kept open for a proper duration of time.

J. The Mounting of the Silkworm.

When the silkworm has attained its full-growth in the fifth age, its appetite fails all of a sudden and its body assumes an amber color and it throws out a fine thread from its mouth, restlessly moving about in search of a place fit for spinning a cocoon. A silkworm in this state is called i)iatur-'d. The process of transferring these matured silkworms into another tray fitted out for this special purpose is termed " vwimting.''* The most important thing that requires special attention in thi.-^ process is the determination of the proper state of maturit\' of the silkworm. Over-matured sillcworms must needs have lost a great deal of its thread before mountiu^^ which is in itself not a slight loss, and moreover, its body becomes shrivelled up and loses the activity of motion. Such a worm is most likely to spin a deformed cocoon, or a d(nil)le cocoon. If, on the other

( I«4 )

hand, those silkworms that have not yet fully matured, do not commence spinning at once, but crawl about the tray, spoiling other cocoons with their excrements. Such silkworms, as an inevitable result of their unfinished feeding, spin out a smaller quantity of silk, and so are of less value for reeling purposes, and are not cither fit for reproductive ]-)urpose because of their imperfect growth.

Silkworms are said to be properly matured, when the first nine or ten segments of their bodies have become transparent and the last two or three segments remain not yet transparent.

Rearers must not lt)se a moment to pick up such silk- worms that have attained this state of development.

The number of silk- worms to be mount- ed in a certain area a{ the " rofootiai^c" varies according to both the kind and

ClCM irjillK COCOONAGE.

the con.struction of the lonwiiaj^c. In the case of the '* folded straiv cocoonaficy fifty worms may be taken in a square foot,

( 115 )

while in the case of the ^^ centipede cocoonage'' the minimum is sixty. Silkworms packed in too densely are apt to spin deformed cocoons, stained cocoons, or double cocoons, spoiling the profit of the cocoon crop very much,

K. Protection of Silkworms after Mounting.

In a i)roper temperature silkworir.s finish spinning their cocoons in 48 hours after iiioiinting, and in another 4S hours undergo the last moult and become pupae. The quality of the cocoon depends" to a great extent on the protection given during this process. The defect in the luster and the reeling off of the cocoon is chiefly due to an imperfect protection in this stage. The items of protection required during the spinning of the cocoon are mainly as follows: —

([) The temperature of the room must be l<ept between 75' and 80° F.

(2) The air in the room must be kept as dry as possible under

70° of humidity.

(3) The room must be well ventilated.

(4) The sun-rays must be evenly let into the room, and

excessive rays should be kept off.

Should the temperature of the room fall below 70° F. in the course of the spinning, the silkworms often suspend their work until some higher degree of temperature is attained. In such cases, the layer of the cocoon- wall is likely to become doubled with an intervention between. If such suspension takes place twice, a threefold layer will be the result. Cocoons of such construction cannot usually be reeled off completely, but only

( !ir. ,

the outer layer is .iwiilable. So any cxces>ively K>\\ tempera- ture of the room slioukl be raised t<> a desirable det^ree by firc-hcatini;;. If, liowcver, the temparaturc of the room be higher than So° V. at the time <>f jiioioifiiij:;, silkworms commence siiinnint,^ at any randoni places witliout talcing' the trouble to find propci- spr.ts, and in most cases arc apt to spin double cocoons, whiil) cannot be used for the material of superior silk fabrics. Cocoons spun in a room with excessive moisture do not dry ([uicldy and their filaments stick together too much, so that much dillficulty is felt in reeling such cocoons, and this is especially the case with such cocoons that arc spun in a high temperature in addition to a strong humidity. Prudent care should therefore be taken in having the room l^ept dry while the spinning is going on. In case the air in the room be of a high humidity, though moderate in temperature, the room must be. dried by fire.

As si)inning rooms are filled up with cocoonrr^i^cs, they arc liable to become ill-ventilated and spoil the health of the silkworms, liad ventilation usually prevents the proper drying of the room, so that all windows and doors have to be duly opened so as to have the room well kept under proper humidity and ventilation.

If excessively strong sun-raj's should shine upon a certain side of a cocoon, the worm inside is apt to make the wall of the cocoon thicker specially «in that side, thus forming a cocoon of uneven thickness in its wall. So in the course of spinning care must be taken to make the sunshine evenly over a cocoon.

