1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



307 



their full growth; and for that purpose, they are 

 planted very wide apart. M. Carrier planted 

 closer, that his trees might occupy the whole 

 ground, after being well advanced in growth. 

 But still, at 15 feet distance, they would not forbid 

 other tillage before the trees were 8 years old. 



The other omission is of the interest properly 

 chargeable upon the outlay. However, let this 

 charge be added, and the balance of profit would 

 still be large. 



We have now presented M. Carrier's estimates 

 of the cost and profit of white mulberry (morus 

 alba) culture in France, the trees being of the kind 

 then deemed the best, and which are still the kind 

 in general use there. It would be a very in- 

 teresting and valuable addition to this article, it 

 there could be presented a comparative arithmeti- 

 cal and correct estimate of the cost and profit of 

 cultivating the morus multicauUs in this country, 

 not for sale, but for use. We know not as yet the 

 amount of product of this tree, and therefore will 

 not presume to attempt such an estimate, or to 

 seek aid fnr our argument in exact calculation. 

 Still, e^'en if using unknown quantities, there will 

 be left no (jiiestion or doubt of the immense supe 

 riority of advantage which the American silk- 

 grower would have in possessing this variety of 

 mulberry, even supposing him to have purchased 

 his first and a sufficient stock at the highest prices, 

 or that he had paid SI -50 for trees of such sizes as 

 M. Carrier bought at 75 centimes, or 14 cents. 

 The recent unheard of appreciation of" the Jiwrus 

 multicauUs being necessarily temporary and tran- 

 sient, it ought not to be brought to bear on such an 

 estimate ; but yet it will be allowed its utmost ef- 

 fect, to obviate any possible objection to the results 

 on that score, and also that no ground ma}? be left 

 for an argument in favor of delaying a commence- 

 ment of planting, because of the high price of the 

 trees. The choice between paying the highest 

 price, for trees to plant in the spring of 1839, or to 

 wait two years, and then buying them as cheap as 

 white mulberry trees are in France, is altogether 

 a matter of calculation; and the diflijrence may be 

 estimated on very sure grounds. He who waits 

 two years may perhaps buy his trees at ten cents 

 each ; but if he had laid out the same money last 

 winter in plants, and were to cultivate and increase 

 the stock for the two years, the increase would be 

 so great as to reduce the average cost to still less 

 than ten cents, besides the furnishing of a crop of 

 leaves the second year. 



To establish, then, what was asserted above, 

 the greater cheapness and profit of mulberry cul- 

 ture in this country, we require but the three fol- 

 lowing postulates ; 1st, the correctness of M. Car- 

 rier's estimates, even to extent of half the net 



profit which he makes out; 2n(l, that the niorws 

 multicauUs, at 8 years alter the planting, and set 

 seven-fold more thickly on ihe land, will yield as 

 many pounds of leaves ^jer acre as the white mul- 

 berry of the same age ; 3rd, that the profit of 100 

 lbs. of the former, in feeding silk-worms here, will 

 not be less than that of an equal quantity cf the 

 leaves of the white mulberry fed, or sold for feed- 

 ing, in France. Then, taking JM, Carrier's rates 

 of charges for French culture, the comparison at 

 the end of eight years will stand thus : 



The European cullu- The American cultu- 

 rist of morus alba — rist of morus multicau- 



Us — 

 Will have paid as much Will have paid so little 

 for rent of land, for 8 for land, that, if the 

 years, as would pur- different mode of pro- 

 chase twice over the cedure should require 

 fee-simple of as good even twice the quan- 

 land in America — lity, (to have abun- 



dant products, and to 

 keep up the stock by 

 new and successive 

 plantings,) such addi- 

 dition of expense will 

 be of but small ac- 

 count — 



Paid only three-fourths Paid Sl-50 for 316 trees, 

 of a franc (14 cents) making same amount 

 per tree which, set at of purchase money, 

 15 French feet square, ^474 ; which by roots 

 make 169 to the Am. and cuttings, would 

 acre ; and for 20 acres give 9796 trees the 

 would be 3380 trees, first year — and an a- 

 costing .^474— mount exceeding, by 



an enormouf3 surplus, 

 all his demand' on the 

 second year for com- 

 pleting the 20 acres. 

 Will have gathered one Will have gathered se- 

 crop of leaves only — ven crops of leaves — 

 Employs high priced la- Employs high-priced la- 

 bor to gather leaves of bor (in general, but 

 small size from tall not in Virginia) toga- 

 trees, and which must ther large leaves, from 

 be plucked carefully shrubs requiring not 

 to guard against de- one-fourth as much la- 

 stroying the trees — bor as m the other 



case — 

 Feeds silk-worms, with Feeds sUk-worms with 

 cheap labor, in a bad high-priced labor (in 

 climate for silk culture. general, but low e- 

 nough in Virginia,) in 

 one of the best cli- 

 mates in the world for 

 the product. 

 Let the reader judge deliberately and fairly of 

 the comparison made either in this or in any other 



