66 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



as well as more pleasant, than that wliicli is warm- 

 ed by common iron stoves. 



This stove admits of various forms and modifi- 

 cations, as well as different sizes and prices, too 

 numerous to he here described. Its principal ad- 

 vantages consist in its giving a wholesome and 

 agreeable warmth, its being easily set up and taken 

 down in any location, the steam apparatus remo- 

 vable with nearly as much facility as the lid of a 

 tea kettle. ,j. j, p 



A portable apparatus, something like the above, 

 is coming into use in green houses in England; 

 but fro/n the plans we have seen, it does not a"- 

 pear so simple as tliat liere described. j. e. t. 



SEPT. 9, 1835 



[From the Practical I'armer.J 



FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS KEI,ATIVE TO 

 THE CULTCJRE OP SILK. 



Silk AS a non-conductor of electricity and 



A HEALTHY ARTICLE OF APPAREL. !t is Well kllown 



that electricity is a very ],owerful as well as mys- 

 terious agent ; and it is believed to be ti-ue that a 

 certain proportion of that extremely subtle, and 

 generally invisible fluid, is as necessary to good 

 health as air to animal life. When there Is a 

 want of a due supidy of electricity in our bodies, 

 we are languid, low spirited, and suffer under a 

 sort of tedium vita, (weariness of life,) which is 

 quite as insupportable as actual and acute pain. 

 When these feelings occur, we complain of hypo- 

 chondria, and a want of energy, mental and cor- 

 poreal — the world seems a blank, and existence 

 a burthen. We do not suspect, what is most com- 

 monly the case, that a damp atmosphere is every 

 moment robbing us of ekctricity, by virtue of its 

 powers as a conductor or carrier of that indisjien- 

 sable requisite to health and enjoyment. 



In dry weather, whether the air be warm, or 

 cold, we feel light and vigorous, because dry air 

 being a slow conductor of electricity leaves us to 

 enjoy its luxuries, and we are in what is called 

 good spirits. But in -wet weather, when 



" Sleep d in continual rains, or willi raw fogs 

 Bedew'd, our seasons droop ; incumbered still 

 A pond'rous beav'n oerwhelnis the sinking soul ; " 



we feel oppressed and heavy as if we had sudden- 

 ly become inmates of the " Castle of Indolence," 

 where 



" Lethargy, with deadly sleep opprest, 



Stretched on Ins back, a mighty lubbard, lies 

 Heaving his sides, and snoring night and day." 



If, however, we can retain in the corporeal system 

 in wet weather, the electricity which is the source, 

 if not identical with animal spirits, that indescri- 

 bable feeling of enjoyment which flows from rig. 

 orous health is ours in full extent. 1 his can only 

 be accomplished by keeping our bodies enc'osed 

 by non-conductors of the electric fluid. And the 

 best non-conducting substance is silk, which is so 

 excellent a barrier against the transmission of that 

 subtle but mighty agent, that the most vivid and 

 powerful discharge which ever emanated from 

 Heaven's electrical apjiaratus, in the flash of light- 

 ning and the roar of thunder, cannot j)ass through 

 a silk handkerchief of the slightest texture, provi- 

 ded it be thoroughly dry. Persons, therefore, of 

 feeble animation, who are apt to become listless 

 and low-spirited in damp weather, will find silk 

 waistcoats, drawers, and stockings, the most per- 

 fect, powerful and innocent of all cordials. Flan- 

 nel will answer a similar pur|,osc, hut in a smaller 

 degree. Wash-leather is also a non-conductor of 



electricity, and may be used by those who prefer 

 ■t, but is more apt to be clogged bv perspirable 

 matter, issuing from the pores. Silk is, however, 

 on every account the best ; and those who are 

 averse to the wearing of flannel next to the skin 

 will find equal benefit by substituting cotton shirts, 

 drawers and stockings, with silk over them ; or 

 where more heat is reiiuired, flannel between the 

 cotton and silk, for the silk should always be out- 

 ermost. 



An English writer says— "Silk should be used 

 111 every possible way by the weak, in the linings 

 of sleeves, in the stiffenings of neck cloths, in the 

 entire backs of surtouts, cloaks, mantles, and even 

 in the coveriets of beds, &c. and where health is 

 in question, it will be found to be the most eco- 

 nomical stuff that cqn be used, as it wiil save 

 many an apothecary's bill. When it can be made 

 a principal means of preventing consumption, 

 rheumatism, gout, inflammation, ine'ancholy, mad- 

 ness, and even suici(!e itself, no expense ou.'ht to 

 be spared." "^ 



MEDICAL AND OTHER VALUABLE PROPERTIES OF 

 SiLK. 



In the British Annual Register, for 1829, vol. 

