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SILK MANUAL, AND 



I am induced to offer these suggestions in con- 

 sequence of Iraving often met with paragraphs 

 which I knoto to be incorrect, and which it seems 

 to me, tend to mislead those, who would rather 

 be enlightened thaiii deceived upon this highly 

 interesting practical subject. A few days since 1 

 read in the Transcript, from a correspondent of 

 that paper, some remarks dated at Ashfield, in my 

 own County, respecting the high condition to 

 which silk cultivation had already risen in North- 

 ampton. I impute nothing intentional to the 

 writer, whoever he may have been, but I will 

 venture to say, that had he been a man of any 

 knowledge concerning what he wrote, resting on 

 his own experience, he would not have amused 

 us with so fine, so splendid a picture. I, myself, 

 have, since the first of June last, been twice on 

 the same ground, which lit up such a glow of 

 imagination in the mind of this traveller and 

 journalist, and have found nothing to warrant his 

 views. It is true there is, on the premises of Mr 

 Whitmarsh, the beginning and foundation of a 

 great silk establishment, which, in process of time, 

 will, I doubt not, produce great results. But to 

 say that even now there is provision for rearing 

 •'one or two millions of silk-worms," on that 

 ground, as promising as it is, can be no other 

 than extravagant and idle in the extreme. Nay, 

 I seriously doubt whether, in the whole state of 

 Massachusetts, their have been mulberry leaves 

 enough, the season past, to yield one half as much 

 silk as has been often, and by many, stated as 

 coming within the capability of that single town. 

 Now, such over statements and unauthorized es- 

 timates, made unquestionably, in simplicity and 

 with the most laudable views, have no tendency 

 to accelerate, but to retard, the progress of that 

 enterprise, which is eventually, as I believe, to 

 convert New England into a great and prosperous 

 silk-growing district. What has been commenced 

 in Northampton, as already referrrd to, may be 

 regarded as a prelude to something very consid- 

 erable, being, as it is, in the hands of a gentleman 

 who is persevering, and not likely to be broken 

 down by the premature expenditure of some hun- 

 dredfi of dollars in the erection of accommoda- 

 tions, which, I am confident, cannot be more than 

 partially needed for many years to come. 



The way in which this business is most likely 

 to succeed, and be a source of profit, is in a 

 speedy commencement and a steady, gradual pro- 

 gress, by sowing seed, or otherwise |,rocuring 

 trees, for supplying food for worms, and when, in 

 the course of two or three years, foliage shall 

 have grown in some quantity, begin to feed theni 

 out on a moderate scale, increasing from year to 

 year, as trees grow, and experimental knowledge 

 strengthens confidence, and renders more easy 

 and sure the process by which the end is to be 

 attained. Daring adventurers may launch forth 

 at once upon a wide ocean of untried and uncer- 

 tain effort, expecting to reap an abundant, over- 

 flowing harvest almost as soon as the seed is sown ; 

 but, in this case, the mortification and discourage- 

 ment attendant on disappointment is more proba- 

 ble than the gain fondly anticipated. For the 

 present, I would say to the agricultural community 

 disposed to make trial of silk-growing, first pro- 

 vide trees, as largely as you choose ; and when 

 they have leaves, begin to use them with due 

 caution not to be overstocked, not to have more 

 mouths than you can fill, not to crowd your 

 thoughts, or your hurdles, with millions, when 

 you have scarcely wherewith to sustain thou- 

 sands. 



The chief hazards in this novel and much 

 talked of branch of rural industry are, I imagine, 

 in the outside, before opportunity has been had for 

 making up a well-formed and ripened j\idgment 

 as to the proper mode of managing the con- 

 cern. 



To avoid this difficulty, and to acquire skill for 

 practice in the cheapest way, and to make a <lis- 

 position the least likely to issue in failure and 

 discouragement, cultivators, I think, will do well 

 to act upon something like what is hinted in the 

 above remarks, rather than take their impressions 

 from what is said so often, so confidently, and in 

 language so flattering, while experience neither 

 attests, nor seals it. 



With these remarks, Mr Editor, I declare to 

 you and your readers my sincere desire of seeing 

 your useful publication accomplishing much in 

 the promotion of its object, and in prompting to 

 that industry which it recommends. 



Boston, Oct 21, 1835. J. Field. 



