Essential Compendium of Sericulture

Essential Compendium of Sericulture, Volume II

If the silk sacs The internal organs of the silkworm where liquid silk is stored before spinning. are soaked by moisture, they cannot be reeled, and the damage is as severe as this. Therefore, during the silkworm months, if the sky is overcast, one must harvest plenty of dry leaves in advance for use. If you encounter continuous heavy rain and the leaves cannot dry, you should string ropes in a breezy area under the eaves. Clip the long branches and hang them upright along the ropes, using the wind to blow them dry. This makes the moisture easy to remove. Hanging them upside down makes them harder to dry. This is what the Classic of Rites original: "禮" (Li); specifically referring to the Liji or Book of Rites, an ancient collection of texts describing social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites. means by "airing them in the wind before feeding."

Heavy dew is no less harmful than rain, and fog contains toxins that are even worse than rain. Neither can be cleared without the sun; one must wait until the sun has shone upon them before harvesting. The Supplementary Treatise on Agriculture original: "補農書" (Bu Nong Shu), a 17th-century agricultural text by Zhang Lixiang that expanded on Ming Dynasty farming techniques. says: A family raising silkworms should prepare a wooden frame, about fourteen or fifteen feet wide and equally deep, with a height reaching above the mulberry trees. Weave a cover of bamboo. When the silkworms are first collected, gather them upon the lush mulberry trees. Move them after one, two, or three days, judging the timing by the number of silkworms. This allows them to avoid dew in the morning and evening, avoid the sun when it is clear, and avoid rain when it is overcast. The leaves will always be fresh, and the silkworms will not fall ill. After the "Great Sleep" The final and longest molting period in a silkworm's life cycle before it begins spinning its cocoon., this practice can be stopped. It is easy to manage and very effective; one frame can last for several years.

There is also "vapor-wetness" on the leaves, which is caused by the heat and steam generated when leaves are piled and stored. Young silkworms do not eat much, so there is no need to harvest in great quantities. If you must stockpile and the pile is too thick, you should use small earthen vats or wooden buckets must be un-oiled, with the interior lacquered to store them loosely. Leave the center empty to allow air to circulate, and cover the top with a damp cloth, making sure it does not touch the leaves. Turn them frequently. This way, the leaves will not easily wither, nor will they "steam" A term for the spontaneous heating and fermentation that occurs in packed green vegetation, which can be fatal to silkworms. the silkworms. Once the silkworms have grown large, a vacant room near the silkworm house should be chosen specifically for storing the leaves.