As prcviouly mentioned, silkworms finish spinning cocoons

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in some 48 hours, so the regulation of humidity is important mostly ckiring the first 48 hours after mounting.

After this, the room must be left open so as to induce the drying of the cocoona^c^es by leading in fresh currents of air.

L. The Gathering of the Cocoons.

Generally silkworms turn out pupae inside the cocoons within four days after monntiiig-, but at the time of this transformation their bodies are very soft and assume a light yellowish tint. In this stage any rude treatment will readily hurt their bodies and spoil the layers of the cocoons with the blood that has been pushed out. Two days later, their bodies turn a deep brown and become hardened, and less subject to any harm from outside. This is, therefore, the best time for gathering cocoons.

Cocoons gathered arc generally sorted into "the following classes : —

(i) Cocoons of a superior quality, that ha\e the proper shape

with a thick wall, fit for the material of the best raw silk.

#

(2) Cocoons of a medium quality, that are deformed, stained

with dead siljcworms inside, with a wall of uneven, thickness, or tliat are of imperfect construction.

(3) Cocoons of an inferior quality, that have very thin walls.

(4) Double cocoons, that have Ijeen spun by two or more

silkworms.

Cocoons destinetl for reeling must be drictl immediately after they have thus been sorted, while those intended for reproductive purposes have to pass an examination stated in a

( MS )

preceding chapter, after which anotlier strict selection must be made before they can be kept in preservation for theii intended purpose.

V. Diseases or Sir,K\voKMs.

Several diseases are found at jircscnt in our country during the breeding of silkworms. Among them those which cause great damage to sericulturists are lYbrine, Grasserie, Muscar- dine, Flacherie and the Uji disease. The damage sustained by our sericulturists due only to the latter is estimated at 15,000,000 yen every year, while that caused by the others is at least more than several ten millions of yoi. It is not only in recent years that these diseases have been prevalent, but they seem to have been found from the most ancient times. One of them, described at the earliest time in our country is Muscardine just as it also prevailed in Europe. This disease was already described about a thousand years ago, then came Pdbrine and Flacherie in 17 12, Grasserie in 1817 and the Uji disease in 1814. But in the former times none of the proper ties of these diseases were thoroughly investigated. At the period, when sericulture was not so highly practiced as it is in these days, few of these silkworm diseases were prevalent ami if the}' were so, the damage due to the diseases seems to have been insignificant. On the contrary, at present the sericulture of our country having been so much enlarged that it lias penetrated and prevailed in every district and so much improved that silkworms arc reared twice or thrice a year, the diseases have also grown to such an extent that they liave ever threatend t<j <lestroy our sericulture. But

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happily, they have been prevented according to the methods discovered by L, Pasteur and other authorities. Thus our sericulture has achieved to be such success as a safe enterprise which will not fall into any risk on account of those diseases.

Now we will describe briefly these various diseases in the following pages.

I. Pebrine.

Pebrine is a disease caused by the parasitic growth of a small ovoid organism, which is found to be Nosema bombycis Naegeli, a species of Sporozoa. The eggs of the diseased moth carry the germs of the disease and the worms which result from them are stricken down with it and it infects any healthy worms which come in contact with the germs which adhere to instruments or to the walls of the breeding chambers. The germ in the body of the silkworm develops into Amaeba which is distributed into every part of the body through the walls of the alimentary canal and grows up absorbing nutrient from the sick silkworm. Thus the micro-organism propagates by the direct division. After a while the primitive sphere appears in its interior in which spores are produced and finally it changes into a syst state. The spore is ^if- in length and 2fi in width, transparent and luminous. The ovoid micro-organism is found in quantities on every part of the worms, but especially in great many in the cells of the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal, the fatty tissues, the muscles, the cutaneous tissues, silk glands and reproductive organ and the cell attacked by the organism, being swallen and finally destroyed, we can clearly distinguish the injured parts in such simple tissues as

