i^:^s] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



747 



pi\<ies of (he Farmers' Register. Tliis was a 

 .•5iji)ject which couM not properly be brought be- 

 lore the convention ; but at an inlbrnial meeting 

 of many ol" its members, an opportunity was o)- 

 tered of presenting it to the public attention ; and 

 peveral intluential gentlemen have undertaken to 

 obtain subscriptions. A very important point 

 was irained in giving it a start, and a handsome 

 subscription was made in the course of a few mo- 

 ments. It is n.nv hoped and beheved that a cnn- 

 eiderable degree of success will attend the eHbrts 

 of those who have interested themselves in the 

 matter ; and that the growers of the multicaulis, 

 who have realized so much, either directly or re- 

 motely, by Mr. Smith's writings and exertions, 

 may not now withhold the manifestation of their 

 gratitude, which the occasion so happily offers. 

 Jf the subject could only be presented in a proper 

 point of view to each individual who has been en- 

 gaged in the culture of the multicaulis, it can 

 scarcely be supposed that he would withdraw 

 from all participation in the offering which it is 

 proposed to make. Many of those who have but 

 recently engaged in the culture, may not so rea- 

 dily appreciate the obligations they are under to 

 Mr. Smith, from the fact that he was strictly a 

 pioneer in the business — and his peculiar merits, 

 therefoie, are in a great measure unknown to such 

 as have no correct historical information of the 

 early efforts to introduce the silk and trmlticaulis 

 culture into this country. But that they are as 

 much indebted to him as the cotton planters are to 

 Whitney, or the country at large is to Fulton, can 

 admit of no doubt. Mr. Smith is emphatically 

 one of those beneliicfors, who, with entire disin- 

 terestedness, have devoted their energies to the 

 public, rather than to their own particular welfare. 

 Let not those then, who have profited by his la- 

 bors — who have grown rich by his exertions and 

 discoveries— who have reaped full and abundant 

 harvesis where he has sown the seeds; let them 

 not in the " pride of life," forget the true author 

 of their prosperity, and turn away from him, but 

 for whom they might never havehad their days 

 of rejoicing. 



During the recesses of the convention, there 

 were sf^veral meetings of the members for the pur- 

 pose of imparting and collecting information on 

 the utility, advantages, and practicability of the 

 silk-culture. These informal meetings admitted 

 of such a latitude of discussion, such a free com- 

 parison ofopinions, and practices, and resuits, that 

 they were undoubtedly the most interesting and 

 most valuable seasons which the members had the 

 pleasure of enjoying. Those who possessed prac- 

 tical knowledge arid wisdom, " freely gave,"— 

 whilst those who were inexperienced, were eager 

 to catch every word, and as " freely received." 

 The capability of the country to produce silk of q 

 superior quality— the relative value of the several 

 varieties of mulberry and of silk-worms— the pro- 

 per management of the latter— the practicability 

 of rearing successive crops— the product per acre 

 of raw silk- together with a history of the early 

 efforts ol some of the pioneers in the cause, were 

 all enlarged upon in a manner satisfactory, im- 

 pressive and frequently eloquent. In addflion to 

 which, there was a considerable exhibition of 

 some very creditable silken goods and fabrics, 

 manufactured from American silk during the past 

 summer. It were wished that many others could 



have been auditors and spectators, on these inter- 

 esting occasions. JJut the addresses of the vari- 

 ous members who favored the company with their 

 knowledge and experience, will no doubt be given 

 very ILilly to the public in the report of the pro- 

 ceedings, which will shortly be ready for exten- 

 sive circulation, and probably contained also in 

 first numberof the Silk Journal. In this expecta- 

 tion, there is no necessity, even if the occasion 

 were favorable, to give even a brief abstract of 

 the contents of the addresses. 



On the whole, there is every reason to believe, 

 that this convention will be productive of great 

 good — that an impulse will be given to the silk- 

 culture which will be more or less felt in the re- 

 motest parts of our country — and that it will form 

 an epoch in the history of silk-culture, which may 

 be remembered with emotions of salisfiiction and 

 even pride. Its practicability has been fully 

 proved — our soil and climate have been shown to 

 be eminently adapted to its success — and the su- 

 perior intelligence of our people will no longer 

 permit it to remain a mere matter of theory and 

 speculation. Already have cautious and not vi- 

 sionary men, fixed upon the time when we shall 

 have silk for commercial export — for it will be a 

 much longer period before we shall have manu- 

 factories of our own for its various manipula- 

 tions — and some of our contemporaries may live 

 to see the day when we shall receive the splendid 

 fabrics of Lyons and Spitalfields, in return for the 

 raw silk of America. . 



an essay, pronounced before the cum- 

 berland agricultural, society, nov. 

 30th, 18.38. 



By TVilUam B. Smith, M. D. 



•' Can tlie culture of Tobacco be dispensed with in 

 Eastern Virginia." 



Mr. President, and gerdlemen of the Cumber^ 

 land jJgricvltural Society. — Before entering f^jlly 

 on the subject proposed, I shall take the libe1-ty of 

 giving a history of the tobacco plant, Nicotiana 

 Tabacum, its medical use, &c. 



Secondly, a short account ofthe tobacco culture 

 in the West Indies, about the beginning of the 

 seventeenth century. 



Thirdly, the demoralizing effects of the culture 

 of tobacco, as a staple in Virginia. 



Fourthly, an attempt to prove that the time haa 

 arrived wlien we are under the necessity of giv- 

 ing up the culture of tobacco. 



1st. Tobacco is an annual plant in Virginia, 

 but in the West Indies and some parts of South 

 America, two crops are taken from one planting. 

 "Nicotiana Tabacum" is a native of America, 

 and wa.s first introduced into Europe, about the 

 middle of the fifteenth century, or, to be more ac- 

 curate, in the year 1540. Since that period, to- 

 bacco has been cultivated in various parts of Eu- 

 rope, for medical use, chewing, snuffing, and 

 smokinc It has also been ciihivaied on the 

 coasts of Asia and Africa; indeed we find the 

 plant cultivated more or less throughout the whole 

 world. 



Larffe crops ofiobacco are grown in the U. States, 

 and exported to Europe annually. According to 