 Ixxi. it is stated, that " A silk covering of the tex- 

 ture of a common handkerchief, is said to possess 

 the peculiar property of resisting the noxious in- 

 fluence, and neutralizing the eiffects of ma'aria 

 (foul air from marshes). If, as is supposed, the 

 Iioisonous matter is received into the system 

 through the lungs, it may not be difiicult to ac- 

 count for the action of this very simple preventive : 

 it is well known that such is the nature of malaria 

 poison, that it is easily decomposed by even feeble 

 chemical agents. Now it is probable that the 

 heated air proceeding from the lungs mav form 

 an atmosphere within the veil of silk, of "power 

 sufficient to decompose the miasma in its passage 

 to the mouth ; ahhough it may be equally true 

 that the texture of the silk covering may act me- 

 chanicdlly as a non-conductor, and prove an im- 

 l)edinient to the transmission of the deleterious 

 substance." 



Ifa silk veil will preserve against the deleteri- 

 ous effects of those exha'atioiis, which, on the bor- 

 ders of our western lakes, and in many other parts 

 of our country, | reduce ague and fever, silk would 

 be worth more for that use alone than all the gold 

 and jewels that ever glistened. Besides, if silk 

 coverings for the head are eflicacious to ])reserve 

 against malaria, the presumption is, that they 

 would guard against the foul air of sick chambers, 

 where patients suffer under contagious diseases,' 

 and indeed against bad air of every kind and de- 

 scription. The more we examine the nature and 

 uses of silk, the stronge^- the inducements ajipeur 

 to engage the industry and ingenuity of tlie good 

 people of these United Stales in the culture and 

 manufacture of that precious article. 



It was observed by Dr Deane, in 1793, that 

 "The only mulberry in any degree proper for the 

 food or successful culture of silk worms is the 

 white mulberry. [The Chinese Mulberry, and 

 some other sorts of mulberry, were not then 

 known in this country.] All attempts to raise 

 them on the common black mulberry will be un- 

 successful." 



The same writer observed, " If we are not dis- 

 posed to make use of mulberry trees for the feed- 

 ing of silk worms, they would pay for the trouble 

 of rearing them by their fruit and timber." 



It is much in favor of the culture of the mul- 

 berry tree, that its roots strike very deep into the 

 ground, so that the surface not being impoverished 

 as it is by many trees, whose roots are found more 

 in the upper soil, other kinds of cultivation may 

 be I rosccuted around it. Neither its shade, nor 

 the dropping of rain from its leaves, is considered 

 prejudicial to plants growing beneath it. * 



USES OF inv. MULBERRY TREE. 



The wood of the mulberry free is used for 

 many purposes. Its being compact, pliant, and 

 hard, capable of receiving a good polish, causes it 

 to be sought by upholsterers, turners, and carvers. 

 Its strength makes it u.sefiil to the joiner, and its 

 power of resisting the action of water almost as 

 well as oak, makes it good timber for building 

 boats. It is also a very good wood for fuel, and 

 is well adapted for making charcoal. I 



Mayet sur k culture du Miirier. j 



(JRAND SILK MACHINERY. 



Mr Lambe, of Derby, Eng. having, in the dis- 

 guise of a common workman, succeeded in takin"- 

 accurate drawings of silk-throwing macJiinerv in 

 Piedmont, erected a stupendous mill for that pur- 

 pose on' the river Derwent at Derby, and obtained 

 a ])atent for the sole and exclusive property in the 

 same during the space of fourteen years! This 

 grand machine was constructed with 26 586 

 wheels, and 97,746 movements, which worked 

 73,726 yards of organzine silk thread with every 

 revolution of the water wheel whereby the ma- 

 chinery was actuated ; and as this revolved three 

 times in each minute, the almost inconceivable 

 luantity of 318,504,960 yards of organzine could 

 be proiluced daily. Only one water wheel was 

 ein[)loyed to give motion to tlie whole of this ma- 

 chinery, the contrivance of which speaks highly 

 for that of the constructor, who possessed the 

 means of controlling and stojjpiiig anyone or more 

 of the movements at pleasure, without obstructing 

 the continued action of the rest, qhe buildin^ 

 wherein this machinery was erected was of great 

 extent, being five stories in height, and occupying 

 one-eighth of a mile ip length. So long a time 

 was occupied in the construction of this machine- 

 ry, and so vast was the outiay which it occasioned, 

 that the original duration of the patent proved in- 

 sufiicient for the adequate remuneration of its en- 

 surprising founder, who, on these grounds, applied 

 to parlininent for an extension of the term for 

 which his jirivLege had been granted. This, how- 

 ever, in consideration of the great national impor- 

 tance of the object, which was opposed to its 

 continued limitation in the hands of any individ- 

 ual, was not granted ; but pariiament voted the 

 sum of 14,000 pounds to Sir Thomas Lambe, as 

 some consideration for the eminent service ren- 

 dered by him to the nation, in discovering and 

 bringing to perfection, at great expense, a work so 

 beneficial to the kingdom ; the grant being made 

 on the sole condition, that competent perscuis 

 should be afovved to execute an exact model of 

 the machinery, to be deposited in such a piace as 

 his Majesty should appoint, in order to perpetuate 

 the manulacture. 



SlLK-THROWlNG MILL. 



lu a throwing mill (or manufactory in which 

 raw si k is j repared for the weaver) situated in 



* Dr Lardner. 



