«86_ 



ij^ seed, ami give fair promise of adai.tali<fn to 

 ihis i-liniate. 



Ill a more favored clime, thr last year, tliest 

 trees attained a mucli greater heiglit, and larger 

 leaf, than in this plac-i-. . 



4 Rfispeotiniv the btsi mode of i^ultivation, strip- 

 ping, value, expense and profit, »f an acre of mul- 

 berry, 1 sliall "ot only comnmnicate my own ex- 

 perience, l.nt that of the .iK.st skilful cultivators in 



this region. ,, 



In this dimaic, the culture, setting out mi.lheriN 



roots, or cuttings, commences at the usual time o 

 making our gardens, after the spring frosts, and 

 when the earth has been suitably warmed by the 

 s,i„_last of April or beginning of May ; and soon 

 as the foliage has grown to the size o! an applet- 

 leaf, or the full size of the white mulberry lent, 

 (about the 15th or 20th of June,) the eggs may he 

 brought out for hatching ; and, if they can be kept 

 back so as to be hatched at different limes, as the 

 foliage multiplies, the cultivator will have the ad- 

 vantage of several crops in succession from the 

 same lot of eggs— a much better way than to 

 breed in-and-w, as it is called. Eggs may he pre- 

 served during winter in n cool place; ireezmg 

 does not injure them ; hut before spring, they 

 should be secured in glass buttles, corked tight, to 

 exclude the external air, and each bottle of eggs 

 put into an ice-house, placed on a cake of ice; if 

 set upon a shelf, they would hatch, even in an 

 ice-house. Eggs thus secured, may be kept back, 

 save much labor, time, and expense. As one class 

 of worms are advanced, another can succeed them 

 on the same shelves or hurdles. In this way,the 

 same number of trees w.mhl feed double the usual 

 quantity of worms. 



In gathering the foliage, the buds must not be 

 iniured nor the rxtremc ends of the limbs <le. 

 prived of the leaves, leaving two or three leaves 

 at the end untouched ; commencing on one side 

 of the field, and when once gone over, there will 

 be a new crop of leaves ready at the place of be- 

 ginning; and thus the foliage may be gathered 

 several times from the same shrub or tree, wheth- 

 er the product of a root or cutting. I had roots- 

 and cuttings set out last spring, the foliage of 

 which was gathered three or four times from the 

 same trees, without injury ; indeed, the trees ap- 

 parently grow better by having the leaves taken 

 off so frequentlv, always leaving the buds unin- 

 iure.l and the e.vtreme en<ls of the branches with- 

 out s'tripping. Instea.l of stripping the leaves 

 each leaf should be taken separate ; it the hud 

 should be injured, it would be spoiled for a cut- 

 ting or even foliage. Freciuent defoliation of the 

 mulberrv does not injure it, although such treat- 

 ment would spoil some other trees. 



When trees are started from cuttings, it will 

 often be i-ouiid that a shoot will grow several m- 

 ches before there is any root formed ; in this case 

 the support is derived from the atmosphere, m- 

 ■ stead of any assistance fftjm the root, as is usual 

 with other trees. 



Ve"etal.les of rapid growth are said to perspire 

 their \veight in twenty-four hours ; this rapid 

 evaporation or perspiration will account for sc 

 many cu.tiiigs failing to bjcome trees ; the leaves 

 become discolored, wilt, and the plant is mined. 

 But to avoid this, let the cuttings be watered in 

 dry weather, and take off the leaves until roots 

 shall lie formed 



NEW ENGLAND FAR MER, 



vent the weeds growing ; but not after the first of 

 August, that the trees may have opportunity to 

 form wood ; and the location must be so elevated 

 and dry as to he out of the way of water setting 

 near the plants. 



Respecting the vah<e of an acre set with mulberry, 

 it depends on the price of the mulberry and number 

 of trees set therein. If the trees r.re set 2 1-2 feet 

 apiirt in the rows, and the rows 3 feet apart, an 

 a.re would take 5,808 trees, which, at 25 cents 

 each, would be worth 1,452 dollars. So.ne pre- 

 fer to have the rows 4 feet apart, and 2 feet apart 

 in the row; in this case it would require 5,44.5 

 trees to the acre. Hut provi.led an acre of ground 

 «hall be set with cuttings, the rows 2 feet apart, 

 and 1 1-2 foot apart in the rows, 14,520 cuttings 

 n.ight be set in an ocre, which, a, $30 cost per , 

 1 000 or 3 cents, would amount to §4.d3 60 to 

 swcU an acre. It may he understood that a pur- 

 chaser wishing to stock an acre of ground, the 

 trees and cuttings could be purchased at a less 

 price than above stated. 



Takin" into consideration the number of trees 

 the mos^ proper for an acre, and a reasonable 

 piice for the trees, the average price of an acre o 

 land set with mulberries, including the land, might 

 be worth from 750 to 1,000 dollars investment 



The cultivation of an acre of mulberry would, 

 of it.self, be no more than that of an acre of corn ; 

 but, including the gathering the leaves, /eeAr,^ the 

 wonns, and reeling the silk, need not exceed 200 

 dollars. The projils of an acre oi mulhen-y would 

 depend upon the fidelity with which the worms 

 are fed, and the quantity of raw silk made fioiii 

 the cocoons. 