( I20 )

the muscles .md silk jijlands. On account of the fact that the propaj^ation of the Nosema bombycis is 'generally slow, although there arc exception sometimes, the diseased silkworm is not caused a sudden death but it L;r.idii.illy presents the symptoms of decay. The silkworm may be attacked with I'cbrine in all periods of its existCTKc, when the worm is youn;^ or mature, or while it is moulting, or also after it becomes a moth. The worm attacked with Pebrinc presents the following symptoms. The color of the diseased worms turns a grayish white and they appear to be rather shiny in their n^oulting and finally they are not capable of moulting or even if the worms can moult, they eat but little and remain small and fade in color. Even in their growing periods they remain small l)eing retarded in their growth. One can discern a few black spots in their skin, but the spots are not so many, as in the diseased worms of the I^uropean species : when the worms are attacked with I'ebrine at their maturity, they are not capable of spinning cocoons, they gradually shrivel up and finally die; those which contract the disease in the pupal stage, often produce black spots in the part of their rudimental wings and legs; finally the moths attacked with tlie disease show a blade color on their tails, their scales on that part falling down and black- spots appearing on the wings. The worms thus attacked with Tcbrine may often accomplish all the phases of their existence, but their growth is always retarded.

1 hat the eggs of the di.seased moths carry themselves the germ (if the disease is due to the parasitic growth of the micro- oiganism in the reproductive organs. The spore is t)ften I arasitic to the egg cell and is often enveloped by the shell

( '21 )

while the egg is growing on, otherwise, it attaches itself to the surface of the egg. In both cases the spore causes the disease to attack the worm which results from the egg. Hence the selection of the eggs free from the spore under a microscope is of great importance to prevent the disease, and this is the fact which has been discovered by E. Cornalia and L. Pasteur some 50 years ago.

In order to prevent the disease from spreading the follow- ing means are practiced : — (i) The careful examination of the seed.

Seed is raised by the cellular system and the moths are examided under a microscope. If we find the spore in them, the eggs which the infected moth has laid, are not used for breeding purpose, recognising them as being also infected. The other method by which one part of the eggs is examined under a microscope, being troublesome in actual practice, the former is preferable for all practical purposes.

(2) The washing of the seed.

In order to get off the spores that have attached themselves to the surface of the eggs, the egg-card is dipped into fresh water in winter and washed carefully, both before and after brushing the surface softly.

(3) The disinfection of instruments and breeding chambers.

In order to destroy the spores on instruments and in breed- ing chambers, they are disinfected. For tlie disinfection of breeding chambers, the formalin solution is sprinkled upon them and for that of instruments the solution is also used or sometimes steaming is recommended.

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(4) Precautions durincj the breedinc^ of sillcworms.

The diseased worms are picked out as soon as possible, the litter is often removed to clean the bed ; the inner temperature and moisture are so regulated as to avoid sudden changes and mulberry leaves arc given to the worms in such proportions as to breed them vigorously.

2. (irasseric.

This disease is said to be caused by the parasitic growth of a kind of protozoa or some other organism. The cause which produces Grasserie is not well known at present time, however it has been known to be one kind of a contagious silkworm disease, because if the healthy worms are fed with mulberry leaves stained with the liquids that ooze from the diseased worm or they are injected with the liquid, they are always diseased. If we examine the liquid of the diseased worm closly under a microscope we find in any case an innumerable quantity of luminous corpuscles of a polyhedrons or spherical shape. The corpuscles peculiar to the disease are found not only in the blood but in the cells of various tissues in the silk- worm body among which we find a great many of them in the fatt}' tissues ami the tracheal membrane. The size of the polyhedrons golbtiles is variable, but the largest one is 5-6^ in diameter. I~^onic recognize them to be the spores of the injurious organism but others attribute them to the accessory products of the same organism and do not regard them as being the very cause of the disease. The blood of the diseased worms, revealing the presence of an enormous quantity of polyhedrous globules, as we have described alcove, becomes milky. On this account,

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the skin of the worm changes into a milky white, losing its proper color and presents an appearance approaching trans- parency. The body is distended as if it were suffering from a form of dropsy and its segments arc especially swollen up. The skin, being feeble, the milky blood oozes through it out of the body of the insect.

The diseased worm does not moult at the proper period, its body swells up, its skin becomes gradually a grayish white and finally the worm dies changing into a milky white color. If worms are attacked with the disease a short time before maturity, they never ripen but swell up and die without spinning their cocoons. Even if they make a cocoon, they die in it before their pupation, sometimes a few of them may change into moths but very rarely.

For the prevention of the disease the following methods are applied : —

(i) The disinfection of breeding chambers and instruments.

On account of the fact that the liquid of the diseased worms disinfected with steam or the formalin solution, loses its contagious qualities, the disinfection of the breeding chambers and instruments is necessary as a preventive.

(2) Precautions during breeding.

