VOL.. XIV. NO. 3a. 



AND GARDENER'S .) OUR NAT. 



'251 



pardoned but a wilful deteriiiinntion to rrumin so 

 in reliition to a matter of such acknowledged im- 

 portance — when every temptation to inquiry is 

 presented and when that investigation requires so 

 slight an etlbrt — amounts, in our view, to ahso- 

 lute wickedncBS. The smallest possible measure 

 of faith, exercised on tliis subject to a very limited 

 extent, will lead to the developement of facts and 

 to the discovery of results satisfactory to every 

 candid mind, and truly astonishing to all who 

 shall thoroughly pursue this inquiry. — Kantucket 

 Inq. 



The following was furnished by a friend, acquainted 

 with the Culture of Silk, and gives much valuable inlor- 

 ination in a concise form. 



STAGES IN THE LIFE AND LABORS OF THE SILK 

 WORM. 



Sickness begins in eight days after hatching, 

 when the worms will refuse food for three days. 

 They will again feed five days. Sickness will be 

 renewed again for three days, and feeding will 

 continue again five days. 'I he worm undergoes 

 a third sickness for three days, and feeds five days 

 as before, and becomes sick three days for the 4th 

 time. Resumes its feeding for five days and casts 

 its skin for the last time in the caterpillar state. 

 The worm now devours its food voraciously for 

 ten days and commences spinning. 



The different periods in the progress of the life 

 and labors of the insect may be expressed in a 

 tubular form as follows : 



8 days old, 



3 days sick, 



5 days feeding, 



3 days sick, 



5 days feeding, 



3 days sick, 



10 days feeding. 



10 days spinning-. 



47 



ON THK COLTURE OP .MULBERRY TREES, ETC. 



In England and countries of a similar tempera- 

 ture, seedling nmlberries will not attain a gTeater 

 height than three inches in the first year. ]n war- 

 mer climates their growth is much more rapid ; 

 so that in some parts of India large quantities are 

 sown whose crops are mowed down in the ensu- 

 ing season as food for silk worms. Sprouts again 

 spring forth from the roots the same year, and are 

 used for a second brood. The silk produced from 

 the worms fed on those tender shoots is supposed 

 to be readily distinguishable by its superiority 

 over that produced when the insect is fed on the 

 leaf of the full grown mulberry tree. — Dr Lardner. 



SUCCESSIVE CROPS OF MDLBERRT TREES AND 

 SILK WORMS. 



Notwithstanding the possibility, in some cli- 

 mates and countries, to raise two or three crops 

 of mulberry leaves and of silk worms in the same 

 season, we doubt whether such attempts will be 

 attended with beneficial results in any part of New 

 England. Even in warmer climates than ours 

 the best judges prefer single to successive crops 

 in a season. Dr Lardner observes as follows : 



"Count Dandola is of opinion that in Italy it 

 is disadvantageous to obtain more than one crop 

 in each season. He affirms that the mulberry 

 tree cannot bear this constant stripping of its leaves 



without injury. 'All lhiii.;s coii-iiacred,' sm>s 

 he, '1 am well persuaded that one uf our good crops 

 will be equal to any nuiid)er that may be gatherod 

 el.sewhero in a year.' It is observed that the 

 quality of the silk obtained in Italy from their 

 second racolta is always inferior to that from the 

 first lirec<l of worms. 



"The Persian cultivators are accustomed, from a 

 motive of economy to feed silk worms upon 

 boughs of the mulberry tree, instead of using the 

 leaf separately, as is ])ractised in all temperate cli- 

 mates. The leaves continuing attached to the 

 branches, remain longer fresh, have a better flavor 

 and are more nutritious, than those separately 

 gathered, and the silk worms fed from the branches 

 with less waste than when the leaves are strewn 

 singly over them. 



" In some parts of Italy and France, mulberry 

 leaves are commonly sold by weight, in the mar- 

 ket, and those persons who rear silk worms are 

 often wholly dependent on this source for a sup- 

 jily. Judgement and experience are required in 

 the purchaser, to enable him to make a proper 

 selection of leaves, choosin<r such as are of a nour- 

 ishing quality, and rejecting those whose sale 

 would, from their greater weight, be more profit- 

 able to the vender. The interests of the two ])ar- 

 ties are consequently at variance. In other places 

 trees are hired for the season ; from four to si.v 

 francs, according to its size and condition, bei:ig 

 paid for the hire of each tree. Under equal circum- 

 stances an old mulberry tree always yields better 

 leaves than a young one ; and whatever may be 

 the original quality of the tree, as it grows older 

 the leaf will diminish in size, and will so materi- 

 ally improve that at length it will attain to a very 

 excellent quality." 



From tile Baltimore Farmer. 



