No. 17. 



Jl .Mulberry Plantation. 



333 



is the spoiling of the nest, the invention ofi 

 new and the use of their old and destructive 

 snares, and the more immediate devastatioas 

 of gun and bow, and missile. Let our sturdy 

 farmers hold themselves forth as steadfast re- 

 sisters of every such act, and more particu- 

 larly of every entry, for this purpose, upon 

 the lands for which, as stewards of our coun- 

 try's prosperity, they are more immediately 

 responsible; let them do this work with all 

 their migiit, and again we say we look not 

 Leyond them for ultimate success. To en- 

 courage such an action, to make it more 

 Tiniversal and more strong, to embody public 

 sentiment, to warm to feeling and e.xerticm 

 by comparison of views and mutual counsel, 

 to reciprocate alarm and warning, to give a 

 salutary tone to public aim, and to throw a 

 greater light upon the subject, the assembled 

 strength of our agricultural community 

 might do wonders. Let them meet in their 

 power and give a start to the object in view, 

 a fair experunent to the means which lie in 

 their own power as teachers of the young 

 and possessors of the soil, and some good may 

 be done — the ball of reform may be set in mo- 

 tion. But as we have said before we are not 

 over-sanguine in our hope concerning the 

 success of any or all these schemes and ap- 

 peals; we look high for the source of assist- 

 ance and remedial action, to which we think 

 the way lies clear, our readers will pardon 

 us if we retrogade in presenting it. 



To foster and protect the agricultural in- 

 terests of the community is a high and sacred 

 duty of every government, but especially of 

 one which boasts itself republican. Agricul- 

 ture, to use the language of another, " is the 

 breast from which the state draws its sup- 

 port and nourishment;'' and we may add, it 

 is the great index of prosperity and refine- 

 ment. It is the great popular pursuit. The 

 resource of indigent, but enlightened indus- 

 try ; the reservoir of large and busy, but 

 stable capital ; the mild seducer from idle- 

 ness and worthlessness ; the quiet and hono- 

 rable retreat of reformed or high minded 

 poverty, the first love of those who grow 

 weary of the crowd and hum of a city, the 

 last love of those who retire upon wealth or 

 a competency. It should be the protege of 

 those in power, the representatives of con- 

 stituents who are its zealous votaries. 



We look then to legislative enactment for 

 our remedy. It protects game for sportsmen, 

 who disregard ail fear of trespass in its pur- 

 suit. In many states it offers a l^rge reward 

 for the destruction of the noxious birds, whose 

 numbers are small, but whose paid destruc- 

 tion is of evident injury to the farmer ! Those 

 who take advantage of the bounty offered be- 

 ing, usually, miscreants who care no more 

 fe>r the laws of property, than for the lives of] 



the myriads of serviceable birds which fall in 

 common with the proscribed species. We 

 look to legislative power for the uprooting 

 and extermination of this evil. Will not 

 our representatives protect their constituents 

 and their country! 



We will not stay to specify the particulars 

 of the law which we would wish to be fulmi- 

 nated an-ainst this evil. We would only say 

 that with half the ingenuity which is yearly 

 expended upon more favorite enactments, the 

 power of offended government might be 

 readily brought to bear upon offenders, by a 

 well contrived system of rewards to discovery 

 and prevention, and punishments to trans- 

 gression. This united with and enforced by 

 tlie labors of possessors of the soil, and 

 trainers of the young, would soon be effec- 

 tual, in the attainment of our object. 



In concluding these remarks will the 

 reader pardon us in again reiterating the im- 

 portance of the subject. The evil done by 

 insects is often unseen and unknown, but 

 enormous ; the number of their destroyers is 

 fast decreasing, and can never be renewed ; 

 without them we are helpless; and agricul- 

 ture deprived of servants and services which 

 cannot be replaced.* 



A MsHlbcri'y Plantation. 



In the selection of a site for a mulberry plan- 

 tation, the following considerations should be 

 strictly observed : 



1. — The soil should be sandy, gravelly, or 

 I~ght loam, with a loose subsoil in either case, 

 because these are the soils that the mulberry 

 delights in. 



2. — The situation should be high and dry, 

 with a southern exposure, because^ first, high 

 situations are less affected by the frost, there 

 being a difference of about 14 degrees be- 

 tween the temperature of elevated and very 

 low situations, — and secondly, because vege- 

 tion is earlier on a southern exposure than on 

 any other, and the mulberry planted thereon 

 would afford foliage two weeks earlier than 

 on others. 



3. — The mulberry orchards would be best 

 if protected by a woodson the north and west: 

 should there be no woods, a hedge of white 

 mulberry might be raised in a few years, with 

 but little trouble : and this, in addition to keep- 

 ing off the piercing winds of winter, would 

 afford considerable foliage for feeding. 



4. — Tlie water should be soft, such as 

 promptly yields a rich lather in the operation 

 of washing, as without the water is soft the 

 cocoons do not wind oft'well. Water impreg- 

 nated with iron or limestone is particularly 

 unfavorable to the operation of reeling. 



Fanner <f Gardener. 



•Will the autlioi- inform us when and where we may 

 have an interview with hira. 



