6 



PRACTICAL FARMER 



They pluck the leaves, and feed and tend the 

 worms until the cocoons are formed ; so that you 

 perceive the culture of silk detracts nothing from 

 agriculture. 



The greatest embarrassment, hitherto, has been 

 the extracting or reeling the silk from the cocoons. 

 The reels of France and Italy, and indeed of all 

 parts of the world, receive the thread, which con- 

 sists of the fibres of several cocoons, according to 

 the requirement of the fabric to be made, in skeins, 

 which must be spooled before it can be twisted. 

 Two of our countrymen, Messrs Gay and Mosely, 

 have invented a reel which receives the thread on 

 spools, and thus the labor and wastage of the old 

 process is avoided. Mr Gay assures me that an 

 ingenious woman can be taught, in a short time, 

 to reel, on his reel, with great perfcetion, A great 

 advantage of reeling on spools consists in its safe 

 and easy carriage any distance without injury. 

 We have, therefore, surmounted the most difficult 

 process in the whole operation. 



These gentlemen have also employed the sev- 

 eral machines in use in France and England in 

 the manufacture, so that it will require but a com- 

 paratively small capital to establish manufactories 

 of silk in this country. 



When we consider how admirably adapted to 

 silk are County Poor-house establishments; how 

 the wants of the poor may be mitigated by induc- 

 ing them, also, to enter on the culture, by obtaining 

 leaves of the mulberry from their rich neighbors; 

 liow the middle classes of society may improve 

 their condition by entering on the culture of silk; 

 I feel, I confess, a strong desii-e to be able to per- 

 suade people to lose no time in laying the founda- 

 tion of their culture, by immediately setting about 

 it in earnest, and not to let anything hinder them 

 from sowing the mulberry in the manner indicated 

 this spring. 



The inorus alba, or white mulberry, I am satis- 

 fied is the most proper for making the best silk ; 

 the purple mulberry, which is indigenous to some 

 parts of our country, although it will make silk, 

 yet it is not of as good a quality. The 7>iorus mul- 

 ticaulis, or Ciiinese raidberry, has recently been 

 introduced into this country, but it is apprehended 

 that it will not withstand our rigorous winters ; 

 and as the common white n>ulben-y will withstand 

 them, and make excellent silk, I should not recom- 

 jnend the propagation of the Chinese. 



1 forbear saying anything on the ujode of rear- 

 ing the worm. I am satisfied that it does not 

 require the care aud pains to rear it in this country, 

 itvhich the jirecepts q? Count Dandalo would im- 

 piy. 



In due time, iustrucjujiis will be given level 



to every capacity. May I not count on your co- 

 operation in this most imjiortant subject. 

 With sincere respect and esteem. 



Yours, A. Spencer. 



To S. M. Hopkins, Esq. Geneva, Ontario Co. 



Destroying worms ani> insects with spir- 

 its OF TURPENTINE. — I was led to try it by ob- 

 serving that certain plants which have naturally a 

 strong odor, are not infested with insects. 



Wishing some years ago to raise four young 

 puppies, J perceived them when a few days old 

 to be very languishing, and discovered that they 

 were full of insects or lice, which were preying 

 upon them. It was in vain that they were comb- 

 ed — new generations succeeded, or where i*enew- 

 ed frqm the mother, and the little animals were 

 on the point of perishing. I then took it into my 

 head to sponge both the mother and the pups with 

 warm water, impregnated with spirits of turpen- 

 tine : and soon found to my agreeable surprise, 

 that every turn of the comb brought out numer- 

 ous dead insects. The little animals soon acquir- 

 ed vigor, and were saved by a single repetition of 

 the process during the course of the summer. 



I soon found occasion to try its effects on some 

 of my trees, which were attacked by a multitude 

 of worms. These I destroyed entirely by put- 

 ting into a bowl a few handfuls of earth on which 

 I poured a small quantity of the spirits — then add- 

 ing water, and stirring the whole together, until it 

 had a proper consistence to be rubbed or brushed 

 over the ends of the branches, The insects })er- 

 ished with their germs and the odor remained sev- 

 eral days about the tree, repels fresh invaders. A 

 mixture of earth is necessary, because spirits of 

 turpentine swims upon pure water and will not 

 mix with it ; and if used in too great quantities 

 might burn the leaves. 



The drought which occurred a few years ago, 

 in the canton in which I live, produced a mange 

 in horses and cattle, very extensive and injurious ; 

 and those which escaped this infection were filled 

 with lice, from which they wei'^ promptly relieved 

 by sponging each with water impregnated with 

 the spirits. This infection caused horses fatigued 

 with labor, to rub themselves so much against 

 their mangers, and the walls of the stables, as to 

 deprive them of much of the rest so necessary to 

 their comfort. 



I cannot therefore doubt from the trials that 

 have been made, that much benefit might result 

 from the use of turpentine in clearing fields and 

 trees from insects of different kinds : and that a 

 mixture of ashes with which a portion of 

 this liquid has been incorporated, would remove 

 by its odor, the ticks and other insects which in- 



