

l: The outlay for my plants was ?. 

 of 8245 : and the time Allotted me to M 

 the m es is one year more than I have bee 

 employed. I never saw a Chinese mulberry 

 tree until last \var, (summer of 1837.) 

 think it probable I may be able to plant 

 200,000 cuttings next "spring, instead of r . 

 150,000. The balance of the letter is all cor- % 

 reel." "If I had not sold the 20,000 trees, H| 

 they would now brin-me $1000 more than I | 

 am to receive." This letter is dated Sep- 

 tember 8th, which was 12 days only after the 

 sale had been made. 



Since the 20th of August, the agents of at 

 least five different and distant mnUicaulis 

 dealers have visited this plnce, for the pur- 

 pose of purchasing the plants which are in 

 and near Petersburg Mosi if these agents 

 have come sine?, the first of these lines were 

 written. So rapid and violent has been the 

 rise of the multicaulis speculation that our 

 monthly publication can give but a faint idea 

 of its progress. For the last month, almost 

 daily reports would have been necessary to 

 show the state of the trade, and the extent of 

 the demand. Considering that the northern 

 states are the original seat, and still the prin-. 

 cipal scene, of this speculation the great 

 void which still is to fill, throughout both the 

 north and the south, for actualas well as 

 speculative demand the difficulty with 

 which young multicaulis plants are raised 

 in the north, and the far greater vigor in 

 growing and alter-value of those raised in 

 Virginia it will not be more strange than the 

 present state of things, if very hi^h prices 

 should continue to be maintained through 

 another year. But all prudent holders and 

 planters here ought so to act as to be prepar- 

 ed to meet a great reduction of price. The 

 few persons who are so fortunate as to have 

 many growing plants, of course, will do right 

 to make the most of the present demand for 

 their surplus stock. But with a view to all 

 interests, it will be better to plant next spring 

 than to sell abroad now ; as 8 cents, or even 

 6 cents the tree, in 1839, will pay a far better 

 profit, than to sell the stock grown in 183S for ! 

 lour times those prices which may now be 

 readilv obtained. Much money must be 

 brought into Virginia from other states by 

 tho mania for this trade ; and so far to effect 

 a general spread in % o f the multicaulis. which 

 this mania certainly will, it will produce 

 much .benefit to public interest?. But when 

 the violent fever shall have subsided, it is to 

 be feared that as great a reaction (or non-ac- 

 tion) will follow the unnatural excitement : 



'1" ^ 



