VOL. XVI. \t). 46. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



363 



and asaiii to take tlie lead in growing and ttianu- 

 factiii-ini; silk. Init we cannot learn tlint any thing 

 has yet l)een done lo carry out tlie wislies o*" llie 

 more scientific of the i)eo|)lc. Pennsylvania has 

 gone ahead of iis, and now gives a honns of tw eniy 

 centaa pound for cocoons. While, hovvever,our law 

 makers are idle, the people are every where 

 moving, and we arc glad to find that onr eastern 

 brethren are determined to set a good exani|)le to 

 those who are more sluggish than themselves. The 

 annexed letter addressed to the Atnerican In.siitute 

 will speak for itself. It shows a public spirited 

 liherality, which is worthy of all praise, and we 

 liope that tlie richest reward will follow this noble 

 effort to advance a national object. 



To the President ami. Trustees of the American In- 

 stitute of Afete York : 



Gentlksien — Wp, the subscribers, being fully 

 convinced that the cultivation and manufacture of 

 silk will ere long become a source, not only of 

 profit, but also of great wealth to the nation ; and 

 being sensible of the new and e-ttraordinary im- 

 pulse which has been given to American enter- 

 prise, by the aid of your liberal bounties ; we 

 wish you to offer the following premium, the 

 amount of which we will forward to you on or 

 before the time specified. We further propose to 

 offer a similar premium for the following year, 

 and request you may intimate the same to the 

 public. 



We also indulge the hope, that the President 

 and Trustees of the American Institute with the 

 view of rendering the experiment still more com- 

 plete, may be induced to offer some other premi- 

 ums, from the funds of their Institution, in aid of 

 this important object; and iu that case, we re- 

 spectfully suggest that piemiums be offered asfol- 

 lows : — 



A premium for the second greatest quantity of 

 sewing silk, &c. which may be produced on one 

 sixteenth of an acre of land. 



A premium for the greatest quantity of cocoons 

 which may be produced On not less than four 

 rods of land, and made into sewing silk. 



A premium on the greatest quantity of leaves, 

 by weight, which may be produced during the 

 season, on not less than four rods of land. The 

 leaves to he gathered in succession, on the 1st and 

 15th of each month. 

 Very respectfully, your humble servants, 

 Wm. Kenrick, of Newton, Mass. 

 Joseph Davenport, of Hartford, Conn. 



Hartford, Feb. 8, 1838. 



P. S. If you conclude to sustain our proposi- 

 tion, will you have the goodness to forward copies 

 of the same, for publication, to the various peii- 

 odicals devoted to agriculture, &c. including the 

 Silk Culturist, at Hartford, Conn, and at a day as 

 early as possible, that our people may make timely 

 preparation for the experiment. Silk-worms' 

 eggs may be had at Messrs Jos. Breck & Co's 

 seed store an<i agricultural warehouse, Nos. 51 

 and 52 North Market street, Boston ; at W. G. 

 Comstock's, oflSce of the Silk Culturist, Hartford. 



We recommend that the premium silk be sold 

 at auction at the conclusion of the fair ; that the 

 whole value of the production, thus ascertained, 

 may go forth in the report of the committee. 



Perhaps it ruay be well to offer a premium for 

 the best practical essay on the culture of the mul- 

 berry and the production of silk, iu the most con- 

 cise form possible, in order that it may, with con- 



venience, be published in every porKidlcal, and in 

 this way come to the eye of every individual in 

 the nation. W. K. &c. 



On or before the first day of October next, we 

 the subscribers, jointly and severally promise to 

 pay to the Treasurer of the American Institute of 

 New York, the sum of one hundred dollars, which 

 amount is to be awarded by the said Institute, as 

 a premium to any person or persons, who shall 

 raise and cause to be manufactured, the greatest 

 quantity of sewing silk, on not less than one six- 

 teenth of an acre of land, by a succession of crops 

 in a single season, and exhibit satisfactory evidence 

 of the same to the committee of the said institute, 

 on or before their next annual exhibition at New 

 York, together with the weight of mulberry leaves 

 consumed, the weight and immber of cocoons pro- 

 duced, and the weight of waste silk and floss, and 

 the number and quality of the trees set on the 

 land. The amount of land, and also the weight 

 of leaves which may from necessity be borrowed 

 from any other source to complete the experiment, 

 together with all the material facts, to be certified 

 to the committee on oath or affirmation. To this 

 statement is also to be subjoined the number and 

 condition of the trees which are produced on the 

 land at the etui of the season. 



William Kekrick, of Newton, Mass. 



Joseph Dave.^port, Hartford, Conn. 



J. & F. WiNSHip, Brighton, Mass. 



Joseph Breck & Co., Boston, Mass. 



J. G. Davenport, Middletown, N. J. 



Saml. R. Gummere, Burlington, N. J. 



