1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



149 



toil, or live, as wretchedly, (lepeiiLltMit on the cold 

 charitj' of their Jriends. The windiiitr or reelinii 

 of the silk I'r.tm the cocoons would furnish much 

 profitable eniployiuent Ibr intellifjent and skilful 

 iem lies ; and .some of the varied services ol" the 

 cocoonry would suit even the most feeble physical 

 or mental powers. Thus, besides the benefit of 

 gain to private individuals, the introduction of this 

 business is likely to aid greatly the public interest, 

 and also the cause of benevolence. 



The low price of lands in Virginia, caused prin- 

 cipally by the mania for emigration to the west, is 

 an enormous evil. But still, as the evil exists, 

 and has wrought its worst injuries, it. is right to 

 estimate its value, and make the most of it, as an 

 element of the necessary investment of a silk cul- 

 turist. Land here, which though poor, is easily 

 improveable and well adaj)ted to the growth of 

 mulberry trees, may be bought at from less than 

 ^2, to $5 per acre. At the north, land iar less 

 productive for that growth, and more difficult or 

 costly to enrich, would perhaps cost iS;20 at least ; 

 and the European culturist could not be as well 

 provided at a cost less than -3200 the acre. Thus 

 the landed part of the capital necessary to produce 

 a certain quantity of mulberry leaves in V^irginia, 

 would be. (even at ^5 the acre,) only one-fourth 

 the amount of the same item of expense in the 

 northern states, and one-fortieth of the same in 

 Europe. Skilful and trustworthy superintendents 

 would, of course, be more difficult to be obtained at 

 first, and therefore, would cost more here ; and ex- 

 perience, too, must always be paid for, by losses or 

 otherwise, in every new business. Nevertheless, 

 the peculiar advantages of Virginia are so great, 

 that the combined expenses of the culture cannot 

 be reasonably expected to be greater here for the 

 first few years, nor as great thereafter. But this 

 estimate rests upon the supposition that equal in- 

 dustry and economy are brought into operation. 

 This is manifestly necessary in every business ; 

 and without proper indusiy and economy being 

 used by us, our northern brethren will have greater 

 advantage, from their usual and admirable exercise 

 of these requisites for success in any business, 

 than we shall find in our belter climate and cheap- 

 er land and labor. 



The kind of labor required for silk-culture is just 

 such as every poor-house would furnish, more or 

 less of, from those who are now altogether expen- 

 sive and worthless paupers. It was with these 

 views, added to the unusually good arrangements 

 of the Petersburg poor-house, that we urged, in 

 vain, on this community several years ago, the 

 undertaking of silk-culture at that establishment. 

 Though the time has passed for the measure to 

 produce ^30,000 clear gain, as the adoption ol 

 that recommendation then would have done, by 

 profiting by the subsequent rage for buying Chi- 

 nese mulberry plants, still, for the regular and fair 

 returns of the business, the present time is much 

 more propitious than the former, because there is 

 more knowledge on the subject, and better means 

 available. The magistracy of Petersburg could 

 not adopt any measure at so little cost as this, 

 which would redound so much to the credit and 

 profit of their town, and to the benefit of their 

 country at large. 



Another very great advantage is enjoyed by the 

 eastern part of Virginia, in the abundance and 

 cheapness of marl ; which advantage is also pos- 



sessed by every other place where lime is easily 

 available. Though the mulberry tree will grow 

 profitably on very jjoorand mean land, still its most 

 choice position is on highly calcareous soil. No 

 careflil observer can doubt as to this strong pre- 

 fiirence of the mulberry tribe for calcareous soil, 

 and the more luxuriant growth thereon. 



VII. Benefits and facilities to be expected from the 

 use of the 7r.orus 7nulticaulis, 



But besides the advantages peculiar to Virginia, 

 for prosecuting silk-cuhure, there is a most impor- 

 tant one which is common to the union, and will 

 ultimately be common to the whole silk-growing 

 world. This is the possession of the newly dis- 

 covered and probably but newly produced, variety 

 of the mulberry tree, called morns multicaulis. It 

 is not the high market value of this plant, m mere 

 speculation and trade, that is here meant. That 

 cannot last long ; and indeed that factitious value 

 will be reduced to nothing, and |)rove as empty as 

 any other bubble blown up by speculation, unless 

 tiie plants are put to their proper use. The real 

 value of this variety for the better and more pro- 

 fitable feeding of silk-worms, will prove great to 

 every culturist of silk ; and this will be increased, 

 instead of being diminished, with the necessary 

 decline of the enormous si)eculative valuation and 

 prices. The superior real or feeding value of this 

 variety is founded upon the following several pecu- 

 liar qualities : 



1st. The remarkable facility of its propagation, 

 and rapid growth, by which the young silk-cultu- 

 rist may begin to feed the worms in the first sum- 

 mer after planting, and have his trees in a highly 

 productive state in the second season; whereas 

 the leaves of the most approved of the other kinds, 

 heretolere generally used, cannot be safely plucked 

 before the trees are five years old. 



2ndly. Thegreatereaseof gathering the leaves, 

 owing to their large size, and the small height of 

 the trees iiom which they are plucked ; which cir- 

 cumstances together serve to save more than three- 

 fourths of this heaviest part of the labor. 



3rdly. The more nutritious quality of the leaves, 

 by which not only a less quantity will serve for the 

 food of a given number of silk-worms, but also, 

 owing to their more complete consumption, there 

 will remain less of refusb matter to be removed. 



4th. The superiority of the silk produced from 

 leaves of this mulberry to those of any other kind, 

 which has been satisfactorily proved by accurate 

 experiments. 



These superior advantages amount to so much 

 value, that the use of this plant might well make 

 silk-culture profitable in a country in which it 

 u-ould be otherwise a losing business. The peo- 

 ple of this country, for some years to come, at 

 least, will have almost the sole possession and 

 use of this tree; and even when the older cultu- 

 rists of Europe shall slowly admit its superiority, 

 and obtain its full use, still the advantages will not 

 the less attend silk-culture in general, by their be- 

 ing more widely diffused. Though operating to 

 far less extent and profit, still the effect oft he gen- 

 eral adoption and use of this tree by silk-culturists 

 throughout the world, will be like a similar exten- 

 sion of Whitney's cotton gin to all cotton cultu- 

 rists ; serving to benefit every one so much, and 

 so much to extend the market for a", thattheloss 



