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SILK MANUAL, AND 



EXTRACT OP A LETTER PROM MR HARVEY 

 JOHNSON, OP HOIiliAND, COUNTY OP ERIE. 



[It is not my intention to tax the reader with 

 all the details of the history of silk, nor even of 

 its first introduction into this country ; but there 

 is something so interesting, at least to me, in the 

 plain unstudied style of 3Ir Johnson, added to the 

 circumstance that the facts he relates were mostly 

 known to me at the time (for I am some years his 

 senior, and was brought up near the same neigh- 

 borhood), that I cannot deny myself the pleasure 

 of publishing part of his letter. I would now 

 give more for his gloves than for any other pair 

 in existence. — Ed. Silkworm.] 



Dear Sir — Although a stranger, I take the 

 liberty to address you on a suljject which I have 

 long considered of incalculable importance to our 

 country — I refer to the subject of silk. My 

 introduction will be an awkward piece of work, 

 as I must assume the character of the egotist. 



My native place is New Haven, Ct. Some fifty 

 years ago, my father set out about two thousand 

 white mulberry trees, from which a great quantity 

 of silk was made (I mean a great quantity for that 

 day). He carried on the business for a number 

 of years. He raised a great many worms himself, 

 and let his trees to several individuals, and had a 

 certain part of the raw silk. My father's family 

 consisted of eight children, five daughters and 

 three sons. They were not all of them able to 

 do much towards picking leaves, &c. but with a 

 little help from the apprentices (for my fattier was 

 a mechanic) occasionally, they managed the busi- 

 ness so as to feed a great many worms, I think 

 he kept one year over two hundred thousand. 

 This was an unfavorable year (I think it was 1794); 

 a late frost killed the leaves after the worms had 

 hatched, or at the time they were hatching, so 

 the growth of the worms was much backencd by 

 lack of leaves. Some individuals had to go into 

 the woods, and gather wild leaves ; but the balls 

 were not so large and solid as in good years. 



It is not worth while to mention all the partic- 

 ulars which occur to mind ; but every thing relat- 

 ing to the business was done to great disadvantage. 

 My father's land lay in detached pieces ; one large 

 orchard was one and a half miles off. It was 

 difficult to find workmen who understood dyeing, 

 weaving, or manufacturing any way. Still we 

 made a number of pieces of cloth for women's 

 and men's wear, one piece of handkerchiefs, and 

 a number of pairs of stockings, some knit and 

 some wove, and some pairs of gloves. I have yet 

 a pair of the gloves, which were made, I believe, 

 thirtyfive years ago, which I prize very highly. 



account of the manner in which this costly per- 

 fume is prepared in the East. Steep a large 

 quantity of the petals of the rose, freed from every 

 extraneous matter, in pure water, in an earthen or 

 wooden vessel, which is exposed daily to the sun, 

 and housed at night, till a scum rises to the sur- 

 face. This is the ottar, which carefully absorb by 

 a very small piece of cotton tied to the end of a 

 stick. The oil collected, squeeze out of the cot- 

 ton into a very diminutive vial, stop it for use. 

 The collection of it should be continued whilst 

 any scum is produced. 



Essence de jasmin The flowers are strati- 

 fied with wool or cotton, impregnated with oil of 

 behu, or nut oil, in an earthen vessel, closely cov- 

 ered, and kept for some time in a warm bath ; this 

 is repeated with fresh flowers, until the oil is well 

 scented ; the wool, &c. is then put into a suflftcient 

 quantity of spirit of wine, and distilled in balneum 

 marise. 



The best honey water. — Take of coriander 

 seeds a pound, cassia, 4 oz., cloves and gum ben- 

 zoin, each, 2 oz., oil of rhodium, essence of lemon, 

 essence of bergamot, and oil of lavender, each, 1 

 drachm, rectified spirit of wine, 20 pints, rose wa- 

 ter, 2 quarts, nutmeg water, 1 quart, musk and am- 

 bergris, each, 12 grains. Distill it in a water bath 

 to dryness. 



Another method. — Put 2 drachms each, of tinc- 

 ture of ambergris, and tincture of musk, in a quart 

 of rectified spirits of wine, and half a pint of wa- 

 ter : filter and put it up in small bottles. 



Eau de bouquet. — Take of sweet scented hon_ 

 ey water 1 oz., eau .sans pareille, 1 1-2 do., essence 

 de jasmine, 5 drachms, syrup of cloves and spirit 

 of violets, each, 4 dr., calamus aromaticus, long 

 rooted cyperus, lavender, each, 2 do., essence of 

 neroli, 1 scruple. Mix, Some add a few grains 

 of nuisk and ambergris : it is sweet-scented, and 

 also made into a ratafia with sugar. 



Cure for the dysentery, — A table spoonful 

 of vinegar, and a tea spoonful of salt, mixed with 

 a gill of warm water. If relief be not afforded 

 in ten or fifteen minutes, repeat the dose. 



RECEIPTS. 



Ottar of roses. — The royal society of Edin- 

 burgh received from Dr Monro the following 



Popular error There is alcohol in every thing. 



— Such is the remark often made by those who 

 would parry the force of appeals that are made to 

 them on the subject of temperance. Alcohol, they 

 say, is diffused through every substance which 

 God has made, and this is evidence that he designs 

 it should be used. But unfortunately for the ar- 

 gument, they are entirely mistaken as to the fact. 

 When God looked upon the world he had niadp, 

 and pronounced it very good, there was not a par- 

 ticle of alcohol in existence. Jt was not till the 

 work of death commenced, and some portion at 



