Question

How do the silk farmers know that when to boil the cocoons and when to get the silk thread off

Answer 1

There is a chain of method in manufacturing Silk from Cocoons.

1. Silk worms are cultivated by farmers in rural areas by feeding mulberry leaves to the worms
2. After about 2 weeks the silk worm builds its cocoon with liquid secretions which forms a long, thin silk thread...
3. Once the cocoons are fully built they are brought to be sold in Govt. Cocooon Market where Silk Reelers (Silk Manufacturers) purchase them at auctions.
4. The cocoons are put on steam (Hot boiling water Vapours) to soften the Cocoons Upper Layers and Kill the larvae (Silk Worm) & can be stored as is for more than 10 days.
5. Now the Cocoon is ready to manufacture Raw Silk. The glue holding the silk thread in the shape of a cocoon is dissolved in hot water (this procedure is to remove top waste layer) & to get single continuous thread from cocoon.

Quality or Tempered Silk Thread (Resham) is obtained from 6 to 7 single cocoons...