FARMERS' REGISTER. 



375 



demoustrate the practicability of manulacturing 

 silk to a profit. The cost of the establishment m 

 this place is about ijp 15,000. [t is calculated un- 

 der lull way, to manuliaclure 175 lbs. per vveelc into 

 sewings. It is understood that the investment in 

 machinery should pay from nine to filteen per 

 cent. ; that nine |)er cent, should be charged on 

 the buildings ; filteen per cent, on all perishable 

 articles ; and six per cent, on tlie active stock. 

 The cost of manufacturing, including all extra ex- 

 penses, is estimated at 81 2*J per lb. ; or the ma- 

 nufacturer professes himself willing to take a lease 

 of the establishment from the owner, paying as 

 rent )jj2 per pound of the silk manuliictured. The 

 raw silk purchased Irom Smyrna, costs in Eoston 

 ^1 28 per lb. cash; the manuliictured silk sells 

 Jbr $S 10, and a credit of lour months is allowed. 

 What is technically called the weighting of silk, 

 is increasing its weight by the dye-stuh, which is 

 used. By the use of sumac, the weight is in- 

 creased Irom 2 oz. to 3^ oz. per lb. It is said that 

 abroad, a preparation of lead is often used with 

 sewings, both to increase the weight of the silk, 

 and render it more glossy and brilliant. I suppose 

 this may be mentioned with salety, for certainly 

 such an honest people as the Yankees will never 

 think of adopting the tricks of the old countries. 

 It is gratilying to be told that this establishment is 

 expected to give a satisfactory remuneration both 

 to its conductor and proprietor. Yet with these 

 liivorable prospects, it does not appear to me, that 

 a sufficiently long trial has been had to determine 

 the points at issue. 



The account of J. H. Cobb, of Dedham, which 

 appears to be made with exactness, gives a some- 

 what different result as to the cost of manulac- 

 turing sewing silk. He makes it, after detail- 

 ing all the various processes, !§2 55 per pound; 

 and here no consideration is made for interest 

 upon the stock, lor superintendence, or for any 

 commissions; and undoubtedly, as in all such 

 cases, there are a great many incidentals, which 

 must somewhat increase the cost. We believe 

 this gentleman was soon satisfied that this manu- 

 facture could not be carried on to advantage. 



With respect to the introduction silk manu- 

 flictures, other than sewings into the country, as 

 long as ibreign iabrics are admitted Iree Irom Eu- 

 rope, and from China paying only a small duty, 

 it must be despaired of as matter of profit. The 

 silk manuli-icturers in Europe, if we except the 

 worms themselves, are the poorest fied and the 

 |)oorest paid of almost any class of manulacturing 

 operatives on the continent. In 1834, the prices 

 of labor for weaving galoons f wide, was one 

 shilling one farthing sterling per groce ; this would 

 be a great day's work. At Huddersfield, where 

 13,000 persons, mostly females were employed, 

 ihe wages averaged 2^d. per day. At Totmas- 

 ton, where they worked 14 hours per day, men's 

 labor was at one shilling sterling per day. In the 

 county of Kent, 30,000 persons were employed in 

 the silk- business, at GtZ. per day. The prices, it is 

 presumed, have not since advanced. In Lyons, 

 tlie wages of men in the silk business is less tlian 

 six shillings sterling per week, and of girls not 

 more than three shillings per week. The salary 

 ot an overseer is about seventy-five cents per day. 

 The wages in the silk districts in England, when 

 the condition of the business is spi)ken of as pros- 

 perous, varies for an udult, from three shillings to 



eight shillings sterling per week; and as the arti- 

 cle is matter of mere luxury, though of almost 

 universal use, the fluctuations in their condition to 

 which these poor creatures are subject, from the 

 changes and caprices of fashion, often reduce 

 them to extreme distress. We can easily sup- 

 pose, that in some cases, they may wish they had 

 the power of the humble insect, whose winding 

 sheet they unravel, of enclosing themselves in a, 

 cocoon, from whence they might emerge with 

 wings which should bear them away Irom their 

 ill-requited toils and unpitied sufferings. 



We cannot contemplate such facts without ex- 

 ulting with religious gratitude, in the superior com- 

 pensation, and, in general, the extraordinary pros- 

 perity of labor, in our own country. But if we 

 undertake the manufacture of silk, while trade is 

 free, we must come in competition with such ratea 

 of labor. Is it to be supposed that we are ready 

 for this? The benevolent mind would reluct at 

 taking the bread from those mouths which get no- 

 thing, excepting bread, and scarcely enough of 

 that, to keep their teeth bright, or their liearls Irom 

 aching; especially when our country ofiiers to 

 those who will work, fields oi" labor far more fa- 

 vorable to health, comlbrt, competence and mo- 

 rals. 



(7b be continued.') 



LIME AND LIME BURNING. 



From Prof. Ducatel's Geological Report of 1839. 



A very striking experiment, that speaks vo- 

 lumes of encouragement to those who still hesitate 

 in the use of lime, is i'urnished by the Hon. Outer- 

 bridge Horsey, a part of whose farm, situated at 

 the loot of the south mountain, on the edge of 

 what is termed " the Maryland tract," consists of 

 a very thin silicious soil. It is this, of two species 

 of ground, both of the same geological character 

 and nearly in equal arable condition, one was limed 

 with fifty bushels to the acre, the other was well 

 manured without lime, and both planted in corn. 

 The limed portion, previous to the operations, was 

 remarkably poor, yielding at most two barrels 

 the acre. It promised in the month of August, to 

 the eyt;s of some experienced farmers, to yield to the 

 acre eight barrels of corn, which to all appearances 

 was one third better than on the manured portion. 

 But besides the prejudice that exists against this 

 use of lime as regards the incapacity ofcertain soils 

 to receive any benefit ii-om it, it is most generally 

 objected to as too expensive; whereas m truth it 

 is, takitjg all circumstances together, the cheapest 

 as well as the most effectual means of improving 

 all kinds of soil, which assertion will, I trust, be 

 manliest by these two considerations, namely, that 

 it is the surest and most permanent. If judi- 

 ciously employed, the directions being simple, as 

 will presently appear, the expenditure of capital 

 in the first year cannot fail to be at least repaid by 

 the additional product of the next, and nine times 

 out of ten will supply the means ol' extending its 

 lijrther use hi future years. Judgment and re- 

 flection undoubtedly must accompany this as well 

 as every other scheme of improvement that could 

 [)u.s.<ibly be devised fur any pur[)oses. 



Having taken especial (lains to ini|uire minutely 

 into the subject, reii^rring not only to the lesulls 