Caleb R. Smith, Burlington, N. J. 



William R. Allen, Burlington, N. J. 



Chaoncy Stone, Burlington, N. J. 



Frank Ckenets, Burlington, N. J. 

 Hartford, Conn. Feb. 8, 1838. 



THE CULTURE OF SILK. 



We had the satisfaction, a few Jays since, of 

 noticing the liberal offers made by certain eastern 

 gentlemen, to the American Institute, for the dis- 

 tribution of premiums to the cultivators of silk in 

 the United States. The Institute has since had a 

 meeting, and having considered the offer made to 

 it, passed the subjoined resolutions. We are con- 

 fident that this movement will be attended with 

 advantage, and that the next exhibition will prove 

 it. We wish that our state legislature would be- 

 stir themselves on the importance of encouraging 

 the culture of silk, and that the memorials of sci- 

 entific and enterprising individuals would meet 

 with some encouragement. W^e have never heard 

 what become of Sig. Tinelli's application ; but we 

 believe that if it had been attended to, and his pe- 

 tition been granted. New York would in a very 

 few years have taken the lead in cultivating and 

 uumi<^acturiug silk. The probability is, that the 

 best opportunity has been lost to us, of acquiring 

 an ascendency among the other states in this im- 

 portant branch of industry, and that Pennsylvania 

 will outstrip us in the race and keep the lead for- 

 ever. 



Resolved, That the proposition made to the 

 American Institute by Messrs Kenrick and Daven- 

 port, be accepted, and the Corresponding Secre- 

 tary be directed to inform those gentlemen that 

 the necessary measures will be taken to carry their 

 fishes into effect. 



Resolved, That as it has been the general prac- 

 tice of this institution not to bestow out of their 



own funds other premiums than medals and di. 

 plomas, and it is not considered ex()ediei)t in the 



present case to depart from that practice these, 



however, will be freely bestowed in the encour- 

 agement of the silk culture. But the institute will 

 derive much pleasure in awardingsuch premiums 

 for meritorious articles, as the means placed at 

 their disposal for that purpose, either by individu- 

 als or associations, will warrant; and the institute 

 will be disposed to conform the distribution of the 

 rewards to such articles or quantities of articles 

 as the munificent donors may recommend. And 

 it will be particularly gratifying to become the 

 medium of encouraging so important a branch of 

 national industry as tlie growth of silk, which, 

 from all appearances, will soon become one of the 

 great staples of the country. 



Resolved, That the Corresponding Secretary 

 cause these resolutions to be published, and also 

 the proposition of Messrs Kenrick and Davenport, 

 in order that those disposed to contribute towards 

 the advancement of this new and important branch 

 of our national prosperity, by adding to the num- 

 ber or amount of premiums to be awarded there- 

 for, at the next animal fair, may have the oppor- 

 tunity to make their wishes and intentions known, 

 in time to give sufficient notice to the public, or 

 such persons as will be likely to becolne competi- 

 tors for the premiums to be offered. 



DR. IVES ON HORTICULTURE. 



Horticulture, in its simplest form, treats of the 

 improvement of the qualities of vegetables, flowers 

 and fruits; or, i:i other words, it is the art which 

 comprehends the various methods of producing 

 all sorts of fruits, vegetables, roots, herbs and 

 plants, for the sujiport and luxury of mankind. — 

 It is the most perfect and productive mode of cul- 

 tivation, confined within narrow limits. In its 

 higher departments, it assumes the character of 

 the elegant arts, and teaches the disposition o{ 

 grounds and gardens. 



Its moral tendency. — " The practice of horticul- 

 ture has a happy influence on the morals of the 

 community. The contemplation of whatever is 

 beautiful serves to refine the taste and elevate the 

 mind. The beauties of the fine arts, painting and 

 sculpture, may find a substitute in the forms of 

 vegetable life not le.ss curious or beautiful. The 

 beauties of the garden, are within the reach of the 

 great mass of the population. 



It becomes the philosopher, the politician, the 

 moralist; indeed it is incumbent on all classes of 

 society to encourage gardening in our republican 

 country. Every conuiiunity must have its amuse- 

 ments ; those of a moral tendency should be pre- 

 ferred. The objection on »lie score of morals,, 

 brought against some of the amusements of large 

 cities, cannot be urged against horticulture. It is 

 believed that a public exhibition of fruits and; 

 flowers every month, in those parts of the year 

 which are favorable, would have a good nioral 

 tendency, and excite emulation among the culti*. 

 vators, and would be accompanied by a very tri- 

 fling expense, if a general interest were once ex« 

 cited. 



Markets. — Wheat in Zanesville ninety cents 

 per bushel ; flour $5 50 per barrel. Produce 

 of all kinds, promises excepted, exorbitantly dear. 

 May 9, 1838. 



