THE SECRETS OF SILKWORM CULTURE

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After the pupas are killed, you can relax for a few days before you reel and spin your silk. But don't rest too long, or the material will take on a distinctive aroma from the dead chrysalids inside.

And what kind of harvest can you expect ? Well, perhaps not much the first year (it takes about 2,000 cocoons to produce a pound of raw silk, and some 350 to make a pair of stockings! ) but enough of a crop to see whether you really enjoy the art of sericulture.

MAKE YOUR OWN TOOLS!

One of the great things about harvesting silk is that most of it can be reeled directly from the cocoons with a simple homemade tool. Just find yourself two dark-colored pieces of paperboard—each about 10 inches square—and a short stick or clothespin. Cut a slot halfway to the center of each board, and interlock the two sections so they resemble the paddle wheel of a boat. Then, to make a "twirling" handle, clip a clothespin just above or below the intersection of the squares (or cut a slot in a dowel or stick and slip that handle in place).

Next, bring a small pan of water almost to a boil. (If you use a container with a dark interior, you'll find it easier to locate the filaments of silk.) When the liquid is ready, drop five to eight cocoons—depending upon how heavy you want your thread to be—into the, pan. Most commercial silk is eight strands thick but five fibers will also work well because the incredible strength of each strand is equal to (or greater than) that of a filament of steel of the same diameter!

After a few minutes the water will begin to dissolve the glue, and you'll see the tiny strings float away from the cocoons. Use tongs to catch the filaments, and-with one hand-twist them together in your fingers ... while your other hand slowly reels the thread onto the paperboard spool. When you get to the end and the pupas drop into the water, tie a small knot to keep the thread from unraveling. (Remember, you'll be winding 600 to 1,000 yards of silk, so start the job in the morning ... don't wait till an hour or so before bedtime! )

The reward for your (and the silkworms') labor is a thin, continuous thread of the finest material available. Silk weighs less than any natural fiber, yet a strand thinner than a human hair can be stretched five to six inches a yard and still return to its original length!

When we visited Mary Stock, she showed us the ancient art of "skin spinning" the waste silk. Here's how to do it: Take a short, straight piece of coat hanger and make a slight hook (about 1/4 inch Across) at one end. Then, use this tool to pull at the bundle of raw silk you've accumulated. As you separate a thin string of fibers from the mass, roll it on your leg to form a strand (as shown in the following black-and-white photos). You can also use a (hop spindle ... or even comb the waste silk with a cotton-card ing tool and spin it on a wheel. Remember that silk is an extremely fine fiber, though ... and must be handled with care.

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