196 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 7, 1831. 



^®sa3iawsra^ii^a©sys9 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



ini^lit be thus e.xtensively nnd successfully intro- , able distance; and, if so, what is usually the jirice 

 hiced, without risk, or the aid of much capital, ' jier lb. 



SUGGESTIONS ON THE CULTURE OF 

 SILK. 



Mr Fessende.v — Should you consider the fol- 

 lowing suggestions worthy of public considera- 

 tion, you may give them a place in the New Eng- 

 land Farmer. 



It must be peculiarly gratifying to every patriot, 

 to witness the increased attention, to the various 

 branches of domestic industry. 



Not oidy are greater and increased encourage- 

 ment given to those branches already in exercise, 

 but new, various and public sources of domestic 

 industry are daily developing ; among which the 

 growing and manufacturing of silk, is not of the 

 least importance. Since the power-loom and 

 spiiming jenny have deprived the female part of 

 the connnunity of an important branch of Indus 

 try, it is desirable that some other should be sub 

 stituted, congenial to the capabilities and habits of 

 that fairer part of the community. 



The growing and manufacture of silk, is a 

 branch of industry considered peculiarly adapted 

 to the capacity and management of females. 



The best means, then, to introduce tliis branch 

 of industry and make it pojiular with the ladies, 

 ought to be brought into exercise. Much has 

 been said and written of late, in favor of the ex- 

 tensive culture and manufacture of silk ; and al- 

 though it has been demonstrated, that silk can be 

 succcssfidly cultivated in all parts of the United 

 States, no one has attempted to point out the best 

 method of introducing this important branch of 

 domestic industry among the people. It is, in the 

 first place, necessary that the best skill and meth- 

 ods of producing the raw material, should be im- 

 parted to every section of our country, in the best 

 practicable manner ; and in the next place that it 

 should be made a desirable and jiopular employ- 

 ment for our females ; and it never can be brought 

 into favor with the fairer part of the community, 

 till our ladies, who are best informed, will heartily 

 engage in it, and by their example and encourage- 

 ment, bring it into general favor. 



How is this to be eflected .' Pertnit me, my 

 dear sir, to suggest for the consideration of those 

 who arc better informed, and who take a deep 

 interest in this subject, the propriety of attachin 

 to each of the high or primary schools for young 

 ladies, through the country, a garden or plat of 

 ground for the growing of the mulberry. Also 

 an establishment for producing and rearing the silk 

 worm, and the manufacture of silk, where a!! the 

 young ladies in those schools shall be taught as a 

 recreation or healthful exercise, the economy of 

 the silk worm — the best method of producing, 

 feeding, and rearing- the worm, so as to produce 

 the raw material. 



In this way our young ladies would soon learn 

 to look on a worm, witliout fainting or disgust — 

 and being made familiar and acquainted with 

 this branch of industry, would carry home with 

 them, into all parts of our country, their skill 

 and experience, wliich they would impart to their 

 poorer neighbors. In this way, the cultivation 

 and manufacture of silk would soon become a 

 pleasing and popular, as well as a lucrative and 

 healthful employment, for our females generally. 

 The same culture and employment might also, 

 be attached to the schools for lads. 



throughout every section of our country ; and 

 nothing like a monopoly in the business could be 

 apprehended. 



These suggestions are thrown out, in order to 

 excite discussion and call the attention of the pub- 

 lic, more particularly, to so important a subject. 



W. 



CASTOR OIL. 



Mr Fessekden — If any of your corresjjondents 

 will give the public a description through the New 

 England Farmer, of the method of extracting the 

 oil from the Castor Oil Beau, they will confer a 

 favor on more than ONE SUBSCRIBER. 



Middlesex, Dec. 31. 



The following article taken from the American 

 Encyclopedia, will serve as an answer to our cor- 

 respondent's inquiry : 



Castor Oil. — The castor oil plant (vicinus pal- 

 ma Christi,) is a native both of the East and West 

 Indies, and has a stem from 5 to 15 or 16 feet in 

 height and la.-ge bluish-green leaves, divided into 

 seven lobes, serrated and pointed, the foot-stalks 

 long, and inserted into the disk. The flowers are 

 produced in a terminating spike, and the seed 

 vessels are covered with spines, and contain three 

 flattish obloug seeds. — It is to the seeds of this 

 plant that we are indebted for the drug called 

 castor oil. 



It is now often prepared by pi-essing the seeds 

 in the same way as is practised with oil of almonds. 

