OI,. 3nV. NO. 9. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



67 



the neighborhood of Lonilon,thciT arc lOOOswifls 

 employed, with a ]iroportionato iiuniber ol" siiiii- 

 dles. Thoi^e are all put in motion by a steam en- 

 gine, on tlie liigh j'rcssure principle, of si.v horse 

 power, ha\nng a boiler of capacity equal to the pro- 

 duction of steam for an engine of double that 

 force. The surplus steam is emiiloyed in warm- 

 ing and drying the factory. In the establishment, 

 whicli i.i very carefully and ably comliicted, are 

 employed 120 people, mostly yoinig girls, and the 

 «jiiantity of silk thrown during the whole year, 

 the works being constantly employed, is about 13,- 

 000 pounds' weight. The weekly performance 

 varies somewhat, according to the quality of the 

 material under conversion, and also with the hy- 

 grometii; state of the atmosphere ; for which rea- 

 son the yearly working is staled, instead of the 

 result of any one week's operations. 



Dr Lardner's Cabinet Cijclopadia. 



COMMUMIC.\TION FROM THE HON. A. 

 SPENCER. 



Mr Bltdenburgh — I cannot repress the ex- 

 pression of the satisfaction I derived from the 

 perusal of the first number of " The Silkworm," 

 conducted by you. Others, many others, may 

 prefer reading political and partisan newspapers, 

 but to me there is more pleasure in reading and 

 contemplating on the bounties of a munificent 

 Providence in ])roviding so lavislily for the com- 

 forts and enjoyments of man. This remark is 

 illustrated and enforced by contemplating the silk- 

 worm, in its birth, its various changes, its nurture, 

 and finally its fabrication of the cocoon, which 

 yields the finest known materials for fabrics, al- 

 most indispensable to the embellishment and com- 

 fort of the human race. 



I am not one of those who believe that we are 

 the inost virtuous and best informed people on 

 the face of the earth ; nevertheless I do believe 

 that we have among us many, very many, ingeni- 

 ous and inventive men, capable, with jiroper 

 inducements, of carrying to high perfection, and 

 in the simplest manner, the discoveries of past 

 times. We have also an intelligent population, 

 ready and zealous in seizing on any new sources 

 of industry which shall promise an adequate 

 reward for their toil and labor. I think it then 



would wil'ingly devote to any occupation adapted 

 to their capacities. The rearing of ilie worm, and 

 reeling the silk from the cocoons, is the very 

 employment adapted to them. Can it be doubted, 

 then, that the matrons and young women of the 

 country will cheerfully and zealously enter upon 

 an employment so honorable, so profitable, and I 

 may add so national ? I 



My particular purpose in this communication, 

 was to call your attention to an act of the Legis- 

 lature of this State at its last session, which for 

 its wisdom and i)atriotism reflects honor on the 

 State. This law requires the agents and insjiect- 

 ors of the state prisons to cause the manufacture 

 of silk goods to bo introduced and carried on hi 

 those prisons, and for this purpose tliey are au- 

 thorized to purchase as well cocoons raised in this 

 country as the raw material imported, at such 

 prices as they may deem reasonable, and to extend 

 the business, as the same can be prosecuted, in 

 the judgment of the inspectors, with a prospect of 

 ultinjate success. 



The probable and almost certain effects of this 

 law will be to introduce into this State the manu- 

 facture of silk immediately, without waiting inde- 

 finitely the enterprise and patronage of private 

 individuals. The certain effects of the act will 

 be to stimulate and encourage the culture of silk 

 by opening two certain and steady markets for 

 the purchase of cocoons ; and when we reflect 

 that the facilities for transporting cocoons to the 

 prisons are iinequalled, there is every inducement 

 to commence the culture of silk without loss of 

 time. 



There will, however, be a great inducement 

 with our females, by the enhanced price of reeled 

 silk over the cocoons, to reel oft' the silk from the 

 cocoons they produce, and sell it in that shape. 

 They will have their option, either to sell the 

 cocoons, or the silk in its raw state. Those who 

 j)refer tlie latter mode, by the aid of Gay and 

 Mosely's new invented reel, will soon perfect them- 

 selves in the art of reeling. 



AVhat magnificent results must follow a general 

 attention to the culture of silk ! 



We shall avoid a direct annual drain from the 

 United States of more than $10,000,000. This 

 amount, instead of being drawn from the country 

 for the support of foreign agriculturists and me- 

 chanics, will goto reward and invigorate our own 



only necessary to satisfy our agriculturists that 



the culture of silk will be attended with a hand- I jn the course of a few years we shall become 



some profit, to insure its general adoption. I feel exporters of American manufactm-ed silk, as well 



l?('cause, unlike other fruits, grapes do not im- 

 prove in flavor after gathering. 