Some cultivators assert than an acre of ground 



set with mulberry will, the second year, produce 



foliage sufficient to fee.l 1,OOL,000 of worms and 



that number of cocoons will make 333 1-2 lbs. ol 



I have no personal knowledge of one acre 



baving been set apart for that purpose ; but from 

 experiments made with a certain number of trees 

 in proportion to the acre, it has been ascertained 

 that 100 lbs. of raw silk may be made from an 

 acre the first year of setting out ; and if the roots 

 can l)e preserved without removal during the win- 

 ter a much greater quantity of foliage would be 

 fur'i.ished, and, of course, a greater quantity of 

 silk might be made the second and third year; so 

 that the maximum might be 300 lbs. or more of 

 silk to the acre. But assuming the minimum 

 quantity, (100 Ihs. from an acre,) it would yield 

 the cultivator a greater profit than frotn any othei 

 ■product from the soil. 



The last year I requested several cultivators to 

 make thorough experiments to ascertain the cer- 

 tain profits of an acre. Only one, however, met 

 the application with the precision desired. He, | 

 by strict economy of time, labor, ard expense, a - 

 thou-h he gave three dollars per week and board, 

 to two experienced females, as teachers m g«ther- 

 ing foliage, feeding worms, and reeling silk, found 

 ,!,:, his silk cost him only Uvo dollars the pound, 

 and estimates his silk worth at least six to seven 

 dollars the pound, on account of excellency of he 

 reeling, fV.r which he lu.s the liberal bounty of the 

 State, Tind also a preniiutn from the Agrnuiltura 

 Society. The quantity and value of silk depend 

 on the skill and perfection of reeling. 



The value of American silk far ^^^eeds the im-^ 



JUNE 13. 1838. 



;;;^j;;;;;;r;;n77probably worth 25 per cem. over 

 the imported article of raw silk. 



The same cultivator informs me that, the last 

 year, being a year of experiment, attended with 

 Ls of time and expense, which he can avoid 

 another year, he feels confident that he can here- 

 after make raw silk at $1 50 per pound. 

 I 5 Respecting the most valuable silk-worm :— 

 Perhaps the large gray or black one-crop worm 

 I on all accounts is equal to any other I here are 

 several varieties of worms-one called the two- 

 crop worm ; but one good yield is worth more 

 than two poor ones, with imperfect cocoons. 



In China, where several crops are taken in suc- 

 cession, from hatching eggs of the prcce.ling crop, 

 it has been found lluit the quality of each suc- 

 i ceeding crop of silk is deteriorate.l, and that silk 

 ai-own in the elevated or northern regions of Chi- 

 na uniformly commands or obtains 20 per cent. 

 more fiir any quantity of silk, than for silk grown 

 in the warmer latitudes ; and for the same tea- 

 sons that American silk is superior to that impor- 

 ted It has been thought that the Chinese seldom 

 or never export the silk grown in the cool regions, 

 but that it is retained for the superior fabrics.— 

 V..S to be of gooil quality, must have the ma- 

 tndty' of age. The usual time of hatching the 

 first parcel of eggs, in this chmale, is from the 15th 

 to the 20tli of June, or as soon as the mulberry 

 leaves have a size to commence gathcnng. 3000 

 worms (or even 2000 or 2400, if well attended ) 

 ' will make cocoons sufficient for one pound of silk 

 The quantity, quality and value, and market of 

 cocoons, depend very much on the attention o 

 feeding the worms, ventilation and cleanliness of 

 the cocoonery ; in cold seasons the worms . o not 

 make so perfect cocoons as when the weather is 

 mild during the time of feeding . 



As to a market for cocoons, the several silk fac 

 tories and reeling establishments will readily pur- 

 chase or reel them on hire ; and that the producei 

 should receive the benefit of good cocoons, insteao 

 of purchasing by the pound, a fair price would b« 

 .iven for any quantity yielding a pound of sifff 

 The cultivator must, therefore, see the propriety 

 of so faithfully feeding the worms as to produc. 

 hard and sound cocoons. 



But the cultivator would derive the greates 

 profit by reeling his own cocoons, as every fanul; 

 might do with very little expense. 



6 The Legislature of Massachusetts give a gen 

 erous bounty to encourage the growth of silk- 

 about sufficient to cover all the expense of gath 

 erin<r the leaves, feeding the worms, and reelm 

 the silk ; so that every pound of silk raised an 

 made in Massachusetts may be considered a clei 

 profit to the cultivator; rent of the l-<"d, '^'^'^ 

 and interest of investment not included. Neve 

 theless, even these items may he overcome in. 

 very short time. 



The Legislature of Massachusetts offer a boull 



i 



11 111; vniut ui *-i..*v. 

 _ =:i;"^Lr;SiS™--»- 



,V on the uiauulactureof beets into sugar, of tl 

 cents on the ,,ound-prolubly .sufficient to co 

 the expense of manufacture. 



Fhially. On the subject of mulberry and si 

 al,hou-;li it has engrossed much of my time • 

 attentimi, un.ier the most anxious sohclude lo 

 success, and with the persuasion that it would \\ 

 tinuitely be fouini the most lucrative busiij^ 

 which the cultivator of the soil could pursue i 

 that any certain infallible rules and modes of pi 

 cedure can at this early stage of the business^ 

 pointed out as applicable to all future years, I 



