1836] 



F A R ]\I E R S' REGISTER. 



127 



fitabh must it be, in lower and middle Virginia. We 

 have superior advantages, (for this purpose,) to our 

 northern brethren, in our warmer cHmatc and longer 

 summers — the very low prices of lands —and also in 

 a large amount of labor, altogether suitable, and which 

 yields nothing for other purposes. Lands in the central 

 region, exhausted and hilly, but well suited for the 

 growth of the mulberry, may be now bought at $2 or 

 $3 the acre. For land of much less value for silk cul- 

 ture, the silk companies of the north seldom pay less 

 than $100 the acre. So great is the difference in these 

 respects, that we have long entertained the opinion, that 

 by far the best course that a northern silk company 

 could take, would be to establish its operations on a 

 large scale on lands in Virginia. 



There is an establishment already existing in Pe- 

 tersbur"-, which is admirably suited to be devoted in 

 part to raising silk. This is the Poor House Farm. 

 This establishment is unusually well regulated, and 

 has already every thing necessary to carry on the silk 

 business on a large scale, except the mulberry trees, 

 and a cheap additional building for a cocoonery. 

 There is enough and good land to plant— plenty of suit- 

 able labor, there being usually 30 or more young or 

 infirm paupers, most of whom are fully competent 

 to attend to this light work, and whom it is impossible 

 now to employ, profitably, if at all; and moreover, 

 there is already existing, that constant and excellent 

 supervision and strict attention, which is indispensa- 

 ble to the success of the silk business, and which it 

 would be both cosUy and diflicult to obtain for a new 

 establishment. Nor would the adoption of this sug- 

 gestion create a rival to the silk company just formed. 

 On the contrary, every like experiment would serve to 

 aid and increase the lights, and to lessen, by sharing 

 the losses, caused by inexperience, of every other new 

 establishment. There is no danger of overstocking the 

 silk market, e\en if silk was cultivated on every farm 

 in Virginia, between the falls of the rivers and the 

 mountains. 



In all the Northern states, individuals and societies 

 are every where going into the silk business. Many 

 and large capitals are already invested— and every 

 week there are annunciations of other new undertak- 

 ings. No one there expresses even a doubt of the suc- 

 cess and profit of the business: and it should be re- 

 membered that silk culture has already been carried on 

 profitably for more than half a century in Connecticut. 



Wherever the white mulberry tree grows, (no matter 

 of what color the fruit may be,) proprietors ought to 

 save the seeds of the present crop, as largely as possi- 

 ble. There can be no crop planted that will yield more 

 profit, for sale, than the young trees, unless it be of the 

 still more valuable Chinese mulberry. The white 

 mulberry grows abundantly along the shores and banks 

 of James River, and probably on all our tide waters. 



So much of the eastern half as is favorable to 

 wheat, (and all the soil may be made favorable,) 

 produces that jirain in the greatest perfection, and 

 of which the Hour is the best suited lor preserva- 

 tion and use in tro[iical cIlMintes; and no wheat can 

 now be advantageeusiy raised tartlier south, 'i^ the 

 tide-water region ot' ihe United Slates. For the 

 latter reason, our wheat is the earliest matured 

 that can possibly reach the Northern Atlantic 

 cities — consequently, nature gives us a monopoly 

 ot'the best markets Ibr this product, and which are 

 yearly and rapidly increasing in their demand. 

 Another advantage we share with our adjacent 

 sister Slates. It is, that owing to the nature and 

 varied times of our harvests, our land can never 

 be visited by the horrors ofliinune — which no de- 

 gree of fertility of soil, or of industry of the culti- 

 vators, can elsewhere always guard against. In 

 the greater part of Europe, and in many other 

 countries, all the great crops for the food of man, 

 are matured nearly at the same time; and a very 

 destructive season for one of them, is likely to in- 

 jure all, in a considerable degree. A general fail- 

 ure, or gr'^at deficiency of crops, is therefore not a 

 very rare event — and when such scarcity occurs, 

 an' entire year must pass before another harvest 

 can bring relief Hence, under such circumstan- 

 ces, no amount of national wealth, and no foreign 

 aid whatever, can prevent famine in a populous 

 country, if even one-third of the usual means for 

 subsistence should be wanting. Here, our most 

 abundant crop, Indian corn, is fully matured at the 

 commencement of cold weather, and its consump- 

 tion is not generally begun sooner. But if pre- 

 vious scarcity require, its use for food may be 

 commenced two or three months earlier. Our 

 wheat and other small grain crops are reaped 

 early in summer — and by enlarging the seeding, 

 they may be increased to any desirable extent be- 

 yond their usual quantity, if re(|uired by the de- 

 ficiency of the previous crop of corn. The value 

 of this security against famine, is not the less a 

 blessing, because we have not appreciated it, and 

 have scarcely imagined the possibility of the oc- 

 currence of such miseries as often afflict other na-* 

 tions. « # * * 



PECULIAR ADVANTAGES OF VIRGINIA IN AG- 

 RICULTURAL, PRODUCTS. 



To tlie Editor of tlie Farmers' Register. 



* * * * Virginia possesses some 

 Rgricukural advantages peculiar to her position. 



From tlie New England Farmer. 

 ATLANTIC SILK COMPANY. 



Extract of a letter from Col. Gardener, of Nan- 

 tucket. 



We shall commence manufacturing silk goods 

 in two or three weeks. We have one invoice of 

 India and one of Naples silk on hand, and we are 

 daily expecting an invoice from Smyrna, and have 

 also sent orders for a large amount, which will ar- 

 rive in the country in July, or the first of August 

 next. We have had a piece of handkerchiefs sent 

 us (rom the Spitalsfields weavers, and we trust be- 

 fore long to have the pleasure of exhibiting it in 

 Boston with a piece of Nantucket, made from 

 precisely the same stock. In the mean time indi- 

 viduals have commenced setting trees on their 

 own account. I shall put on my farm this spring 

 about eighteen thousand trees, including about 



