2 



PRACTICAL FARMER, 



United States for the special accommodation of its 

 inhabitants. 



We tliink it safest not to relinquish the culture 

 of the White mulberry for the present ; but let us 

 examine the claims of the Chinese mulberry to 

 that hardihood which alone can entitle that alien 

 to become naturalized and a permanent settler in 

 these United States. 



In some remarks " On the culture of Silk and the 

 Moms Multicaulis or new Chinese mulberry,''^ writ- 

 ten by William Kenrick, Esq., of Newton, Mass. 

 and published in the JSTew England Farmer, vol. 

 xii. page 393, it is observed "This Mulberry 

 braves the most rigorous winters of France, not 

 having suffered in the least even during tlie severe 

 winter of 1829-30. I have taken particular pains 

 to ascertain how they have fared in the extreme 

 north of that country, and have very lately been 

 informed by letter from M. Eyries, a gentleman 

 from Havre, that they have sui)ported well, during 

 ten years the most rigorous winters of the north 

 of France. He has cultivated them to a consid- 

 erable extent from their first introduction to that 

 country." * * * 



" Very late in the Spring of 1833, more tlian a 

 hundred young trees of the Morus Multicaulis 

 were set out on the place of S. V. Wilder, Esq. 

 in Bolton, Worcester county. The soil springy, 

 the exposition cold and sloping to the north ; Mr 

 Joseph Breck, a distinguished botanist of Lancas- 

 ter, the town adjoining, having especial charge of 

 these plants, has lately very critically examined 

 them. Thus unfavorably situated, and unprotect- 

 ed, they have borne the last winter [1833-34,] 

 without injury, except only the very tips of the 

 twigs. Mr Breck is persuaded that they are even 

 hardier than the common White mulberry, since 

 some hundred of the latter which stood very near 

 were killed half way down to the ground by this 

 same winter." 



An able writer with the signature R. who 

 dates Hingham, Mass. published two articles on 

 the Chinese mulberry, pages 211, 226, of the 

 twelfth volume of the JVew England Farmer. This 

 writer is of opinion, and cites facts to maintain his 

 belief that the Chinese mulberry is more hardy 

 than many of our orchard, or even forest trees, 

 but may be killed when young, if planted in a 



rich and moist soil. This writer observes " Au- 

 thors agree that the proper soils for the mulberry 

 tree are dry, sandy, or stony ; that low, rich and 

 moist lands, neverproduce nourishing leaves, how- 

 ever vigorous the tree may grow. From all that 

 1 have seen I should not hesitate to plant the Chi- 

 nese mulberry, and should consider it preferable 

 to any other species, if planted on suitable land, 

 and not forced to rapid growth. If doubt on this 

 subject remained, one half of the mulberry or- 

 chard might be planted with the Chinese and the 

 other with some other species, or in rows alter- 

 nately. No measures of good calculation and 

 care should be spared to secure success to a 

 branch of industry that now lias the prospect of 

 reward in the course of a few years, of even its 

 millions of dollars, adding to the wealth and vir- 

 tue of the comnmnity, and to our common coun- 

 try's prosperity." 



WORKING OXEIV. 



We copy the following remarks on working- 

 oxen from the Memoirs of the Pennsylvania Ag- 

 ricultural Society, contained in a letter from the 

 Hon. Levi Lincoln to John Hare Powel, Esq. 



The best broken oxen are those which are 

 early trained and accustomed to the yoke with 

 occasional light work. They are often broken as 

 early as one or two years of age, with gentle and 

 patient usage. At this period they are more do- 

 cile and tractable, and it is thought become more 

 powerful, by being sooner accustomed to each 

 other, and to the application of their strength to 

 the draft. I believe they may be taught to travel 

 in almost any gait ; certain it is, the rate at which 

 oxen diiierently broken will walk with their load^ 

 would seem incredible to a person ignorant of the 

 difference in the mode of their training. To ac- 

 custom them to a quick pace, they should at first 

 be driven in the yoke while young, without any, 

 or a very light weight, and never heavily loaded, 

 until they have arrived at full strength and nia- 

 t[nity. 



A great fault with many people is too much in- 

 difference to the construction of the yoke. Almost 

 any shapeless piece of wood, with holes for the in- 

 sertion of the bows, is made to answer ; but to 

 tJie case of the draft, the adaptation, of the yoke 

 or bow to the neck of the bullock, and the jjosi- 

 tion of the staple and ring in the yoke, are alto- 

 gether material. For common use, and particu- 

 larly for ploughing, I have found that yokes were 

 generally too short. Cattle of the largest size re- 

 quire a yoke from 4^ to 5 feet in length. In short 



