70 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 2 



ry, and prosecutinu; the o-rowth of silk, find its mti- 

 Muliiclure into sewing silk and tabiics, oa an exten- 

 sive, scale. Messrs. Brown and Lee, of East 

 Graiibv, have also extensive grounds devoted to 

 the ciiiiivation of the tree. They sowed, the last 

 season, 123 pounds of Italian mulberry seed, ancji 

 liave several millions ot" seedlintrs. They are also 

 extensively eniraged in the cultivation ot'iheKiorws 

 multicanlis. Their ultimate object is to unite the 

 manuracture with the growth of silk. There are, 

 also, extensive nurseries at Hartliii'd, Sulfield, 

 Farrnington, Litchfi'Hd, New London, Stoniuirton, 

 Durham, New Haven, and many other towns. 

 J5t3-r. Ephraim Cheesbrough, of New London, has 

 invenled a sim[)le plan iijr making cocoons, which 

 promises to be an improvement on the old method. 

 Mr. Isaac G. Eotst()rd, of Boxbury, has invented 

 a machine for the manufacture of organzine, tram, 

 and sewing silk, which is said to be an important 

 improvement in silk machinery. The machine of 

 Mr. Adam Brooks, of South Scituate, which has 

 been some time in use, j)roves to be a valuable in- 

 veiuiou. 



3 fiddle States. 



The subject of encouraging the culture of silk j 

 has been under consideration in New York tori 

 some time, and it is expected it will be 2'iven at the | 

 present session. Several silk companies have been 

 incorporated ; among which are, the Troy, Pough- 

 keepsie, the New York, and the Albany silk grow- 

 ers companies. These companies have large ca- 

 pitals ; bntoflheir present condition I am not. ad- 

 vised. Though the business is engaging the at- 

 tention of gentlemen in most of the counties, yet 

 my information is limited principal!}^ to tho,?e of 

 Steuben, Broome, Lewis, Orleans, Monroe, Onon- 

 daiTri, and Suffolk. From these counties, commu- 

 n.icat)ons have been received. In the county of 

 Steuben, there are about 20,090 Italian mulberry 

 trees ef five years growth and under, and 1,200 

 Chineee, one and two years old. About twenty 

 persons have commenced tlie business; one acre 

 is devoted, and ten more in preparation. 



In Broome county, little has as yet been done; 

 but my correspondent says: "I have no doubt 

 that in three years there will be 100.;000 morus 

 multlcaulis trees in this county." In Lewis coun- 

 ty tliere are a i'v.w trees nfboth kind, and one gen- 

 ■rleinan has 8,000 or 9,000 cuttings of the Chinese, 

 ready for setting the coming spring. He says: 

 " people are beginning to awake to the business, 

 and believe it will flourish here." In Orleans coun- 

 ty, there are about 600 of the Chinese, and 50,000 

 of the Italian, now growing. Seven pounds of 

 eewing silk have been maile, and seven or eight 

 persons en<xa<xed in the business on a small scale. 

 It is supposed .'$200,000 will be invested in the bu- 

 siness in five years. In Monroe county, there are 

 large nurseries, at Rochester, Greece, and several 

 other places. In the town of Sweden, there are 

 4,125 Chinese mulberry trees of five yeafs old and 

 under, and about 100,030 Italian ; five acres of 

 land are already planted, and filteen more in a state 

 of preparation. In Onontlaga county, there are 

 many of the Italian. On SheJter island, there are 

 6,000 Chinese, and 100,000 Italian, and seven 

 acres of land are in preparation. In Southampton, 

 on Long Island, there 50.000 Italian and a few 

 Cliinese; two acres of land are stocked, and five 



preparing. A beginning has also been made in 

 Montgomery county, and some beautiful sewing 

 silk made. 



The foregoing is a very imperfect view of the 

 present state of the business in the great state of 

 New York. In all parts of the state, individualg 

 are eniraiiing with spirit, and there is no doubt 

 New York will become a great silk-growing dis- 

 trict. 



In Nevv Jersey, several companies have been 

 incorporated; aniouix which are the New .Jersey 

 silk manulacturing company, with a capital not 

 exceeding :§30,000, and the Monmouth silk com- 

 pany. Several otlier companies are formed or 

 projected, and enterprising individuals in many 

 parts of the state are cultivatinii the mulberry, and, 

 in some towns, small quantities of silk have been 

 made. The soil and climate have been Iband well 

 adapted to the business. 



A number of companies have been formed in 

 Pennsylvania, under a general law of the state for 

 the encouratrement of the culture of silk. The 

 Beaver Silk Company, at Beaver Falls, in western 

 Pennsylvania, is about commencing operations un- 

 der very favorable circumstances. 'I'liere is also 

 a company in Chester county, and another recent- 

 ly formed in Philadelphia. At Economy, the 

 Harmony Society have commenced the growth and 

 manufacture of silk They have about 10,000 

 Italian trees, and 45.3 Chinese, of various ages. — 

 They have manufactured sevw'ing silk, vestings, 

 cravats, &c., which are beautiful. Hundreds of 

 farmers, mechanics, and professional men are also 

 engasfing in the business. 



In Delaware and Maiyland the subject is at- 

 tracting much attraction. Several companies have 

 been formed, and individuals are commencing 

 plantations. A company has been incorporated in 

 Queen Anne county, with a capital of .*^50,000, 

 for the purpo.se of growing silk. The Talbot Coun- 

 ty Silk Company has also been incorporated. 



Southern States. 



In the southern, as well as in the northern and 

 middle states, much interest is fl^lt in the subject, 

 and much is doing to introduce it to the attention 

 of planters. In Virginia, they are proposing to 

 devote their worn-out tobacco land to the culture 

 of silk, in the hope of checking the tide of emi- 

 gration, which IS setting west and threatening to 

 depopulate the country. There are several silk 

 companies, and many patriotic individuals are 

 making experiments. The Virginia Silk Company 

 has been incorporated with a capital of .910,000 — • 

 a very liberal charter. The Potomac Silk and Ag- 

 ricultural Company, v.'ith a capital of ^5,000, and 

 liberty to extend it to ^50,000, has also been in- 

 corporated. The company have purchased 400 

 acres of land, and planted about 2,000 Chinese 

 mulberry trees. Mr. J. B. Gray, near Freder- 

 icksburo;, has also a large number of Chinese trees 

 in a very flourishing condition. 



The accounts I have received from North Ca- 

 rolina are of the most cheering character; they 

 represent the soil and climate to be remarkably fa- 

 vorable to the growth of the tree and the rearing 

 of the worm, and the planters are disposed to give 

 the subject a fiiir trial. The same is substantially 

 true as respects South Carolina and Georgia. Ex- 

 periments have been made, the results of which 