The accidentally diseased worms should be taken out and the removal of the litter is of course necessary. Grasserie being caused by the bad breeding, the inner temperature and moisture are well regulated, the ventilation is kept well in hand, and the mulberry leaves arc given at proper times and proportions.

( i-M )

,v Muse. Ill line.

Muscanliiic is caused by the inirasitic i^rowth of a fungus called Iiotrytis bassian.i l>als. . This injurious fungus propagates 1))' tlic spore and often causes great damage to the feeding of silkworms. When the sjjoro attaches itself the skin of worms, it begins to vegetate under the proper temperature and moisture, anil gives out a filament called mycelium which develops through the skin into the interior of the body and absorbs its nutrients from the worm. The mycelium tluis prolonged for a certain time and then branch, .md produces an oval bulb called a conidium at its end. These conidia fall into the blood and develop for a little while to f(M-m secondary conidia. At this period all the tissues of the insect have been devoured by the formidable parasite and it can not escape from death. The time between the beginning of the parasitic life and the death of the disea.sed worm varies according to the age of the worm and the temperature during breeding, but as a rule young worms will die in shorter time than full grown ones and when the temi)erature is high, the diseased worm will die sooner than when it is low. The shortest of the periods is three days and the longest is two weeks. The conidia and the secondary conidia again give out mycelium which will branch soon after. 15y this time the dead worm takes on a petrified aspect and always bends a little. The dead body presents often a reddish violet color, owing to the j)ropagation of the Bacillus prodigiosus I'^liigge in it. The myceliums which occupy the dead body j)roduce special branches called conidiophores which exude from the skin and extend over the body fruitfully. After two days.

( 125 )

these conidiophores are so numerous that tlie body seems to be covered with white fleece. On the conidiophore the conical sterigma are produced on which spores are formed. When the spore is produced innumerably, tlie body presents an aspect as if covered with wliite powder. The spore is spherical and its size is 2« to 3/^ in diameter and buds on one side or sometimes two.

The worm stricken with this disease does not show any remarkable symptoms at the beginning and has every ap- pearance of good health, but it begins to cease taking leaves, to be in agony and to show an intense impulse of its dorsal vessel a few hours before its death ; moreover irregular brown- ish black spots often appear in the skin of the ventral or the lateral part of the body. In short it is always impossible to be aware of the presence of the disease until the first few worms have been suddenly stricken and die. The disease is specially characterized by the fact that the dead body becomes hardend after some days, and sometimes presents a reddish violet color which afterwards changes into white. Muscardine attacks not only the larvae but also both pupae and moths.

Beside Muscardine we find several kinds of silkworms disases caused by parasitic fungi. Those which have been known up to the present time are as follows : Xomuraea pracina Delacroix, Oospora destructor Delacroix, Isaria densa Link (A. Giard.), Isaria farinosa Fr., Isaria funosorosca Cashimir Wze., and a variety of Aspergillus species, etc. These injurious fungi cause sometimes great damage, but tliey are not so serious as in the case of the Muscardine.

{ i-'^3 )

In order to prevent the iliscases caused by liotrytis bassiana atul other funf^i the follow! ncj articles should be noticed : —

(i) The disinfection of l^reedinp^ chamlier and instruments.

By disinfecting the breeding chambers and instruments, the surviving spores of the injurious fun<^i which have devoloped in the pievious breeding are destroyed.

(2) Precaution during l)rceding.

The worms attacked accidentally with the fungi are distinguished from healthy ones and are so far as possible taken out previous to their forming spores and the litter is often removed to clean the silkworms tray. Since a damp atomos- phcre greatly assists the growing of the fungus, we should avoid too much wetness in the breeding chambers so far as possible.

4. Flacherie.

Machcrie is a disease caused by parastic microbes. Al- though the silkworms in every stage are attacked by this disease, it especially happens at the end of the fifth age and the following days up to the time of moulting, causing serious damage to the sericulturists. Various bacteria arc injurious to the silkworms among which ]>acillus sotto Ishiwata, and Strepto- coccus bombycis Cohn. are important. The former is a bacillus with a rod like shajjc. The length is 2,6-C/i and the width is 1,5-2//. The body is covered with a fruitful crop of fme cilia witli which the bacillus moves violently. It forms an endospore in the mitldle or one side of the body. This endospore is oval and i,6/i in the hjnger diameter. The bacillus produces a kind of toxin in thi'^ endospore and its pathogenic action is due to

