9ti 



SILK MANUAL, ANI> 



Fallkill, The builders are now engaged upon tlie 

 fourth story ; and executed orders from Europe 

 will return by the time the building is completed, 

 and the machinery adjusted for o[)eration. Since 

 the exhibition of his machinery in Washington 

 last winter, Mr Gay has perfected a power loom 

 for tiie weaving of silk — the first and only one in 

 the world. Such a machine has long been a de- 

 sideratum; and that it has been attained we have 

 the positive evidence of a piece of silk, of beauti- 

 ful texture, before our eyes, wove by Mr Gay. 

 The gathering of the leaves of the mulberry, 

 nd the whole process of rearing and feeding the 

 worms, and taking care of them until the produc- 

 tion of the cocoonS) will of course devolve upon 

 the females and children of the county. Nor 

 will this branch of business interfere with the other 

 labors of a farm, or diminish its ordinary products. 

 The planting and rearing of the mulberry trees, 

 will require no more labor or attention than a fruit 

 orchard ; and as with fruit trees, the ground can 

 be simultaneously tilled for other crops. All the 

 silk, therefore, that can be produced, will form so 

 much clear increase to the farmer's inconie. 



Neglect of the mulberry. — We regret to dis- 

 cover the manifestation of a disposition, in many 

 places, to neglect the cultivation of the white mul- 

 berry. There is no doul)t the foliaga of the Chi- 

 nese mulberry is altogether superior to that of tiio 

 white, and that the tree is to be preferred, on all 

 accounts, provided it will endure the severity of 

 the climate. That this will ultimately be the case 

 by acclimation, we ho])e and believe; but we can 

 not say that we are without our fears. The ex- 

 tensive destruction of the Chinese mulberry the 

 last winter, we do not consider as deciding the 

 question against its ability to withstand our ordi- 

 nary winters. The last winter was unconuiionly 

 severe, and many of our tnost hardy indigenous 

 trees and shrubs were destroyed root and branch. 

 But notwithstanding the extreme cold, some of 

 this variety of the mulberry survived it even in lo- 

 cations peculiarly unfavorable. We hope, there- 

 fore, it will finally succeed; but it is a dictate of 

 common sense not to exchange certainties for un- 

 certainties. AVe know from the experience of 

 half a century, that the white mulberry is adaptefl 

 to our climate, and that from its foliage silk of an 

 excellent quality and liberal product may be made, 

 and it is certainly the dictate both of wisdom and 

 economy, to hold it in reserve should the Chinese 

 fail. 



Our plan, as practical culturists, is to nudti|)Iy 

 the white mulberry as fast as possible, and at the 

 same time endeavor to acclimate the Chinese. 

 Should we succeed, and render our white mul- 

 berries unnecessary for foliage, they will still be 

 valuable for timber and fuel. But, on the contra- 



ry, should we be disappointed in otrr hopes and 

 expectations with respect to the Chinese, we shaU 

 still be enabled to prosecute the culture of silk 

 with success and profit. We hope, therefore, the 

 most sanguine believer in the Chinese variety will 

 not neglect to cultivate the white, until the ques- 

 tion is settled beyond the possibility of a doubt. 

 It appears to us that the success of the whole en- 

 terprise would be jeoparded by any other course 

 of procedure ; and as we ardently desire its suc- 

 cess, we would earnestly entreat our fellow cultu- 

 rists to guard against such a result. 



The Morus Alra, or White Italian Mul- 

 berry. — The Baltimore Farmer and Gardener 

 states, that ' in order to make assurance doubly 

 sure, he would recommend to persons who have 

 sown seed of this tree, the present season, to cover 

 their plant beds as soon as winter sets in, either 

 with straw or long stable manure, to be confined 

 by a slight covering of small brush-wood, which 

 should be permitted to remain on the beds until 

 about the middle of April, when it should be 

 gradually removed, so as not to expose the plants 

 too suddenly to the changes of the weather at 

 that unsettled season of the year. This precaution 

 will not be necessary after the first winter. '^ 

 The seed of this mulberry may be had of Robert 

 Sinclair, Jr. in Baltimore, which the editors of th« 

 F. and G. recommend 'as being fresh, having seen 

 some of it tried, and sprouted in about 36 hours.' 

 Hampshire Gazette,. 



Profits of tht. mulberry. — A gentleman in 

 New York, who has devoted much time and at- 

 tention to the planting of mulberry trees, gives a 

 statement from two acres, which divided, will give 

 the following for one acre. 

 One acre of ground fence<l by mulberry 



hedges and set out with trees, . . $250 OO 

 Interest and additional expense during five 



vears 187 50 



$437 50 



The acre will then produce — 

 From 5 to 10 years, 10 per cent. 



" 10 to 15 " 47 " 



« 15 to 20 " 112 " 

 averaging nearly 45 per cent, for the first 20yearSy 

 and continue at 112 per cent, afterwards. The 

 culture of silk is becoming so profitable that it 

 woidd seem advantageous for fiirmers generally^ 

 to give it their attention. — JV. Bed. Gaz. 



The spirits of turpentine applied to milkweed, 

 burdock and Canada thistle, the quantity of a tea- 

 spoonful at a time, will run down and destroy them 

 to the ground ; if not at once, repeat it. 



