The reformed Common-wealth of bees. Presented in severall letters and observations to Sammuel Hartlib Esq. With The reformed Virginian silk-worm. Containing many excellent and choice secrets, experiments, and discoveries for attaining of national and private profits and riches.

When and how to make fit rooms for the worms to work their bot∣toms of silk in, and in what sort the said bottoms are to be used.

AS soon as by the clear amber-coloured bodies of your worms, you shall perceive them ready to give their silk, you must (with heath made very clean, or with the branches of Rosmary, the stalkes of Lavender, or such lik) make Arch∣es between the foresaid shelves.

Vpon the branches and sprigs whereof, the wormes will fasten themselves, and make their bottoms, which in four∣teen dayes after the worm beginneth to work them, you may

take away; and those which you are minded to use, for the best silk, you must either presently winde, or kill the worms which are within them, by laying the said bottoms two or three dayes in the Sun or in some Oven after the bread baked therein is taken out, and the fierceness of the heat is alaid. The other bottomes which you intend to keep for seed, you must lay in some convenient warme place, untill the worms come forth, which is commonly some sixteene or twenty dayes from the beginning of their work: and as they do come forth you must put them together upon some piece of old Say, Grogeran, the backsid•• of old Velvet, or the like, made fast a∣gainst some Wall, or Hangings in your house.

There they will ingender, and the Male having spent him∣selfe, falleth down, and in short time after dieth, as also doth the Female when she hath laid her egges, which egges, when you perceive them upon the Say or Grogran, &c. to be of a grayish colour, you may take them off gently with a knife, and having put them into a piece of Say or such like, keep them in a covered box amongst your woollen cloaths, or the like till the year following: But not in any moist room, for it is hurtfull for them, neither where there is too much heat, least the wormes should be hatched before you can have any food for them.

The making of a Wheel, as likewise the way to winde the said silk from the bottoms, can hardly be set down so plainly, as to be rightly understood: Wherefore when time shall serve, there shall be sent into every County of this Kingdom, a Wheel ready made, and a man that shall instruct all such as are desirous to learn the use thereof: Till when, I will commend these brief instructions to be carefully considered of all such as are willing to benefit either themselvs or their Country, that being skilfull in the Contemplation, they may the readier, and with less errour apply themselves to Action, which painfull in∣dustry, with Gods assistance, will quickly perfect.