Why sboidd the crowns he removed from ripo 

 pine-ajjples .' 



Because, when suflTcred to remain, they live 

 upon the fruit till they have sucked out all the 

 goodncs.s. 



Why does an apple, when cut, first appear white, 

 and after a time brownish ? 



Because a fermentation arises from the rest of 

 the fruit absorbing the oxygen of the atmosphere ; 

 the apple having previously been, by its tough, 

 skin, protected from the contact of the air. — DoiXr- 

 ovan. 



Why are certain apples called russetings ? 

 Because of their russet or reddish brown color. 

 Why should raspberries be eaten from the 

 bush ? 



Because their flavor is the mflst fleeting of all 

 fruit. Even a few hours will diminish it, and on 

 the bush the flavor dors not continue above two 

 or three days after the fruit is ripe. If kept for 

 two or three days when gathered, the flavor is 

 almost entirely gone. 



Why are chestnuts best preserved through win- 

 ter in sand .' 



Kecause if there be any maggots in the chest- 

 nuts, they will come out, and work up through 

 the sand to get air. 



Why is fern preferable to straw for the bed 

 between the layers of fruit? 



Because it does not impart that musty flavor 

 which is so often produced by the straw. 



Why are the autumnal fruits, as plums, pears, 

 &c., more crude and indigestible than those of 

 summer ? 



Because, in part, of the state of the constitu- 

 tion. Thus, at the commencement of summer, 

 the -system is more nerved and braced by the at- 

 mosphere of winter and spring, and by the dryer 

 food which necessity obliges us to take at those 

 seasons ; so that the cooling fruits of summer are 

 wholesome from their opening the bowels, &o. 

 But it is not wonderful that a continuance of 

 watery and inutritious food like fruit, should, to- 

 wards the autumn, produce debility in constitu- 

 tions partly predisiiosed to it, by the continual 

 and relaxing heat of the sunmier months. — Knoxv- 

 ledge for the People. 



an entire confidence that you will be able to con 

 vince the most sceptical that the culture of silk 

 will afford to our farmers a richer reward than 

 any other crop they can raise, and that ten acres 

 devoted to the mulberry, and the rearing of the 

 silk-worm, in a farm of one hundred acres, will at 

 the end of five years produce a greater |)rofit than 

 the remaining ninety, however skilfully cultivated. 

 This profit will keep increasing from year to year, 

 in proportion to the growth of the trees ; and 

 when we add to this the fact, that the tending of 

 the worms will require only the labor of women, 

 children and feeble persons, that it interferes not 

 at all with the labor of those who cultivate the 

 ninety acres, and that therefore it is all clear gain, 

 who can doubt of the result ? 



The general substitution of cotton for linen 

 fabrics, which were formerly made by our females, 

 and the introduction of many labor-saving ma- 

 chines, has relieved our women from much man- 

 ual labor, and they have leisure time, which they 



as the raw material. It is a business, too, which 

 cannot be overdone ; the demand will always bear 

 a just proportion to the product. In many coun- 

 tries, particularly Great Britain, the climate is not 

 genial to the worm ; while in oyrs.it is established 

 beyond controversy, that we may produce, with 

 proper care and skill, silk of as fine a texture and 

 lustre as is produced in Italy or France. — iV. Y. 

 Farmer, 



Fruit. Why are some fruits improved in 

 sweetness by drying or half withering on the 

 trees ? 



Because their watery parts thus exhale, and the 

 sugar is virtually increased in quantity. 



Why should grapes hang on the vine until they 

 are perfectly ripe ? 



Because unripe bunches never get any riper 

 after they are gathered. 



Why should grapes be eaten soon after they are 

 gathered .' 



The points of a fin'f. Bakewell Buck. — 

 One of the most distinguished agriculturists of the 

 north, recently in writing to us, prescribes the 

 following as the points to be looked for in a fine 

 Bakewell buck — 



Short head, broad forehead, straight hack, full 

 chest, broad loins, close twist, full deep thigh, 

 deep round rib, short trotters, wide in his gait be- 

 hind, houghs inclining a little outward, belly deep 

 and well covered with wool, cod large, shoulder 

 lying well back and thighed down to the hough. 



Gentlemen who may feel disjioscd to introduce 

 the above breed of sheep on their estates would 

 do well to pay attention to the above directions, 

 as they arc from one of the best judges and most 

 observant fiirmers in the country, a gentleman 

 who in addition to fifty years' experience in the 

 practical pursuits of agriculture, brings a highly 

 enlightened mind, and untiring devotion to 8ll 

 I concerned with those pursuits, to direct hisjudg- 

 1 ment to a rightful residt. — Baltimore Farmer. 



