3S0 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



every 10 days until late in September. One such 

 supply has been already hatched, in addition to 

 the more advanced lots above named ; and the 

 eggs for the next succeeding brood have been 

 taken from the ice. 



So far, no particular facts have been stated of 

 feeding operations except such as we saw, in some 

 one or other stage of progress. In addition, we 

 have been inlbrmed ol* several large, successful 

 and altogether satisfactory rearings, in Bruns- 

 wick, Amelia, Nottoway, Goochland, and in 

 Norfolk county ; though to the account from the 

 last, were added statements of numerous losses 

 having been sutlered by reliance on diseased or 

 damaged sale eggs. We had anticipated this re- 

 sult, from having obtained and made early tiial of 

 a small supply from the same source. From those 

 experimenters who observed and noted their opera- 

 tions with sufficient accuracy to show the fiicts 

 and their value, we hope to have reports of the re- 

 sults; and especially as to the amount of labor 

 employed, and other costs, and the products actu- 

 ally secured. We sliall not attempt to anticipate 

 any of the reports by pariial and probably inaccu- 

 rate statements of what we have heard of them — 

 or even of what we have seen. But as it may 

 yet be in lime to guard others from disaster and 

 loss, we will merely here remark, that all the ob- 

 servations made concur in showing that among 

 the thinss absolutely necessary for success, are 

 plenty of fresh and renewed air, enough space Tor 

 the worms, and cleaning of the shelves so often as 

 to prevent any accumulation of damp or ferment- 

 ing litter at any lime, and still more frequent 

 cleanings during the last days of leeding. And, 

 though not so fatal in effect as neglect of these 

 essential requisites, we will add as things to be 

 avoided, the almost universal errors of feeding too 

 heavily, and the use of very young, very luxuriant 

 and succulent leaves, forming a very watery and 

 therefore weak food, and serving to produce or in- 

 crease dampness, which is the greatest of all causes 

 of injury to silk-worms. 



Since the above was written, the later and 

 more lull information received (to June 25th) has 

 been still more encouraging, and the cases of suc- 

 cess in greater proportion to the contrary. Some 

 persons also who failed totally in their first, and 

 too early trials of this season, have already ad- 

 vanced so far and so successfully in a second rear- 

 ing, as to consider all danger over. Still, we 

 deem no such operation as emlcd, and its worth 

 known even to its conductor, until the cocoons are 

 taken down, assorted, and measured. 



We have conversed with, or heard from sundry 

 persons who have failed either partially or totaIly,in 

 rearings this spring ; but, with a single exception 



only, the causes of failure were perfectly obvious 

 to each individual, (and generally admitted to be 

 the effect of bad management which n)ight have 

 been avoided,) and there was no discouragement, 

 or change of ofiinion |)roduced, as to the ultimate 

 and general results of the business. — Ed. F. R. 



THE SECOND PHYSICK HUMBUG. 



" h is stated in the Germantown (Pa.) Tele- 

 graph that Mr. Philip Physick is now leeding, in 

 liis llighfieid cocoonery, six millions ot" silk 

 worms, and that he expects to fijed fourteen 

 millions more, making twenty millions in all, the 

 present season. At present (as the Teleijraph 

 slates) only two hands are engaged in the build- 

 inir, though a large proportion -of the worms are 

 winding, and some are three weeks old." 



If the foregoing paragraph (which is now going 

 the rounds of the newspapers,) is, indeed, (as we 

 have no reason to doubt,) li-om the Germantown 

 Telegraph, a paper published on the spot, and the 

 statement was authorized by Mr. Philip Physick, 

 then that individual has sent forth a silk-worm- 

 li:eding humbug that is almost equal lo his famous 

 (or infamous) muliicaulis sale at the same place 

 last autumn, and which we, (as well as most other 

 persons,) were so credulous and foolish as to be- 

 lieve, (lor a few days,) to have been a bona fide 

 transaction ; and as such republished the report of 

 the prices stated to have been obtained. The 

 only excuse we had for believing in the very 

 strange facts reported, of such enormous prices 

 being obtained at public auction for Mr. Physick'a 

 morus multicaulis trees, was that we then sup- 

 posed it utterly impossible, not only that a man of 

 great wealth and dignified connexions, and of high 

 standing in society, should, lor gain, commit so 

 gross a moral fraud as the opposite facts would 

 indicate, but, also, that he could secure the aid 

 of any auctioneer of decent reputation, of clerks, 

 of respectable bidders, making some twenty or 

 thirty persons at least to aid in carrying the de- 

 ception into effect; and further, that such a decep- 

 tion could be practised publicly before thousands 

 of" intelligent spectators, and that neither any of 

 them, nor any of the business community of Phi- 

 ladelphia, should detect the trick, or if knowing it 

 should not expose it to the public. On the con- 

 trary, the report of the sale was published as if 

 true by every paper in Philadelphia and almost of 

 the United Slates, and if any express contradiction 

 of its truth was ever afterwards made, it has never 

 reached our eyes. Yet, in two weeks after the 

 publication, not an individual in the country re- 

 mained deceived on the subject. This pretended 

 sale was the last blast blown to swell the multicau- 

 lis bubble, iind served to burst it effectually. And 



