140 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



VOL. I. 



Silk Culture. 



The importance of this brancli of agricul- 

 ture is becoming every day more apparent. 

 The soil of ihe Atlantic states, otherwise poor 

 and nm out, is found admirably adapted to 

 the cultivation of the Mulberry, and promises 

 through this source a rich remuneration for 

 the trifling trouble necessary to bring the 

 trees to perfection. If the business is pur- 

 sued with industry and zeal, the old States 

 will be able to compete with the new, in 

 despite of difference of soil and climate. Few 

 farmers have any idea of the vast profit of 

 the silk business. Four hundred and twenty 

 pounds of silk was produced from four acres 

 of ground, near Boston, planted with mul- 

 berry trees. This sillc sold for $3,50 per 

 lb. — amounting to $1470. The labor was 

 performed by four girls, whose attention was 

 required but a small portion of the time. The 

 following statement of the profit of one acre 

 of ground is given by Andrew Palmatier, 

 Esq. of New York: 

 One acre fenced with mulberry 



hedges and set out with 



trees, 250 00 



Interest and additional expenses 



during 5 years, 187 50 



$137 50 



The acre will then produce: 

 From 5 to 10 years - - 20 per cent. 



" 10 to 15 " - - 47 " " 



" 15 to 20 " - - 112 " " 

 after 20 years the average will continue 112 

 per cent.* 



The proportion of silk to the acre has been 

 "variously stated from 40 to 100 lbs. — a fair 

 estimate would probably be about GO, which 

 ^t $3,50 per lb. would be $210— a much 

 larger sum than could be realised in any 

 iO(Vtu3r nj^nner from the same quantity of land. 

 The demand for silk goods has been con- 

 stantly increasing in this country. The im- 

 portations last year amounted to nearly 16 

 millions of dollars, and it is probable that 

 like the cotton busfness, the consumption of 

 this elegant article of dress will more than 

 keep pace with its increased cultivation. 

 When the fact is generally known that any 

 young lady, by a few hours of pleasant re- 

 creation in each week, can clothe herself in a 

 splendid suit of native silk at the low rate of 

 12i cents per yard, there will not be a garden 

 without its mulberry trees nor a chamber 

 without shelves for the accommodation of 

 the industrious spinner. The individual 

 who devotes a portion of his leisure to the 

 introduction oi* this elegant and profitable 

 business should be regarded as a public bene- 

 factor. — Portsmouth Gazette. 



* We preeumc this eitimate i« fixed rather high. 



WATU-HAL IIISTORir. 



l^adiata, Worms, J9n»ect§. 



The radiated animals are so named, on 

 account of the different parts of which they 

 are formed, being placed like rays around a 

 common centre. The star-fish so frequently 

 seen on the English coasts, is a familiar ex- 

 ample of an animal of this class. The Echi- 

 nus Sea-egg, or Sea-urchin, is another in- 

 stance; the shell, which, when the creature 

 is dead, is frequently found on the sands, 

 and which, in that state, bears some resem- 

 blance to an egg, was, when its inhabitant 

 was living, covered with an immense num- 

 ber of spines or prickles, by means of which, 

 as if with legs, it moved from place to place ; 

 on account of these appendages it is called 

 the Sea-urchin, or Hedge-hog. In the 

 smaller species, these spines, when magni- 

 fied, are very beautiful objects. Annexed 

 (Fig. 35) are enlarged representations of 

 three varieties. The animals themselves 



i^^^^?^m^m& 



Fig. 35. 



are curious in their formation, but can only- 

 he seen to advantage when in a living state ; 

 on this account sreat dexterity in the ob- 

 server, and the best opportunities of obser- 

 vation are required ; as the objects must, in 

 all cases, be enclosed in some vessel contain- 

 ing sea-water, and will not live for any 

 length of time if removed from the sea-side. 

 Worms of all kinds present the same diffi- 

 culties of observation as the radiated animals. 

 We give a magnified view of the head of the 

 Echinorhyncus, (Fig. 3(1,) a worm which 

 infests the intestines of animals. A simple 

 inspection will show how difficult it must be 



Fig. ^.—Utad •/ Ika Eckin«rtky%cus. 



