The next morning all the guests departed from the Palace and we
re-commenced our everyday life.

As usual after the guests had departed Her Majesty began to criticise
their mode of dressing, their ignorance of Court etiquette, etc., but
added that she was rather glad, as she didn't want them to know anything
about Court life.

As Spring soon arrived it was time for the farmers to commence sowing
seed for the rice crop, and of course there was another ceremony. The
Emperor visited the Temple of Agriculture where he prayed for a good
harvest. Then he proceeded to a small plot of ground situated in the
temple and after turning the earth over with a hand plow he sowed the
first seeds of the season. This was to show the farmers that their
labors were not despised and that even the Emperor was not ashamed to
engage in this work. Anybody could attend this ceremony, it being quite
a public affair, and many farmers were present.

About this same time the Young Empress went to see the silkworms and
watch for the eggs to be hatched. As soon as they were out, the Young
Empress gathered mulberry leaves for the worms to feed upon and watched
them until they were big enough to commence spinning. Each day a fresh
supply of leaves were gathered and they were fed four or five times
daily. Several of the Court ladies were told off to feed the worms
during the night and see that they did not escape. These silkworms grow
very rapidly and we could see the difference each day. Of course when
they became full grown they required more food and we were kept busy
constantly feeding them. The Young Empress was able to tell by holding
them up to the light when they were ready to spin. If they were
transparent then they were ready, and were placed on paper and left
there. When spinning the silkworm does not eat, therefore all we had to
do was to watch that they did not get away. After spinning for four or
five days their supply of silk becomes exhausted and they shrivel up and
apparently die. These apparently dead worms were collected by the Young
Empress and placed in a box where they were kept until they developed
into moths. They were then placed on thick paper and left there to lay
their eggs.

If left to themselves, the silkworms when ready for spinning will spin
the silk around their bodies until they are completely covered up,
gradually forming a cocoon. In order to determine when they have
finished spinning it was customary to take t