162 



MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



Maryland Coal. — This, too, is a matter that 

 will not escape our attention. If any one asks 

 how Coal-mining is connected with Agricul- 

 ture, we answer, in the same way that Manu- 

 factures are. They both call for laborers, who 

 must be subsisted on the produce of Agricul- 

 ture ; and much more, at present, does it be- 

 hoove tlie landholders of Marj'land and Virginia 

 to have in their vicinity, as in Massachusetts, 

 thousands on thousands swarming about their 

 water-fa)l8 and their coal-mines, to consume 

 their produce, already redundant, than to disco- 

 ver the means of adding to that redundance by 

 increased production. 



The nearer these consumers are to the produ- 

 cers, the better for the producing interest— for 

 it is tliat interest, as has been v^-ell and sU'ongly 

 intimated by Mr. Stevenson, which paj'S the tax 

 of trau.sportation. "Our produce," says he, 

 " until it reaches the market of exportation, does 

 not change its character of interest; it is still 

 the Planter's, and only becomes an article of 

 Commerce when it touches the hand of the Mer- 

 chant. The transportation, therefore, to market 

 is as intimately connected with its value as any 

 process of its previous preparation; and the 

 Planter and Farmer have, therefore, a deep in- 

 terest in the improvement of the internal navi- 

 gation of the country." Is it not, then, obvi- 

 ously to their advantage that tlieir produce 

 should be consumed as near the field of its 

 growth as possible — for the same reason that 

 the mai-ket gardeners ai-e all found near the 

 towns, because they can undersell those at a 

 distance from it ? And, since the cost of trans- 

 portation, "until it touches the hand of the Mer- 

 chant," is a tax on the producer, is it not his in- 

 terest that his wheat and his wool should be 

 manufactured as near him as possible, and there 

 put into a shape as condensed and portable as 

 can be ? Hence, is it not clear that not a pound 

 of wool or flax or cotton, or a bushel of v/heat, 

 should pass, in a raw state, by any locality 

 where there is suitable power to manufacture 

 and people to consume it ? 



As to the Cumberland Coal, we have been 

 well assured that great quantities of it would 

 meet with ready sale, at a price not exceeding 

 eight dollars per ton, if it could he had ; but it 

 appears that no adequate (if any) provision has 

 been made to get it brought round from Balti- 

 more or Washington. Is tliis, too, another case 

 where eveiy thing is to be done by — talking ! 



Manufactures )n the South. — The Rich- 

 mond Whig of the 27th June, under the head, 

 "Wool-Growing," contains this remarkable 

 disclosure : 



"This branch of Agriculture is now begin- 

 ning to attract the attention of Farmerfi all 

 through tlic South, and we are determined that, 

 so far OS we are concerned, it ehall also deserve 

 {:u8) 



the notice of Agricnltnrisls in this State. — 

 Nouj that wc see and hear of Manufactories 

 sjyringing vp in every part of the State— and, 

 indeed, almost every part of other Southern 

 States — it behooves all who take an interest in 

 the prosperity of such enterprises, to be unceas- 

 ing in their efforts to give strength and encou- 

 ragement to them." 



[Conmnmicated.] 



Destruction of the Mulberry by Frost. 

 We have advices of the destniction of the Mo- 

 ms MuUicaulis to a most alarming extent. — 

 The greater portion of those growing above the 

 42° N. latitude, from tlie best infonnation we 

 have received, are destroyed. This will be a 

 serious blow to the Silk interest. 



It is all important that we obtain trees suffi- 

 ciently hardy to withstand one severe Winter — 

 otherwise great sacrifices will, every now and 

 then, fall on the Silk culturist.s, and the benefits 

 of this new staple, promising so much, will be 

 rendered precarious, and discourage under- 

 takers. We have always apprehended trouble 

 in our Northern climate in relying on the Moras 

 Multicaulis. 



At the Ninth Annual Fair of the American 

 Institute, the Brassa Mulberry was first intro- 

 duced by Charles Rhind, Esq., obtained from 

 the foot of Mount Caucasus, in Turkey ; and 

 tliere was evidence produced showing that 

 these trees had withstood our severe winters, 

 when the Multicaulis, with the same exposure, 

 was completely killed. We want infoi-mation. 

 Will gentlemen who have cultivated the Bras- 

 sa supply it? We believe they have passed 

 the last Winter nnhanned. 



The leaf is not so large as the Multicaulis, but 

 much thicker, and, it was stated, preferred by 

 the Silk-worm ; and the cocoons obtained by 

 feeding on them were exhibited, of a large and 

 beautiful kind. 



Some of the genuine kind may, no doubt, 

 still be identified, as there was a public sale of 

 a large quantity at Newburgh. Judge Buel, 

 Whitmai'sh, &c. were purchasers. 



For more particulars, see vol. 3 of Journal of 

 American Institnte, page 417, and references. 



An Item for Cotton Planters. — The Lon. 

 don Ag. Gaz. June 7, thus answers an inquiry : 



" 'Wo. agree with you as to the importance of 

 this subject, and are obliged to you for the let- 

 ter. But are you not aware that the East India 

 Company has recently incurred large charges 

 in bettering the Cotton cultivation in India, by 

 sending out American seeds and American 

 planters ? and that the quality of Indian Cotton 

 has become very greatly improved in conse- 

 quence ? You will find plenty of informatioD 

 on the subject in the proceedings of the Agri- 

 Horticultural Society of India." 



