500 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 8 



at it again for two or three weeks — I never can bear 

 to look at my misfortunes, it hurts my feelings— and 

 then I was led to it by accident. When I did visit the 

 spot, I was astonished to find the ends of all the 

 branches I had turned up had made considerable 

 growth. That fall I had 8 young trees, larger than 

 the original plant. That gave me my first idea of the 

 taciiity with which it can be propagated. I afterwards 

 adopted the single-bud system of propagating, with 

 which you are well acquainted, and practised it for 

 two years before the public knew any thing about it. 

 I did not publish this mode of propagation for several 

 years, thinking to make something out of it for my- 

 self, but communicated freely privately to others, and 

 before I knew what I was about, they had got all the 

 advantage of it, and one of them even claimed the 

 credit of its discovery in the public papers, just as 

 another person now claims credit even for introducing 

 the multicaulis into this country ! 



"In eonclusion^t is to Win. Prince ^ Sons, of Flush- 

 ing, N. Y., that the credit is due of first introducing 

 this' valuable plant to the country ; to whom the credit 

 is due for discovering its valuable qualities, the great 

 facility with which it may be propagated, and bringing 

 it into general notice, indeed making it what it now 

 J9, I leave you to judge, 



" I must now apologize for this long answer to your 

 inquiries, filled as it is with selfishness and egoti.«m. 

 On reflecting on what I have written, I feel asnamed 

 ■M' my answer. Why should I attribute any impor- 

 tance to the thing ? Do I not know that there never 

 was a pioneer in any thing that got any thing but his 

 labor tor his pains? Look at Whitney with his cot- 

 ton gin, Fulton with his steamboat, and all others of 

 the same genus. I must therefore be content to have 

 labored for the public, and let others receive the 

 credit of it, as well as the pecuniary consideration. 

 ****** 



♦' One more explanation. I have intimated that 

 I have never made any thing by morus multicau- 

 lis. I mean to be understood as saying, that I have 

 never made as much as it has cost me. I am a loser 

 by it, I do not wish to be understood as never having 

 gold trees. I have sold a few every year for four or 

 five years past. The largest lot I ever sold of my own 

 raising, was 150, and the largest number in any one 

 year of my own was 150. I have also made, as agent 

 for others, $400 to ;;^500 altogether, jn comniissions on 

 gales." 



And now to recapitulate, and to conclude. 



To the intelligence, zeal, and untiring efforts of Gi- 

 deon B. Smith, the people of the United States are 

 mainly indebted for now possessing, and knowing the 

 intrinsic value of, the morus multicaulis ; and for the 

 greatly increased facilities which its possession offers 

 lor making this a silk-producing country. If rewards 

 were given in this country by government, (state or 

 federal,) for distinguished services rendered to agri- 

 culture, then might a strong claim to honor and reward 

 for this individual be made on the gratitude of his 

 country, to be responded to by its government. But 

 such pot being our system, he, like the greater and 

 more distinguished national benefactors whom he men- 

 tions, as well ae all other pioneers in agricultural and 

 mechanical improvement, must alike go without na- 

 tional rewards. But, in this case, there is another 

 rich source, and which ought to be as liberal as it is 

 rich, from which something may be hoped to be drawn. 

 In the present strange condition of things, every culti- 

 vator or owner ot a multicaulis nursery has suddenly 

 found himself made richer by some thousands of dol- 

 lars. Many persons, within a few months, have thus 



gained their thousands — some few their hundreds of 

 thousands. If all, or if even the more liberal half of 

 the many individuals thus benefited, would contribute 

 to a joint fund only one dollar in each hundred of their 

 clear gain so made, by the increased market value of 

 their multicaulis plants, it would constitute a reward 

 for the man who has been the chief agent in producing 

 their good fortune, both large in amount as a pecuniary 

 compensation, and still more precious as an honorary 

 distinction. Let all such persons, then, who approve the 

 plan, unite with us in making up such a fund. We 

 offer to receive, and to be accountable for contribu- 

 tions in payment for any such debts of gratitude, and 

 to dispose of the amount, under the direction of a com- 

 mittee of the principal and most accessible contribu- 

 tors, in giich manner as may be supposed will render 

 the reward most acceptable to the receiver, and most 

 useful to the public. We have already proposed this 

 plan, verbally, to several of the fortunate persons con- 

 cerned ; and all have approved the object, and most of 

 them will aid in carrying through the plan. We in- 

 vite all the fortunate possessors of multicaulis, and 

 speculators in sales, to contribute to the fund, and to 

 place their names, and the amounts subscribed, as 

 speedily as convenient, at our disposal. To commence 

 the list, we will subscribe $100 : and whatever may 

 be the degree of success, the plan will be executed to 

 the extent of the subscriptions which may be offered 

 and paid. 



In advance of a more general publication, a copy 

 of this appeal will be sent to every known and large 

 recent possessor of multicaulis plants. From many of 

 them, and of the far greater number unknown, whom 

 it mayreach accidentally hereafter, early and generous 

 responses are hoped to be received. The names of 

 the subscribers, and the amount of their subscriptions, 

 will be announced in each successive publication of 

 the Farmers' Register ; and a suitable disposition of, 

 and accounting for, the whole amount subscribed and 

 paid in, will be made, as soon as may be directed by 

 the committee chosen for that purpose, in the manner 

 stated above. 



The most appropriate disposition of such a fund, in 

 our opinion, would be the following ; Let a snug and 

 productive little farm be bought, some acres of it 

 plantedlwith multicaulis cuttings, and a good cocoonery 

 erected, as well as the other fixtures necessary for a 

 silk farm ; and when all the essential arrangements 

 are made, let the farm, (for which "Gratitude" 

 would be a suitable name — ) be given to Gideon B. 

 Smith. If, when thus provided with the means, it 

 should luit his wishes and convenience to devote his 

 labor and time to silk-culture for his own benefit, with 

 even half the zeal and perseverance with which he 

 has long been laboring to introduce and establish it for 

 the public interest, he will be still farther, and greatly, 

 serving the public weal, by furnishing example, and 

 practical instruction, in this new branch of industry, 

 to the region in which the farm will be situated. 



Ed. Far. Reg. 



