156 



I 



j^dvice Gi^atis. 



Vol. II. 



much reduced. And what more beautiful or 

 interesting employment could a farmer ask 

 for his wite, daughters and sons, than that of 

 tendmg to sili< worms, an occupalion that the 

 empresses and nobility of theeas/ monopolized 

 for centuries. He will also perceive that the 

 cost of dyeing, cleansing and separating the 

 skeins forms a heavy Hem, because it is pre- 

 sumed that this work is to be performed at a 

 dyeing establishment; now the truth is, that 

 any good housewife with the directions con- 

 lamed m the work we had the honor of pub- 

 lishing a year or two ago, may save to her 

 husband all this expense, saving and except- 

 ing about ten cents per each pound of silk, 

 for dye-stuffs, making $22.20. — If, then, we 

 subtract these expenses, which may be saved, 

 it will make a difference in favor ot the cul- 

 tivator of .•jj;795..55. That the dyeing, clean- 

 sing and separating the skeins may be as 

 well done in eacli cultivator's family, we have 

 no hesitation in affirming; for Mr. Brooks ex- 

 hibited to us samples of sewing silk, which 

 had not only been spun by his wife, but 

 cleansed, dyed and put into skeins also, and 

 we do not ask too much for it when we say, 

 that it will lose nothing by comparison with 

 the very best Italian sewings we have ever 

 seen. He also shewed us some specimens of 

 silk handkerchiefs which had been made by 

 his lady, and wove on a common loom ; these 

 for softness, finenes.s, and high finish, were 

 equal to any imported article in the market. 

 The stamping of the figures on these were 

 executed by Halliday, of Lynn, Mass. 



It may not be inopportune before we conclude 

 to irakea few remarks in explanation of our 

 former estimate of the cost of attendants du- 

 ring the process of feeding, which occupies 

 about six weeks at farthest. As we have be- 

 fore premised, that estimate was based on the 

 supposition that the leaves were to be gath- 

 ered from the white Italian JMulberry, and as 

 the leaves of the Morus Multicaulis is nine 

 or ten times larger than those of the former, 

 the expense is consequently reduced in a pro- 

 portionate ratio; but as we like to make fall 

 allowances, we have only in this estimate re- 

 duced the exptmse one half. 



In our Manual we stated that the legisla- 

 ture of Mass. had granted a premium of 50 

 .cents on every pound of reeled silk; they 

 ,have subsequently repealed that act, and now 

 grant a premium of .^l on every lOlbs. of co- 

 ,coons raised in this state; .50 cents per pound 

 on all silk raised and reeled in the state, and 

 50 cents for all silic grown, thrown or twisted 

 in that state : thus giving a premium of $1 

 per pound to the producer and manufacturer 

 of sewing silk, an amount fully equal to all 

 the labor, where it is done as it should be, in 

 one's family. This act of high and exalted 

 patciotis:!] acts as an incentive among her cit- 



izens and is producing the happiest effects 

 upon the interest and well being of that an- 

 cient commonwealth. Should not her noble 

 example urge upon the legi^slatures of the 

 other states of the confederacy to make en- 

 actments granting similar bounties] We 

 think it should. 



We cannot close this article without men- 

 tioning that Mr. Brooks will deliver Reels in 

 Baltimore, competent to perform the work of 

 converting cocoons into sewing silk, for from 

 $40 to $45; his residence is in South Scitu- 

 ate, Massachusetts, where he manufactures 

 them extensively. He has already received 

 premiums, medals, and certificates of excel- 

 lence, from the tbilowing Institutions. 



"The Agricultural Society of Plymouth 

 county, Massachusetts." 



" The State Agricultural Society of Mas- 

 sachusetts.'' 



'•Philadelphia Agricultural Socipfy." 

 "Kennebec (Maine) Agricultural Society." 

 " New York State Agricultural Conven- 

 tion." 



"Fair at Boston, Massachusetts," and the 

 "New York American institute." 



There is much truth in the following ad- 

 vice, given in the Boston Courier; and it 

 might be adopted with benefit in our sections 

 of the country as well as New England: — 

 Advice Gratis. 



A few days ago we heard a hearty and 

 thrifty looking farmer inquiring, in a store in 

 State-street, if the gentleman knew of a place 

 in a store where he could put one of his sons. 

 At the risk of being thought impertinent, we 

 a^ked him if he knew of a place in the coun- 

 try where a boy was wanted to turn up the 

 sod. He said he did not then ; he wanted a 

 hand a while ago, but he hired this man, point- 

 ing to his companion, a hale, hearty man of 

 thirty-five. — This led to some further conver- 

 sation in which we learned, that the farmer 

 thought it best tosend his sons into the city, to 

 learn to trade, particularly if they were not 

 of stout constitutions, and supply their places 

 by hiring men to work on his farm. 



In this opinion the honest farmer is by no 

 means singular, but we apprehend that the 

 advocates of his doctrine lie under a sad mis- 

 take. The love of speculation and the hopes 

 of accumulating an independent fortune, or, 

 at least, a competency, without actual person- 

 al labor, are the curse of New England. — To 

 country boys at 15 or 10, the difficulties of 

 trade and the dangerous uncertainties of 

 shop-keeping are inconceivable. They see 

 nothing but ease and happiness in the em- 

 ployment of the well-dressed clerks of the 

 counting house, and forthwith they must leave 

 the farm, where money is turned up in every 



