40 



FARMERS^ REGISTER 



opportunities for mutual instruciion of townsmen. 

 Apartments of any size can be obtained for a 

 temporary use ; materials and workmen are rea- 

 dy ; and labor and ability to conduct can he also 

 commanded. All new experiments must neces- 

 sarily be made at jrreatprcost than well tested and 

 established operations ol' like kind. Let these ex- 

 periment.s have every necessary care and atien- 

 tion, hut let the fixtures be as humble and as eco- 

 nomical as possible. Every such ftedimr would 

 in fiicl have the precision of an experiment in 

 mechanical or chemical philosophy, and ihe value 

 of the results could be estin)ated with a sufficient 

 degree of accuracy, for larirer practical operations 

 for profit, even thouffh the time and attention 

 bestowed on the experiment might cost ten times 

 as much to the experimenter as would be com- 

 pensated by the sale of his first year's products. 



ir, in the absence of all better or more exten- 

 sive means, 1000 silk- worms were led and reared 

 on a common dining table, set out in any common 

 apartment, (and nothing can be more convenient, 

 or secure, for so small a rearing,) the trouble and 

 attention necessary for so small a number, would 

 be, in proportion, ten-(bld (rreaier (perh;ips fifiy- 

 fold) than would be required Hjt a million. The 

 necessary labor, however, could be correctly esti- 

 mated li-om other experiments, as also the quan- 

 tity and cost of" food, of house-room, fixtures &c. 

 But this very small experiment could, as well as 

 any larger, serve to show the oiher important (iicts 

 of the health, vigor, and products of" silk-worms 

 in a certain and stated temperature, and under 

 other certain circumstances. And this, at least, 

 might be done, and form an agreeable and amusing 

 occupation to some lady, in each of 500 different 

 house-holds within the sphere of action and influ- 

 ence of the society. 



Those members who have sufficient means, 

 should conduct, or cause to be conducted, much 

 larger rcarings, say f"rom 5000 to 20,000 silk- 

 worms; and those who have not only the means, 

 but some little experience also, should extend their 

 operations much farther, and aim at gaining some 

 profit in money, as well as in knowledge, ["or fu- 

 ture operations. 



These separate experiments of individuals cor- 

 rectly observed and reported, would be subsidiary 

 to the larger and more full and perfect experiment- 

 al operations of the society. These should be 

 the establishing a laboratory in the best or most 

 approved manner, and the conducting sundry dif- 

 ferent rearings, or various sizes, and at successive 

 times, and also in different modes ; causing every 

 necessary care to be observed, all doubtful pro- 

 cesses to be tested, and evey fict bearinfron results 

 to be observed and noted, and the whole results to 

 be fully and faithfully reported. Such a course of 



procedure would in a single year gather a body of 

 fiicts which would serve completely to esiablish 

 the value ol" silk-culture in Virginia; or, if that 

 opinion be indeed unfounded, then the~e results 

 would render the next most valuable service to the. 

 country, that of dissipating the delusion on this 

 suiject, under which we, as well as the silk socie- 

 ty, are now laboring. But though to find truth, 

 which ever way it may direct, is always valuable, 

 still we entertain no question that the former would 

 be the place in which it would be found. 



From experiments it would be absurd to count 

 on results profitable in a pecuniary point; and (he 

 more laboriously, carefully, and accurately con- 

 ducted, they may be, of course the greater will 

 be the cost, and therefore the greater the balance 

 of pecuniary loss, even when the gain in more im- 

 portant respects would be so much the greater. 

 We are not so (oolish as to antiripate, nor so dis- 

 honest as to promise, from the general results of 

 all the procedure recommended to the society, any 

 profit in money, in the first year. On the contra- 

 ry, if the members, severally and jointly, should 

 not lose (or be out of pocket,) as much as ^1000 

 on their feeding operations of this year, it will be 

 because of too limited action, and therefore much 

 to be regretted. But by generously submitting 

 at first to that, or a double amount of loss, we 

 firmly believe that they would be gainers in the 

 end; and that by a t\rst judicious loss of some 

 thousands, the commonwealth would gain more 

 than as many millions of dollars. 



Most earnestly do we hope that the young so- 

 ciety which tias paid so much respi'ct to our 

 name, and to our zealous yet poor services to the 

 promotion of silk-culture, may also pay some res- 

 pect to our advice. If it is adopted, in general, 

 and in the spirit, (no matter as to the particular 

 mode or details,) this society will not only serve 

 its designed and direct object most admirably, but 

 will, as a truly light-diffusing and working socie- 

 ty, set an example to most ol" the agricultural so- 

 cieties which are yet barely alive, (and upon pa- 

 per onl}',) and to all others ihat may be establish- 

 ed for more useful purposes hereafter. — Ed. F. R, 



AGRICULTURE IN KEMTUCKY. 



From the American Farmer. 



Frankfort, Ky., Dec. 19, 1839. 



Dear Sir : — I have delayed answerinj; the en- 

 quiries embraced in your letter from Lexington, in 

 consequence of absence and a wish to be better 

 advised upon two or three of your questions. 



The object of your letter being a wish to obtain 

 such iiilbrniation as I n)ay be able to give upon 

 the aiiriculture and breeding of stock in this sec- 

 tion of the state, particularly upon rye, our blue 

 grass pastures, mules, sheep, hogs, hemp, corn 

 and cattle, I shall endeavor to do so from \he beet 



