It is so common an amusement with young persons in this country to procure the eggs of silkworms, rear the insects, and watch their changes that numbers are acquainted with the growth, habits, and manner of spinning of these interesting creatures. Perhaps a sheet of paper is given to a little boy or girl, on which are a number of small specks, no bigger than pins’ heads: these specks, the child is told, are silkworms’ eggs, and if he keeps them dry during winter, and then places them in a sunny window in spring, he will get a number of caterpillars from them. Taking care to do this, the child is delighted some fine morning to see a few little dark coloured worms crawling about the paper, while others are just issuing from the eggs. Perhaps a difficulty now arises about their food. In warm countries the leaves of the mulberry-tree are ready for the insects as soon as they are hatched; but in England, unless the eggs are purposely kept back, by putting them in a cold place, the caterpillars come out before the mulberry-tree has put forth its leaves. A few tender leaves of the lettuce are therefore spread lightly over the young caterpillars, and upon these they mount, and at last begin to feed, after searching in vain for their natural food. But the worms do not thrive on this diet, and it is much better so to manage the eggs that they may be hatched when the young leaves of the mulberry are just opening. These form the best possible food in that tender state, and in order to economise it, the leaves should be cut in small pieces; because the caterpillars feed only on the edges, and thus great part of a leaf, when given to them whole, is entirely wasted. [Illustration: THE WHITE MULBERRY. (_Morus alba._) ] In Italy, where great attention is paid to the cultivation of the silkworm, the eggs are hatched in a room heated by a stove, and the young caterpillars are then removed on their mulberry-leaves to a cooler apartment called the nursery, where they are managed with great care and skill. Wicker shelves are arranged in the room at convenient distances, and are lined with paper, on which the worms are placed. Care is taken to place together only such worms as are hatched at the same time, for without this precaution the treatment, with respect to food, could not be regulated, and the moultings would not take place at the same time. Great care is also taken to secure the worms from rats and mice, as well as from certain insect enemies.