( i27 )

the production of the toxin. So the bacilhis which has been swallowed by a silkworm causes its sudden death after from thirty minutes to an hour. As we have described above the subjects attacked by the disease during suddenly in many cases, we can not perceive clearly the particular symptoms of the malady. The form and color of the body of an affected worm are not distinguished from those of a healthy worm, but in looking at the body carefully, we will find the following symptoms : The two or three segments near the head are somewhat transpearent at the beginning of the disease and the silkworm raises its head, shaking it right and left. The posterior part has always a wrinkled skin ; the legs losing the power to hold the body, the worm easily falls down if only touched, it becomes soft and flabby to the touch. The bacillus attacks not only worms but larvae and moths, lurking for a while in the body after contagion.

The second microbe is a streptococcus which is round and has a diameter of o,9«. If exists in the connection of two or several individual with each other. These bacteria do not cause such a severe malady as the ones just mentioned. The diseased worm presents the first disorder after the great many multiplica- tions of the microbes in the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal. It injures vigorous worms but little, but on account of its causing a formidable malady to the wealc ones, often a great many of them are suddenly condemned to death.

The symptoms of the disease vary according to the period attacked, worms stricken with this disease after their moulting ramain small and lose their vital aspect ; those attacked with it during the active period of feeding also remain small and finally

( .2S )

die or the fore part of the hod}' is swallen up and becomes transpearcnt and the end part shrinks into a remakably small compass. The streptococcus attacks worms at any staj^c but it especially injures them before moulting^.

By the followin;;:^ directions the rearer can pre\ent the disease : —

(i) liy the ch'sinfection of the silkworm chambers and instruments.

By disinfectinfj of the silkworm chambers and instruments any bacteria left are destroyed.

(2) By the selection of healthy seed.

On account of the fact that vigorous silkworms arc little attacked by the disease, healthy seed is selected and protectetl completel}'.

(3) Precautions durini^ breeding.

A proper temperature and moisture are kept, good ventila- tion is indispensable in the nurseries; that a proper quantity of food be given to the worms ; of course the affected or attacked silkworms are taken out and the removal of the litter is often practiced.

5. The " Uji " disease.

This disease is caused by the parasitic growth of a insect called Ugimiya (Cro.ssocosmia) .sericaria Rondani. This parasitic maggot caused great damage to our .scriculturists. The cause of the disease is due to the worm's swallowing the eggs of the fly wiiich are laid on mulberry leaves. The fly lays eggs between the middle and the hitcr of IMaj' on mulberry leaves.

iiiW)^

^?*^

( «2S )

die or the fore part of the body is suallen up and becomes transpearent and the end part shrinks into a remakably small compass. Tlie streptococcus attacks worms at any stage but it especially injures them before inoulting.

By the followini^ directions the rearer can prevent the disease : —

(i) ]3y the disinfection of the silkworm chambers and instruments.

i;y disinfecting^ of tlic silkworm chambers and instiaunents any bacteria left .ire dcstroycf'.

(:0 \W\'

^ healthy seed

tlic fact that vigorous silkworms arc iisease. healthy seed is selected and prott:».it<

a' lai I'M '.>\ .. I ic"

completely.

(3) Precautions durin<^ breeding.

A proper temperature and moisture are kept, goo^ ventila- tion is indispensable in the nurseries ; that .a proper quantity of food be given to the worms ; of course the affected or attacked silkwornis are taken out anrl the removal of the litter is often practiced.

5. The " Uji " discus*

Tiiis disease is caused by the parasitic growth ot a insect calletl l^gimiya (Crossocosmia) sericaria Rondani. This parasitic maggot caused great damage to our sericulturists. The cause of the disease is due to the worm*>. swallowing the eggs of the fly which are laid on mulberry leaves. The fly lays eggs iH-tween the middle and the later of May on inulberry leaves

^

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^

^. -^ la i.-. ---->«>.•■

mm

to

tJgiuiiya (Crossocosiiiia) ScricarLiic RoND.

( 129 )

which are jjiven to the worms after the third age. Tiie female and the male imago of the maggot are different in size ; the male is 15 mai. in length and its wings are 30 mm. in length and female 14 mm. in length and its wings 28 mm.. The body is blackish brown and covered with coarse hairs. We always find some seven or eight thousand eggs in the female body among which several thousand eggs are actually laid. The female flies do not lay their eggs in any one place but in so many places that the number of