304 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No.- 6 



In these trials, he had been governed by the 

 usual and long established practices of the south 

 of France. Afterwards he discarded whatever 

 seemed unsupported by reason, and relied upon 

 the lights furnished by the writings of Dandolo 

 and other enlightened silk-culturists. With these 

 better guides, and especially by pursuing Dandolo's 

 method as nearly as circumstances permitted, in 

 1822, his product, from 3 oz. of eggs, rose to 107 

 lbs. of cocoons to the ounce. "I have since," 

 adds JM. Carrier, "conducted rearings every year, 

 which have always approached, and often surpas- 

 sed 100 lbs. of cocoons from the ounce of eggs ; 

 but that exceeded all, as it yielded, from 7^ oz. of 

 eggs, nearly 10 quintals of cocoons, or a little more 

 than 128 lbs. to the ounce of eggs." It was of this 

 crop that the interestingdetails were given at length 

 in the previous pages of the Farmers Register. 



"When once persuaded," continues M. Carrier, 

 ■"by facts so constant that the rearing of silk- 

 worms would succeed admirably at Rodez, it was 

 time to think of planting mulberries. However, 

 I proceeded with so much tmiidity and caution, 

 that I planted only 20 trees in 1822, and 138 in 

 1823." His countrymen had no faith even that 

 mulberry trees would succeed in that region, when 

 subjected to be annually stripped of their leaves ; 

 and though a few fine and large trees were stan- 

 ding here and there, their vigor was attributed to 

 their exemption from being robbed of their leaves. 

 It was M. Carrier's main object to convince his 

 countrymen of their ability to profit by silk culture, 

 and to induce their making the trial ; and to effect 

 this, it was necessary that he should begin at the 

 beginning, and perform every thing, and to present 

 facts in contradiction to all existing objections 

 founded on prejudice. Hence, as well as for his 

 own profit, the commencement of the plantation 

 which is the subject of his seventh letter, and 

 also the regular accounts kept of all the items of 

 expense. 



The place for the planting was near Marcillac, 

 on a soil among the worst for its barrenness and 

 unfitness for cultivation,ia consequence of being (iail 

 of stones; and was selected by its proprietor because 

 it had previously brought in no profit whatever, 

 and therefore its occupation, or loss, would cost 

 nothing. Its only redeeming quality, (though 

 M. Carrier seems to have attached no importance 

 to the circumstance,) was that the soil was calca- 

 reous; and most probably excessively so, as it was 

 also very poor. It was probably a chalky soil, 

 though that is not stated. In addition to his own 

 interest directing the choice of (his stony, unpro- 

 ductive and worthless land, he had another object. 

 In applying so rebellious a soil to this purpose, if 

 he succeeded, it would silence every objection, and 



remove every doubt of success, on better landSk 

 The ground to be planted amounted to4 hectares, 

 or nearly 10 American acres. The surface soil 

 was but of little depth, and so light that in sum- 

 mer its panicles were carried off' in dust, by high 

 winds, as from public roads. Some dwarfish oaks 

 and mean walnuts were scattered here and there, 

 and many plum trees intermixed with briers. These 

 were all the vegetable riches of the land. In one 

 part was a small piece of flax-ground, which was 

 very good, its use and product having long been 

 the perquisite of the vine-dresser, who had im- 

 proved, manured, and tilled it well. Such were 

 the several parts of the intended plantation of 

 mulberry trees. 



The land was full of stones, both upon and be- 

 neath the^urface. The flax-ground, it is true, 

 had been cleaned of them to a good depth ; but 

 the stones thus taken off' had been thrown on the 

 other adjoining land, and now served to increase 

 the quantity there requiring removal. Half of 

 the earliest planting, of 50 trees, was in the flax- 

 ground, the only good part of the lot ; the other half 

 in the worst — all the remainder being alike the 

 worst. Every care was used in the planting, and 

 some manure given to every tree. Contrary to 

 expectation, those in the flax-ground suffered much 

 under the drought of the next summer, while the 

 the trees in the land full of stones withstood it, 

 much better. This induced, in all the subsequent 

 plantings, the stones, which were necessarily taken 

 up, to be replaced in part, instead of being carried 

 off' the land. Thus the mode of planting and dis- 

 posing of the stones was varied more than once ; 

 but in every mode the labor was prodigious. It is 

 unnecessary to describe the several operations, as 

 the estimates of expense will be given in full. But, 

 one process (for the planting of 1830) will be 

 stated, as a specimen, and also because this mode 

 was the most approved, and deemed the cheapest 

 effectual preparation. 



Strips of 12 feet wide were marked off' across 

 the ground for every intended row, and opened, 

 and all the loose stones, as well as the more scanty 

 quantity of earth, taken out, down to the fixed, 

 stones (jusqu'auferme.) The stone and earth were 

 laid separately on the borders of the, wide trench 

 thus opened. Some of the stones were then put back 

 first, so as to form the bottom layer, but not so 

 close as to prevent earth settling into the interstices, 

 and the roots of the young trees passing through. 

 When stones of suitable size were not plenty 

 enough for this lower bed, others were added from . 

 the old heaps made by clearing them formerly 

 from the flax-ground. And all those dug up of 

 sufficient size and proper shape for the stone wall, 

 were carried for that purpose to the line surround- 



