FARMERS' REGISTER 



It 



disintegration of the rock, and is made of a mix- 

 lure of carbonate of lime, and also ^eate ol" lime, 

 or in other words lime united with the vegetatmg 

 principle of the soil and other matters of ditferent 

 kinds. Our observing old friend, JVlajor Wood ol' 

 this town, once brought us a quantity of this from 

 St. Albans, in this state, which was rich in lime, 

 and the other day he brought us a Imlf a bushel 

 by the way of specimen, which he collected not a 

 stone's threw from his own door. Much oi" this 

 contains not less \'aan ffteen per cent of carbonate 

 of lime. Now here is a substance containing all 

 the elements necessary to promote (erfility in soils 

 that are lacking in these matters. All that is wan- 

 ting is a little exprience in the mode of applying, 

 as it regards quantity, and sort of soil and crop. 

 No doubt there are millions and millions of loads, 

 sleeping undisturbed, in situations near where it is 

 much needed. A little search will discover it, 

 and a little exertion will get it out, and a little ex- 

 perience teacli how to use it, and all these little 

 items of knowledge will be of vast service to the 

 /iirraer who puts them into active operation. 



Comparative view of the profits ari- 

 sing FROM THE culture OP CORN AND 

 THE CULTURE OF SILK ON POOR SOILS. 



For tlie Farmers' Register. 



In the Farmers' Register (vol. vii, p. 599.) Dr. 

 Perrine, after having avowed his beliei'in " the fit- 

 ness'''' of the southern states for the culture of silk, 

 uses the following language : " but this belief is not 

 founded on the false hypolhesis, that this new 

 branch of rural industry will yield greater profits 

 than an equal amount of labor and capital em- 

 ployed ill the culture of corn or of cotton. Yet 

 this belief is based on the undisputed facts that 

 this new industry will occupy the poorest soils 

 and the feeblest persons, which and who cannot 

 be profitably devoted to the culture of any old sta- 

 ple of agriculture ''' 



Now, while I avow a determined and firm oppo- 

 sition to all humbug statements, if the hypothesis 

 that the culture of silk will yield greater profits 

 than the same amount of labor and capital em- 

 ployed in the culture of corn or cotton (when poor 

 soils are brought under cultivation in both cases) 

 can be proved to be false, tor one, I shall aban- 

 don the culture of silk, and advise others to do the 

 same. But let us see how the matter stands, 

 taking '■^ undisputed fads'''' to form a basis for our 

 estimates. I live in a" region wi:ere corn is culti- 

 vated to considerable extent on soils that yield 10 

 to 12 bushels per acre, and none will pretend that 

 this culture, taking 11 bushels of corn per acre as 

 the average of the crops, will pay a profit of more 

 than S2 per acre; and if it does even that, it must 

 be under a system of the most pinching econom}'. 

 From this, it is obvious that the cultivators of such 

 soils in corn, if hired labor were their dependence, 

 could not live, and consequently they must emi- 

 grate, or sell their poor lands, and turn speculators 

 or traders, and thus destroy the proper balance of 

 Bociety, by adding to a class already too numerous. 



No. 1. 



3 men, 3 boys, and 3 women, may cul- 

 tivate 100 acres of poor land, and 

 Vol. VIII— 2 



produce 1100 bushels of corn, from 

 which 320 bushels must be deducted, 

 for the support ol" 4 horses and 9 la- 

 borers; 780 bushels the remnant left 

 for market, at 70 cents per bushel - $546 00 



Deduct as Ibllow^; 

 Hire of 3 men and clothing 



and animal food - - $210 00 

 Hire of 3 women and cloth- 

 ing and animal food - 135 00 

 Hire of 3 boys and clothing 

 and animal food - - 135 00 



S480 00 



Net profit (without charge for black- 

 smith's bill,) - - - - - $66 00 



From the foregoing stalempnt it appears that 66 

 cents per acre, instead of $2, would be the profit 

 realized from poor soils cultivated in corn, and that 

 this is near the truth, may be inferred from the 

 fact that such lands, in this region, rent for 60 to 

 80 cents the cultivated acre. 



ifo. 2. 



3 men, 3 boys, and 3 women, may culti- 

 vate 30 acres of morus multicaulis, and 

 with the assistance of $150 expended 

 for help, rear 2,000,000 of silk worms, 

 which will produce 400 pounds of reel- 

 ed silk, worth - - - - $2000 00 



And 200 pounds of floss and waste silk 100 00 



Deduct as follows : 



Interest on cocoonery - $75 00 

 Hire of 9 laborers as in No. 1. 480 00 



Bread for 9 laborers - 100 00 



Corn for two horses - 70 00 



9 months interest on $150 6 75 



Transient labor - - 150 00 



$2100 00 



881 75 



Net profit $1218 25 



This may be a ''false hypothesis," but if so, it 

 rests mainly on \hQ admitted fads of Dr. P., viz., 

 1. that 200 pounds of leaves produce one pound 

 of reeled silk; and 2. that one acre of /joor soil, 

 planted in morus multicaulis will yield 3200 pounds 

 of leaves, or 16 pounds of reeled silk. 



In the last statement I have made no charge for 

 reeling the cocoons, because, I knoio that it may 

 be done by the 3 women, with the assistance of 

 the men and boys. There is no difficulty about 

 the art of reeling that may not be overcome by 

 any woman capable of learning to spin cotton or 

 yarn, with a lew days suitable instruction, and two 

 or three months practice. But if $1 per lb. be 

 paid for reeling the silk, we shall still have a net 

 profit of $818 from 30 acres of poor soil, or rathef 

 more than $27* per acre. 



Layton Y. Atkins. 



Stafford county, Va., Jan. 1840. 



* Let it be remembered tliat I have made the pro- 

 duct of 30 acres, 80 pounds of reeled silk, less than 

 the estimate of Dr. P., which would add ^320 to the 

 net profit. 



