PRACTICAL FARMER. 



93 



MoRTJS MuLTiCAULis. — It has been a question 

 ^niong ciilcurists whether this plant was a distinct 

 species of the Mulberry, or only a variety of the 

 White. In regard to the Multicaulis introduced 

 here by Mr Whitinarsh, ami of course most in the 

 country, it is found by him that the seed does not 

 produce the like plant, but an inferior one, more 

 resembling the common White Mulberry. This 

 favors the opinion of the French culturists that it 

 is a variety merely. Of course growei-s cannot 

 trust to the seed, but must propagate by layers, 

 cuttings, grafts, and transplanting. On the other 

 hand, it is confidently said that the seed imported 

 last year from China as the Morus Multicaulis, and 

 extensively distributed, by Dr Stebbins, is a dis- 

 tinct species and may be raised from the seed, and 

 is undoubtedly far superior to the cotnmon white, 

 if not the genuine Multicaulis. All the plants of 

 the Multicaulis now existing in this country or in 

 Europe, were propagated from two plants which 

 originally were purchased by a French botanist, at 

 the Phillippine islands, were they were introduced 

 from China. On his passage homeward he found 

 that they were very easily multiplied by cuttings, 

 and on his arrival had great numbers for distribu- 

 tion. — Hampshire Gazette, 



Me Jolin liOiube, and tlie Silk-Thro'wiiig Blachl- 

 iiery at Derby. 



The Lombes were originally manufacturers at 

 Norwich, but removed to London, and became 

 silk throwsters and merchants tliere. There were 

 three brothers, Thomas, Henry, and John ; the 

 first was one of the sheriffs of London at the ac- 

 cession of George IL in 1727, on which occasion, 

 according to custom, the chief magistrate was cre- 

 ated a baronet, and Mr Lombe was knighted. 

 The second brother, wdio was of a melancholy 

 ■temperament, put an end to his existence before 

 those plans were developed which connected the 

 name of Lombe with one of the most important 

 manufactures of the country. 



The Messrs Lombes had a house at Leghorn, 

 under the firm of Glover and JJnwin, who were 

 their agents for purchasing the raw silk which the 

 Italian peasantry sold at their markets and fairs 

 to the merchants and factors. There were many 

 other English houses at Leghorn, Turin, Ancona, 

 and other parts of Italy, chiefly for exporting silk 

 to England, in part return for which numerous 

 cargoes of salt fish were and still are received from 

 our ports for the consumption of the Italians du- 

 ring their Lent and other fasts. It was at that 

 time custom.-iry for the English merchants engaged 

 in the Italian trade to send their apjirentices and 

 sons to the Italian ports, to complete their mercan- 

 tile education, by acquainting themselves on the 

 spot with the details of their peculiar line of busi- 

 ness. It was professedly in compliance with this 



custom, but with a deeper ulterior view, that the 

 youngest of the brothers, Mr John Lombe, who at 

 that time was little more than twenty years of age, 

 proceeded to Leghorn in the year 1715. 



The Italians had at that time become so much 

 superior to the English in the art of throwing silk, 

 in consequence of a new invention, that it was 

 impossible for the latter to bring the article into 

 the market on equal terms. This state of the trade 

 induced the Lombes to consider by what means 

 they might secure thesame advantage which their 

 improved machinery gave to the Italians; and the 

 real view of the younger brother, in proceeding to 

 Italy, was to endeavor to obtain such an acquain- 

 tance with the machinery as might enable him to 

 introduce it into this country. The difficulties in 

 the way of this undertaking were very great, and 

 would have appeared insurmountable to any but 

 a person of extraordinary courage and perseve- 

 rance. VV"e find these difficulties thus stated in 

 the paper which Sir Thomas Lombe printed for 

 distribution among the members when he ajiplied 

 to Parliament for the renewal of his patent. One 

 at least of these printed papers has been preserved, 

 and has been lent us for the present occasion. It 

 is there said, that " the Italians having, by the most 

 judicious and proper rules and regulations, ad- 

 vanced and supported the credit of the manufac- 

 ture, have also, by the most severe laws, preserved 

 the mystery among themselves for a great number 

 of years, to their inestimable advantage. As, for 

 instance, the punishment prescribed by one of 

 their laws for those who discover, or attempt to 

 discover, any thing relating to this art, is death, 

 with the forfeiture of all their goods, and to be 

 afterwards painted on the outside of the prison 

 walls, hanging to the gallows by one foot, with an 

 inscription denoting the name and crime of the 

 person ; there to be continued for a perpetual 

 mark of infamy." 



The young Lombe, however, was not to be de- 

 terred by the danger and difficulty of the enter- 

 prise. On his arrival, and before he became 

 known in the country, he went, accompanied by a 

 friend, to see the Italian silk works. This was 

 permitted under very rigid limitations. No per- 

 son was admitted except when the machinery was 

 in action, and even then he was hurried through 

 the rooms with the most jealous precaution. The 

 celerity of the machinery rendered it impossible 

 for 3Ir Lombe to compreliendaM the de[)endencies 

 and first springs of so extensive and complicated 

 a work. He went with different persons in vari- 

 ous habits, as a gentleman, a priest, or a lady, and 

 he was very generous with his money ; but he 

 could never find an opportunity of seeing the ma- 

 chinery put in motion, or of giving to it that care- 

 ful attention which his object required. Despair- 

 ing of obtaining adequate information from such 