 The oil thus obtained is called cold expressed. But 

 the mode chiefly adopted in the West Indies is 

 first to strip the seeds of the husks or pods, and 

 then to bruise them in mortars. Afterwards tliey 

 are tied in linen bags, and boiled in water, until 

 the oil they contain rises to the surface. This is 

 carefully skimmed off and strained, to free it from 

 any accidental impurities, and bottled for use. The 

 oil which is obtained by boiling is considered more 

 mild than that procured by jiressure, but it sooner 

 becomes rancid. The mildest and finest Jamai- 

 ca castor oil is very limpid, nearly colorless, and 

 has scarcely more smell or taste than good olive 

 oil. Many people, however, have so great an aver- 

 sion to castor oil, even in its purest state, that 

 they do not take it without great reluctance. The 

 uses of castor oil in medicine are well known. It 

 is at present prepared in great quantites in various 

 parts of the United States and of an excellent 

 quality. 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



CULTURE OF SILK. 



Mr Fessende.n — I was very much gratified 

 on jiernsiug your last number of the New Eng- 

 land Farmer, to understand that Jo.na. II. Code, 

 Esq. of Dedham, has conmienced lecturing on 

 the cultivation of the Mulberry tree and the rear- 

 ing of Silk Worms. I hope the time is not far 

 distant when we shall be more awakened to the 

 importance of this subject in Middlesex. We 

 have to be sure several nurseries, and sfuie orch- 

 ards of Mulberry trees in various parts of the coun- 

 ty ; but for the want of proper information respect- 

 ing the treatment of the v/orms and the want of 

 filatures for the reeling of the cocoons, and various 

 other perplexities, we have done but very little at 



If you, or any of your numerous correspondents 

 will inform us through the medium of the New 

 England Farmer, that such is the case, we shall 

 the next season turn om- attention, in some mea- 

 sure, to that branch of indusry. 



I have now growing on my farm in this town, 

 sixty trees, ten years old from the seed, mostly 

 very thrifty, and many hundreds that are not yet 

 old enough to strip of their foliag-e. 

 Yours respectfully, 



ANTHONY WRIGHT. 



Concord, Mass. Dec. 25, 1830. 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



FROST GAGE, Pr. Cat. 

 The fruit is about the size and form of the green 

 gage, of a dark purple color ; it ripens about the 

 1st of October, and has been sold in the markets 

 at New York as late as the 10th, but being brought 

 from a place .50 miles to the northward, they were 

 probably a week later in ripening than they would 

 have been at New York. It is not quite as sweet' 

 a fruit as the green gage, but has a more sprightly 

 flavor, and is the best of all the late plums. The 

 tree produces abundantly, and is of vig-orous and 

 thrifty growth. It is a native fruit of the state of 

 New York and the circumstance of its coming in 

 after all the other fine plums are past, renders it a 

 highly valuable addition to the assortment of that 

 fruit. I know of one orchard of this valuable 

 plum which contains above 200 trees, all of which 

 are of the natural growth, having been reared from 

 suckers from the original trees and their produce 

 is very great. WM PRINCE. 



I the business. 1 should hke to inquire whether 

 cocoons are an article of sale within any reason- 



OF CURING PORK AND BACON. 



The curing or pickling of pork is carried on to a 

 considerable extent at many of our sea-ports. 

 The carcase is cut into pieces, and packed in casks 

 or kits, made for the purpose, containing from one 

 to two hundred weight. Salt is dissolved in water 

 till the mixture be strong enough to swim an egg ; 

 it is then boiled, and when cold, poured upon the 

 pork : when the end of the cask is fixed in, the 

 article is ready for being- sent to market. Hen- 

 derson, a late writer, has given particular direc- 

 tions for curing bacon, founded upon a long course 

 of experience, which therefore deserves to be more 

 generally known. 



Tlie curing of bacon is thus described by Hen- 

 derson, after much experience. After the carcase 

 has hung all night, lay it upon a strong table, or 

 bench, upon its back; cut off" the head close to the 

 ears, and cut the hinder feet so far below the 

 hough as will not di.sfigure the hams, and leave 

 plenty of room to hang them by ; then take a 

 cleaving knife, and if necessary, a hand mallet, 

 and divide the carcase up the middle of the back 

 bone, laying it in two equal halves.- then cut the 

 ham from the side by the second joint of the back 

 hone, which will ajipcar on dividing the carcase; 

 tlien dress the ham by paring a little off" the flank 

 or skinny part, so as to shape it with a half round 

 paint, clearing off any top fat that may appear; 

 the curer will next take off the sharp edge along 

 the back bone with his knife and mallet, and slice 

 off the first rib next the shoulder, where he will 

 perceive a bloody vein, which he must take out| 

 for if it is left in, that part is apt to spoil. The 



