This technical handbook offers a clear and detailed introduction to the field of sericulture (the cultivation of silkworms) and silk production for small, rural communities in tropical and temperate climates. Each chapter deals with a specific stage in the production process, from the cultivation of mulberry bushes to the grading of silk, including a chapter on sources of further information. With its clear illustrations and charts, it is the ideal reference book for rural communities considering starting silk production.;The handbook is the latest addition to the "Small-scale Textiles", series which aims to present basic information about all aspects of small-scale textile manufacture from raw materials to finished products, and will be of use to fieldworkers, development agencies, and those starting small-scale manufacture or attempting to improve or extend manufacture.