1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



439 



serve tlie purposes oT Ihe region of country (or 

 which it. was intended, it is notorious to every ex- 

 perienced and well instructed larmer and gartlener, 

 that they liave iiivaiiably liiiled to accomplish 

 what liad been so confidently anticipated ; and it 

 is evident to even llie most superficial observer, 

 that there is no otiier mode of concentraiing in 

 a really useful Ibrm the requisite inlbrniation, (or 

 (he general guidance of ilie unii.structed as well 

 as ex|)crienced cultivators of the earih, and of en- 

 abling them 10 participate in the advantages which 

 have been derived li'om the most approved me- 

 thods of conducting the multifarious labors of a 

 fiirm, tPiaii that which has Ibrtunately been un- 

 dertaken by the government of Massachusetts, 

 and which, liom what has already been done, we 

 have the fullest confidence will be thorouijhiy exe- 

 cuted. Each of the most skdful and enlightened 

 experimentalists, whose results will be given in 

 the reports of the Agricultural Commissioner, must 

 have consulted the most celebrated authors, and 

 to some extent taken them as guides, lor directing 

 them in their diversified operations ; and the 

 benefits obtained will be at the command of every 

 citizen. 



The agricultural survey is but the continuation 

 and completion of a system, which has been pro- 

 jected for obtaining accurate inlbrmaiion as to the 

 physical geography, topography, natural history, 

 and general statisticsofthecemnionwealth. Massa- 

 chusetts has been the first of all (be states of the 

 union, to cause a correct map to be constructed, 

 basod on the triangulation of iis whole area, which 

 involves astronomical observations lor establishing 

 the latitude and longitude of the most reniaikable 

 Itjatures and positions, and which, from the difOcul- 

 ties and expense to be encountered, has been ap- 

 plied only in France and Great Britain, to include a 

 whole nation. Happily, however, for the naviga- 

 tion of the United States, the same operation is in 

 progress, under the direction of the national go- 

 vernment, for forming complete hydrographical 

 charts of the coast from Passamaquoddy to the 

 Sabine. 



Connected with these important labors, a geo- 

 logical survey was undertaken, which has been 

 most ably completed b}' Proliissor Hitchcock; and 

 the other departments of natural history, including 

 the animal and vegetable realms, have been di- 

 rected to be explored, and the duly has been con- 

 fided to several scientific gentlemen, Horn whom 

 may be expected llill and interesting accounts of 

 the quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles, insects, and 

 plants, which are peculiar to the state. 



These works will be honorable monuments of ihc 

 enlightened and expanded views of the legislature, 

 reflect lasting honor upon the chief magistrates 

 under whose direction they have been so success- 

 fully prosecuted, and entitle the enlightened and 

 meritorious gentlemen who have participated ui 

 the very responsible labors, to the respect and grat- 

 itude of the present and all future irenerations. 



We have indulged so fiu' in the geni;ral remarks 

 which the very interesting subject of agriculture 

 has suggested, that there is Jeft only sufTicient 

 space to commend to the real friends of the coun- 

 try the instructive address which the Agriculttu'al 

 Commissioner delivered beiure the assembled 

 yeomanry of several of thi; interior counties, during 

 the last autumn. It is an impressive apjieal to the 

 tiiriuers, ur»jing ihoin strenuously to endeavor to 



render their condition as prosperous and happy a^ 

 their pursuhs are respectable and important, by 

 renewed efibrts in the ac(|uisition of intelligence, 

 and to illustrate, by example, how independent 

 and deserving of the highest consideration are 

 those, who zealously emulate the hardy virtues 

 and rural industry of their adventurous Anglo- 

 Saxon ancestors. 



PRODUCT OF MULBKRRY LEAVES- 



To llie i;ditor of tlic Farmers' Register. 



Stafford, July, 1836. 



The cocoonery which you" published as mine 

 belongs to the Potomac Silk and Agricultural 

 Company, which was incorporated by ilie legisla- 

 ture in March, 18.36. As the stockholders gene- 

 rally have no experience on the subject of'^silk- 

 culture, I siijn my name individually to communi- 

 cations pul'lisbed, because I am responsible alone 

 for the opinions and facts set forth in such com- 

 munications. 



I am pleased that you published the slatemenls 

 of Dr. Perrine, because they are calculated to 

 some extent, to counteract the injurious influence 

 of the extravagant and ridiculous statements which 

 have inundated the country lor several years past. 

 It is unwise even in speculators to countenance 

 such statements, because they are calculated to 

 lessen ihe demand fi)r trees, by producing the er- 

 roneous impression that they have a very trifling 

 intrinsic value. Dr. Perrine's statements, how- 

 ever, I am quite suie are far below the truth, I 

 know fronj actual experiment that 5000 pounds of 

 foliiige can be taken from an acre of land that will 

 produce only fifteen bushels of corn. I came at 

 this result by counting trees (3600 to the acre,) 

 and weighing the foliage fiom a fair average num- 

 ber. The trees were transplanted, at two and three 

 years old in the spring of 1838, and headed down 

 the Ibllowing f'dll. 



The account should then stand thus : 5000 lbs. 

 of leaves will proiiuce 25 pounds of silk, worth 

 when well reeled ^5 per pound, or in the aggre- 

 gate 8125, from which deduct !^2 per pounTflbr 

 rearing the worms and reeling the silk, and J§8 per 

 acre lor cultivation, the net gain would then be $;67 

 per acre on land that will only give i^7 net pro- 

 fit in corn or oats. 



That the above named expenses are ample, I 

 know from experience, if the business be conducted 

 with practical hands, and due regard to economy. 

 As the trees get older, if treated properly, they 

 would no doubt yield from 30 to 50 per cent. more. 

 Layton Y. Atkins. 



P. .'--. Dandolo's statements with respect to va- 

 rieties of silk-worms are entitled to the highest 

 confidence, in the estimate of profit in silk-culture 

 you perceive that I allow Dr. Perrine's state- 

 ment as to the quantity of leaves required for one 

 pound of silk, to be correct, although it exceeds 

 numerous actual results in France and Italy. 

 Will you examine and see whether Dandolo or any 

 other foreign writer says any thing about a "two- 

 crop" manmioth'?* There may be some honest 

 men who, being themselves deceived, engaged in 



* We know of none. — Ed. 



