24 



The Silk Business— Its Agent s^Odd Times, S,'c. Vol. IV. 



In the end wall, opposite the front, a double 

 sheet iron door is placed, sufficiently large to 

 allow a person to go in for the purpose of 

 cleaning the drums, &c. 



The whole cost of this apparatus will not 

 exceed one hundred dollars. 



A furnace constructed similar to the one 

 described has been used during the past win- 

 ter by James C. Hathaway, of this town. It 

 has warmed four rooms and a hail on the 

 ground floor, and the bed-rooms above, in the 

 most thorough and delightful manner. No 

 inconvenience whatever has arisen from its 

 use, but at least two-thirds the amount of 

 time previously used in the eare of those 

 rooms is saved. Every housekeeper will 

 readily understand this when she reflects that 

 the words fire-place, shovel and tongs, and- 

 irojis, wood, hearth rug, &c. have become ob- 

 solete; that the fire-board is nailed up as in 

 summer, and a truly summer feeling per- 

 vades every part of the house, by night and 

 by day. 



It will be unnecessary at present to refer 

 to the advantages which the " hot air system" 

 promises. 



I have heard no objections made to the use 

 of the furnace which could not be readily 

 answered. The principal ones are — 



1. On the score of health. A little ex- 

 amination will convince any one that it is 

 preferable on this account to any other me- 

 thod, inasmuch as the most perfect system of 

 ventilation is established. 



2. " On account of warming feet." An 

 eccentric friend of mine says, " I think when 

 I go into thy house on a cold day, that I must 

 flee to the kitchen fire, but I try to be quiet 

 a few minutes, and behold, the trouble is 

 over." 



•8. " A fire is so cheerful, so pleasant to look 

 at." If the objector would look at a hook, 

 his uneasiness would leave him; besides the 

 feeling of drowsiness occasioned by a fire is 

 hardly perceived. 



It may, perhaps, be a suflTicient answer to 

 all objections, that the " hot air" is gaining 

 ground with all who have any knowledge of 

 it, and that several will probably be construct- 

 ed the ensuing summer. 



Wm. R. Smith. 

 Farmington, 3d mo. 2, 1837. 



Cabbage Plants.— Wood ashes placed 

 about cabbage plants will much improve 

 their condition. Frequent hoeing will serve 

 to keep the ground moist, and will lielp their 

 growth. 



The drycst groimd in the garden is in the 

 thickest growth of weeds. These suck up 

 the moisture and give it to the winds. — Bos- 

 ton Cultivator. 



The suit Business Its Agents Odtf 



TimeSf &-c> 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Sir, — I know not whether it is permitted 

 to the female portion of your readers to ad- 

 dress you in your professional capacity, but if 

 it be not incompatible with decorum, I feel a 

 desire to say a word or two in defence of our 

 rights and privileges, as a class, whose labo- 

 rious and incessant solicitude demand for us, 

 in my estimation at least, the character of 

 partners — as in the toils incidental to the 

 profession of husbandry, so also in the more 

 pleasing and legitimate task of good house- 

 wifery. All, however, that I require is, that 

 we be considered by our husbands as Jielpmcten, 

 deserving tiieir regard and kind attentions — 

 but to the point. 



You must know, that my husband has been 

 engaged in the cultivation of the morus mul- 

 ticaulis, with the real intention of "growing- 

 silk," and more, of manufacturing it from the 

 cocoon ! thus proving that he is the one in o. 

 thousand who has ever thought seriously of 

 doing, what all pretend to have in serious 

 contemplation. Now, I should never have 

 thought of interfering with these pursuits, 

 had it not been for a conversation which passed 

 yesterday at our table, by which it appears 

 that we are to be considered the chief work- 

 ers in the business, the real mik worms ! for 

 just at the point when their labor ends, and a 

 short labor, or rather pleasure it has been to 

 them, ours is to commence, and be carried 

 through the thread of our e.\'istence. Our 

 guest at table was from Philadelphia, and 

 commenced by inquiring, " Well, how comes 

 on the morus? Ah! the making of silk must 

 in the end prove the making of this great 

 country; so admirably calculated for the em- 

 ployment of ot^r redundant population; aflbrd- 

 inir a profitable investment of capital to any 

 extent ; enormous profits to all those engaged 

 in the various departments connected with it, 

 from the growing of the trees, to the weaving 

 silk dresses for our fair ones, and embroidery 

 for our drawing rooms ; and to none more than 

 to the wives and daughters of our flirmers; 

 thus affording our women and their children, 

 profitable and elegant employment at odd 

 times r At this I looked up, and beheld a 

 youth about seventeen, "all red and white, 

 like a pork griskin," as the song says; with 

 hair " a la tnrcci," and ^cen)pd to the nose — 

 just escaped from that hand-box of fasliion, a 

 dry goods' store in Market street ! My cholcr 

 roseTthe fire kindled, and I at length spake 

 witli my tongue — but do not suppose that I 

 said more than a prudent woman should; 

 there wis no need of that, for the little crea- 

 ture diminished to the size of a chrysalis, and 

 1 1 could have rolled him into a cocoon! I 

 'merely said, "That is kind of you, Mr. , 



