216 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



I (ear I have already encroached too far on your 

 patience. W the object of this communication 

 meets your approbation, I will at an early date 

 give you a detail of the various improvements 

 now in progress and contemplated, in the seve- 

 ral departments of the rural economy on this 

 estate, as from the above you will easily perceive 

 there is ample room for improvement. Future com- 

 munications will also point out more accurately 

 existing defects now shortly stated, when we 

 come to contrast them with the improvements ef- 

 fected. Our general mode of management and 

 results will also subspquently follow as leis^ure and 

 opportunity offer. Respectlully yoilr humble ser- 

 vant, A. NicoL. 



INQUIRY AS TO THE PROSPECTS OF SILK 

 C U LT U R E. 



• Charlotte, Va., Feb. 20, 1841. 

 The Register has contained latterly but little on 

 silk culture, which I (ear is a strong indication 

 that you are by no means sanguine of th'^ success 

 of the experiment. 1 should be much pleased to 

 learn your sentiments at this time, with all the 

 lights which the experience and speculations of 

 culturists have thrown on that subject. Our ac- 

 quaintance, Mr. Edmund Morris, with a liberality 

 and benevolence equalled only by the gratuitous 

 distribution of his paper on silk culture and multi- 

 caulis (a costly gratuity to some poor souls) is 

 circulating a new paper without charge. He 

 seems to think the business cannot be carried on 

 with success without the aid of his invention (or 

 ventilating. Do you think it can be with all the 

 facilities of his discoveries and the 'Burlington 

 Silk Record' in the bargain? 



than formerly, but as at all time?,) we would re 

 commend the utmost care and caution to be use 

 in their mode of procedure and operations. 



In regard to the more particular inquiries, we 

 have only to say that we know nothing of the 

 merits of Mr. Morris' newly invented silk-worm 

 frame, except from his own publications. We 

 hope it may be all that he recommends it for ; but 

 we con((?ss our general distrust, in the absence of 

 the most abundant proof, of the facts, in(brma- 

 tion, instruction and advice, which have proceed- 

 ed in such quantity from the same abundant 

 source.— Ed. F. R. 



Our correspondent has correctly inferred that 

 we are much less sanguine than Ibrmerly of the 

 success of silk culture in Virginia ; and we have 

 already stated at length in an article in the last 

 volume, (page 510,) our latest views on this sub- 

 ject. We presented the grounds on which had 

 rested our previous almost perfect confidence, and 

 also the causes of subsequent disappointments, 

 and great abatement of hopes and expectations. 

 But we did not then despair, and have not yet de- 

 spaired ; and hope that the further investigations, 

 and patient and (ull trials of the many intelligent 

 culturists who will still persevere, will serve to 

 show how the diseases and disasters of last year 

 may be avoided, and general success and profit 

 be achieved. We have much, though not entire 

 confidence, in the new theory of Dv. Gideon B. 

 Smith, as to retarding the hatching of silk- worms' 

 eggs ; and, if he is right in his views, they cer- 

 tainly serve to account for most of the failures 

 from disease last year. We liave not designed, 

 and would be very unwilling, to say any thing to 

 discourage our readers from further and sufficient 

 trial of silk culture— though (now even more 



ON DESTROYING SLUGS BY LIME. 



From the London Fanner's Magazine. 

 Sir, — As the season is again approaching, 

 whe;! innumerable fields of what ought to be our 

 most productive wheat land, (that is, our strong 

 clays after beans,) afford to the agriculturists but 

 a miserable prospect, owing to the ravages of the 

 slug ; allow me through the medium of your most 

 excellent journal, to inform them of a cheap and 

 effectual cure, — one which I have adopted for 

 several years and always with the greatest 

 success. My plan is as follows : — as soon as the 

 wheat should show itself fi-om one end of the 

 drill to the other, but which, owing to their vora- 

 cious appetite, appears but on the milder and finer 

 parts oi' the field, I procure as many four bushel 

 sacks of unslaked lime fresh (rom the kiln, as C 

 have failing acres of wheat, and place the same 

 in one or more heaps in the field, as occasion may 

 require, and the dryness of the ground will permit; 

 then choosing the first mild and misty day, (or in- 

 deed the first day I can find them well out,) send 

 two men as sowers into the field, each taking a 

 breadth ol four yards or one land with us, the 

 first man always keeping in advance from 15 to 

 20 yards. The instan' he has scattered the lime, 

 to extricate themselves they cast away their only 

 shield of defence, which is their slime ; the second 

 man then overtakes them in their naked state, 

 and the smallest particle falling upon them is 

 instant death. I consider two great savings are 

 effected by this mode of killing them, time and 

 expense. Having noticed several people twice 

 ploughing their land, harrowing, rolling, &c., for 

 no other purpose than that of destroying them, 

 and whilst domg the same, perhaps a heavy rain" 

 sets in, and the seeding put off' till spring ; 

 whereas, by my plan, they may proceed with 

 getting in the wheat as soon as the beans are off 

 the land, and the total expense of destroying the 

 slug, including carriage, sowing, &c., does not 

 exceed from 3s. to 3s. 6d. per acre. 



Should this meet with the attention of any 

 brother clay-land farmer, I have not the least 

 doubt of its success, and shall feel happy in be- 

 ing instrumental in procuring him a f^ull crop of 

 wheat. I remain, sir, yours very respectfully, 

 Nov. 23rd. A Lincolnshire Farmer. 



