498 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 8 



only of superior intelligence in this respect, but of 

 disinterestedness, and public spirit, of which the 

 claimants have never had the slightest conception. 



It is not the market value of this article which Mr. 

 Smith has had any agency in establishing or increas- 

 ing, except so far as this factitious and speculative 

 appreciation is certainly founded on a real intrinsic 

 value. He has had no hand in stimulating the present 

 rage for speculation and, on the contrary, has done 

 what he could to allay it, and prevent the greatest ex- 

 cess of the mania. And he has gained as little by the 

 speculation, and its high prices, as he had by the cul- 

 tivation. He still owns the oldest tree in the country, 

 from which so many entire and large stocks of trees in 

 the south have been derived ; and that is very nearly 

 all that he possesses of the growth. He has sold, or 

 advertised to sell, multicaulis trees ; but it was as agent 

 for another, one of whom has made a princely for- 

 tune from this source, and who did not even leave to 

 the agent the promised compensation. This circum- 

 stance we have heard from another source, and not a 

 hint of it from Mr. Smith. But most of the following 

 particular facts, in relation to the introduction and es- 

 tablishment of the value of the multicaulis, have been 

 obtained from him, in answer to our recent and spe- 

 cial inquiries, but without his having been informed, 

 or having any ground to suspect, the object to which 

 we designed to apply the information. Delicacy did 

 not permit any such disclosure ; and we fear that he 

 may think that delicacy should also forbid the manner 

 in which it is now made, to himself and the public 

 together. But if so, we hope that the mode may 

 be pardoned in consideration of the object. He 

 knows nothing of this piece, nor of its special or 

 main design ; nor will he know, until, by its pub- 

 lication, it must necessarily reach him. It was only 

 as to particulars that it was necessary to direct our in- 

 quiries; because we before knew well, in common 

 with most of the readers of agricultural papers, the 

 general fact of the services, in this respect, which Mr. 

 Smith had performed ; and suspected that they had 

 been rendered without compensation in any form. 



Before proceeding with the statement of facts, we 

 will quote some passages from recent publications, 

 because in some slight degree bearing on the subject 

 of these remarks. In the Richmond Enquirer of Oc- 

 tober 12th, there appeared a communication (signed 

 J. W.,) on the culture and sales of the morus multi- 

 caulis, containing the following paragraphs : 



« To the Editor of the Enquirer. 



"At your request, I communicate the following views 

 in reference to the introduction, mode of propagation, 

 rise and progress of prices, and the re-production of 

 the ' morus multicaulis' or Chinese mulberry. 



"Isi. Introduction. — I believe we are indebted to our 

 worthy fellow-citizen. Dr. Norton, for the introduction 

 and gratuitous dissemination of the morus multicaulis 

 in this country. 



"2d. Cultivation.— The cultivation was commenced 

 in this vicinity by Dr. Norton, about the year 1828 ; 

 by Mr. John Carter about the year 1830, and by a few 

 other gentlemen in 1832 and 1833." 



* * ;ti * lit * 



" Other gentlemen may have imported into this 

 country the morus multicaulis, and its dissemination 



may have been enlarged from other sources ; but I am 

 of opinion, that from the nui series in this vicinity, 

 were the supplies principally, if not altogether de- 

 rived." 



The balance of the communication relates to the 

 propagation, sales, and present profits of the trees, 

 and has no bearing on our subject. The Richmond 

 Compiler of the 13th, re-published the entire article, 

 with additional comments, from which the following 

 sentences are copied : 



" In our article a few days since, on the subject of 

 silk-culture, we stated, that our vicinity had done its 

 full share towards the introduction into this country, 

 of the morus multicaulis or Chinese mulberry, so 

 useful in the raising and support of silk-worms. We 

 stated that our worthy citizen, Dr. Norton, was among 

 the first, if not the very first, to cultivate it. These 

 opinions of ours are sustained by a letter in the last 

 Enquirer, addressed to its editor, in reply to certain 

 queries connected with the silk-culture. We are glad 

 to find that we were correct ; and that to Virginia be- 

 longs the credit of having been foremost in a matter, 

 which is to confer a lasting and important benefit upon 

 the nation." ***** 



"The cultivation of the morus multicaulis with us 

 is a source of great profit, owing to the better adapta- 

 tion of our climate and soil to it than any north of us; 

 and we owe Dr. Norton many thanks for having in- 

 troduced the cultivation of it here." * * 



Now, though we have resided for years within no 

 great distance from Dr. Norton, (besides our intimate 

 acquaintance with, and frequent presence in, Rich- 

 mond,) and though we are anxious at all times to give 

 due credit to benefactors to agriculture, and especially 

 to render all due honor to the improvers of Virginian 

 agriculture, we had never before heard of this claim 

 to the merit of having introduced the culture of the 

 morus multicaulis. It is very true, that neither of 

 these articles is written by Dr. Norton, (nor the still 

 earlier one referred to above, which escaped our no- 

 tice,) and therefore, no matter how incorrect, he can- 

 not be held responsible for their first appearance. 

 Neither can the anonymous writer in the Enquirer, 

 nor the editor of the Compiler, be blamed for giving 

 to him the credit, which they deemed, on report doubt- 

 less made to them, to be his just due. But this we 

 maintain— thdit no contradiction, or explanation, or 

 waiving of the undeserved honor, having been pub- 

 lished by Dr. N., even to this day, he has, indirectly, 

 but most fully, sanctioned the claims made for him in 

 both these publications. 



In our letter of inquiry to Mr. Smith, we directed 

 his attention to these publications. The tone of his 

 answer is, naturally enough, somewhat tempered, by 

 the very unexpected discovery of a new competitor 

 for the only reward which he thought he had earn- 

 ed — the honor of bringing the multicaulis into notice 

 and extensive use, and jjossibly, also, some feeling of 

 gratitude from the individuals who are growing rich 

 from having known better than himself how to profit 

 by its pecuniary and trading value. Under such cir- 

 cumstances, his tone may well be excused. 



The answer of Mr. Smith, (dated October 16th,) 

 says — 



" The history of the introduction of the moras 

 multicaulis is as follows. When Congress passed the 

 resolution instructing the Secretary of the Treasury 