In our 35th number we gave an article commu- 

 nicating the fact of the formation of a company in 

 Queen Ann's county, in this State, for the purpose 

 of carrying on the silk culture, and expressing the 

 undissembled pleasure we felt at the information, 

 and it will be seen by the article appended to this, 

 that some patriotic citizens of the adjoining county 

 of Caroline, are about to form another company 

 with a similar object in view. To them we say, 

 as we sard to the public spirited gentlemen of the 

 first named county, may God speed your good 

 work; for good must that work be, that sets an 

 example, which, if followed, will add millions to 

 the productions of the State, and increase the 

 means of living to its people, to an amount more 

 than equal to all their wants, necessary or artifi- 

 cial. 



Whilst we rejoice in the fulness of our heart 

 at these auspicious beginnings near home, we say 

 to the citizens of every district in the country, 

 where there are genial soils and sun — and where 

 are they not — to emulate the example here set 

 them ; they need not fear a glutted market — the 

 markets of America, England and Prance, are all 

 open, and offer the richest rewards which the hus- 

 bandman could desire to urge him forward in this 

 generous enterprise : nor should the present de- 

 mand for raw silk, be taken as any criterion of 

 what it may, by time and circumstances be raised, 

 to. As the means of production and the supply 

 may be augmented, so will the demand be increas- 

 ed. As each year rolls around, new uses will be 

 found for the commodity, until at last, it will be 

 used in a hundred ways not at present thought of. ' cents.— k^A; CuUurist. 



Alrr.iiy liavt' till' I'viT inviMitivc ^'i niiis of our 

 mechanics substituted it to considerable extent for 

 fur in the fabrication of hats ; and as civilization 

 lorces its way to the distant west, and as the forests 

 fall beneath the unerring stroke of the axe-man, 

 will the supply of fur become diminished, and tlio 

 consequent increase of the use of silk in the man- 

 ufacture of hats be promoted. 



What are the' facts connected with the history 

 of the growing of cotton in the United States? 

 Who, a quaiter of a century ago would have be- 

 lieved that it would have attained one hundredth 

 part of the present amount of product and con- 

 sumption. The demand has regularly kept pace 

 with the rate of production, and this has been 

 done without any diminution of |)ound value. 

 Indeed the whole range of incidents involved iti 

 the culture of this beautiful and necessary article, 

 areas extraordinary as they are interesting and 

 instructive. And we would here invoke all who 

 may desire to do an especial favor to themselves 

 and to their country, to take counsel by the suc- 

 cessful results of the culture of cotton, and enter 

 at once with energy and spirit into that of the 

 more profitable commodity of silk. 



Sorting Cocoons. — Before commencing the 

 operation of reeling, the reeler should sort the co- 

 coons and place them in separate parcels, accord- 

 ing to their quality. The qualities of cocoons 

 admit of five varieties, and are known by the 

 names of double cocoons — the c/w'^kc* or skins 

 — the fine — the demi-fine, and the satin cocoons. 

 The double cocoons are those in which two or 

 three worms have worked and enclosed them- 

 selves. They are larger than the single ones. 

 The chiques or skin cocoons are softer and resist 

 much less to pressure — the fine cocoons are thos^c 

 of which the surface presents a very fine and very 

 close grain — the demi-fine are of a more loose 

 and larger grain — the satin cocoons are those of 

 a still inferior quality. Though cocoons are not 

 ordinarily so particularly sorted ; yet when it is. 

 intended to reel silk of an extra nice fibre, it is de- 

 sirable they should be. 



Before reeling they should also be cleaned from 

 the floss and loose threads with which they are^ 

 enveloped. This is done by having them picked, 

 oft' by children. 



In picking or flossing cocoons, care should be 

 taken that all the floss be preserved, as it may be-- 

 appropriated to many valuable purposes. Boiled 

 in soap and water, and afterwards carded -wilh 

 common cotton cards, and spun on a common 

 spinning wheel, it makes a good material for stock- 

 ings, gloves, &c. 



Silk Culture in New Jersey. — A number 

 of gentlemen of Warren county, New Jersey, have 

 given notice of their intention to apply to the Le- 

 gislature of that State, for a charter of a Company, 

 with a capital of $300,000, for the purpose of 

 raising the nmlberry and manufacturing silk, in 

 that county. 'I'his is a very encouraging begin- 

 ing and as the soil of New Jersey is peculiarly 

 favorable for the growth of the tree and rearing 

 of the worm there is little doubt of their being fol- 

 lowed by other gentlemen equally spirited. 



New Work on Silk. — The Editor of this pa- 

 per has prepared a Practical Treatise on the Cni.- 

 ture OF Silk adapted to the soil and climate of 

 the United States. The work is illustrated by en- 

 gravings, and contains over 100 pages. Price 60 



