THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



Vol. VI. 



AUGUST 1, 1838. 



No. 5. 



i: 1) M U N D R U F F I N, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. 



From the New Englunil Fariuor. 



I^ETTKR FROM DR. D. STEBBINS, OF NOUTII- 

 AMPTON, MASS.. TO Till-: CONGUESSIOX AT. 

 COaiMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 



Northampton, County of Hampshire. 3fass., } 

 February 10, 1838. 5 



I have received a commLinication from the 

 committee on agriculture, dated Washington 

 Ciiy, January 30, 1S3S, for answers to several in- 

 terrogatories ahont the culture ol' the mulberry 

 and sugar-beet. The committee must be aware 

 ihat the silk-business of America is but in its in- 

 fancy; yet, knowledge of the subject is constant- 

 Jy on the increase. Improvements are made 

 from year to year, not only in the culture of the 

 mulberry; but in the manuliicture of the article of 

 silk. Let it not, therefore, be thought wonderful, 

 it' it should be found necessary hereafter, to aban- 

 don our present opinion, practice of culture, and 

 ■machinery used in the manufiicture, (or a beher 

 mode and more simple machiner}^, and so cheap 

 as to take place of the domestic wheel, reel and 

 loom. 1(, in either respect, any improvement can 

 be made, Yankee perseverance and ingenuity 

 will discover it. 



The committee will please accept of the aid of 

 Edward Church, Esq., of this place, who has 

 long resided in France; and, while there, became 

 very much interested in the subject of sugar from 

 the beet; 1 presume that he possesses as much in- 

 formation on that subject, or even more, than al- 

 most any person in the United States, and have 

 engaged him to reply to the subject of bect- 

 sugar. 



On the subject, or respecting the culture of the 

 mulberrj', it would afford me great pleasure to 

 present the committee with an infallibU mode of 

 treatment, wliich would be applicable to every va- 

 riety of climate, and the inconstancy of the 

 weather for several years past. But so variable 

 have been the seasons, that the successful mode 

 of culture and protection of the tree during one 

 year, has disappointed the cultivator the next 

 year. 



1. In reply to the first question : I hegan the 

 examination of the mulberry business several 

 years since; but did not commence the cultivation 

 ol' themuUicaulis uniil 1833, and ever since have 

 carefully watched the progress. 



2. Respecting soil, situation and exposure; I 

 have Ibund that onr poor, light, dry, and even gra- 

 velly soil, is better adapted to the culture of the 

 multicaulis, than our richest lands. Th&locatinn 

 or situation, should be high, or elevated above 

 the danger of water collecting about the roots. 



On such soils, although the trees would not at- 

 tain the height of trees grown on rich land, yet 

 the foliage would be more numerous ; and the 

 chance of having the trees ripen, or form hard 

 wood for cutting.^, and sustaining our winters, 

 would be enhanced. 



3. Respecting the most valuable mulbcrrv lor 

 Vol. VI,_33 



cultivation; its capability to endure the cold and 

 frost; the quantity and quality of foliage; labor 

 of culture, nnd stripping. These questions will 

 be answered with relii^rence to this climate; and 

 will include not only my own observation and ex- 

 [)erience, but the experience of others of my ac- 

 quaintance, in whose opinion I have the utmost 

 confidence. 



I commenced with the Italian white mulberry, 

 and have used also the black and red mulberry; 

 each of which requires good soil; no matter how 

 rich. 1 found that, although the worms would 

 feed well on these, yet they were equally fond of 

 the multicaulis, which was selected for its large 

 leaf, nutritious quality, and lender fibre, which 

 the worms can eat, while the fibres or ribs of (he 

 white mulberry are so ligneous as not to be edi- 

 ble. Eighty pounds of" multicaulis foliage are 

 considered equal to one hundred pounds of the 

 Italian white, for feeding worms. 



The tree or shrub commonly knovyn as the mul- 

 ticaulis, was found in a garden in Manilla, culti- 

 vated as a tree of ornament; and, to distinguish 

 this (i'om all other mulberries, is now called the 

 Manilla multicaulis, and particularly to distin- 

 guish it Jr-om another tree, more deserving of mul- 

 ticaulis, on account of its capacity to produce 

 more numerous stalks and branches. 



Although the 3Ianilla multicaulis has a very 

 large leaf, grows rapidly, and the silk worm is 

 Ibnd of it; yet, in consequence of its rapid growth 

 the stalks are often so green and tender, that, 

 when overtaken by early fi-ost, they are liable to 

 heinjured, before the wood has been sufficiently 

 lijrmed to endure cold and frost. 



Nevertheless, the Manilla multicaulis is so va- 

 luable a tree, that experienced cultivators have 

 told me that, if it shoulii become necessary to 

 take them up every autumn, protect them during 

 winter, and re-set every spring, it would be much 

 better than to cultivate the white mulberry; and 

 that the culture of an acre of mulberry Avould re- 

 quire no more labor and expense than that required 

 for an acre of Indian corn. 



But there is another mulberry alluded to — the 

 Canton multicaulis — so called from the place of 

 its derivation, being the product of seed which 

 the Canton mission were requested to procure, 

 being considered the very best and most approved 

 mulberry used by the Chinese, and is believed to 

 be the first genuine seed ever imported into this 

 or any other country. It was obtained under 

 very favorable circumstances, such as have not 

 often occurred; and the same mission have recent- 

 ly forwarded more seed for next spring's use. 



That the Canton multicaulis is the true kind 

 used by the Chinese, is made evident from a set 

 of historical paintings fi'om China, and from the 

 seed growing at the foot of the stalk, different 

 from other mulberries. 



From the experience 1 have had, I concur in 

 opinion with those who have cultivated the seve- 

 ral kinds of mulberry, that the Ozn/o?i nmliicaulis 

 is deserving of the. first consideration, and to be 

 preferred to all other?; not only on account of its 



