120 



SILK MAISUAL, AND 



quakes, they and their sons are those who will 

 stand by the sheet-a:nclior of our liberties, and 

 hold the ship at her moorings ti ! she onirides the 

 storm. Why cherish New P^ngland so ? V\ Iiy 

 keep her sons on her soil ? Because God has 

 given her a heritajje siiffieient, and our sons need 

 not wander away from tlie graves of their fathers. 

 They may he free, independent, and rich here : 

 and here they certainly will lie virtuous and hap- 

 py. Here sleep our fathers ! names that need not 

 to go to fable to become illustrious ; no changes 

 in time can obscure their glory ! Shall we not 

 love and stay by the land which contains the dust 

 of such men ! On these hills and through these 

 valleys there ever will be industry and tempe- 

 rance, iron sinews and noble hearts ; shall we not 

 encourage our sons to stay and drink the pure wa- 

 ters and breathe the free air which God has poured 

 over this soii ? With Iwr schoolhouses, her acad- 

 emies, and co'leges. New Eughuid can never have 

 any other than a cultivated mind — a population 

 which wi;l ever stand high in the scale of man- 

 hood, the whole world being judge. Her sons 

 have already thrown a deathless glory over her, 

 and I doubt not, will yet do wonders for the good 

 of man. Think of these blue hills! — are there 

 any like them ? Think of these sweet brooks and 

 valleys! — are there any like them? Think of 

 these villages ; these sons and daughters : think of 

 these schools, these Sabbaths, with a ministry un- 

 challenged the earth over, these temples of God 

 so frequently blessed with the visits of the angel 

 of mercy — think of New England as she has 

 been — as she now is — as she may be ! — and 

 say where is the s;iot on the face of the earth, 

 that will bear com|3arison with her! And where 

 is a spot for your sons to sjend their pilgrimage 

 on earth so safely, so pleasantly, so usefully ? O 

 could I reach the ear of our young men in New 

 England, I would say to them : Here is land 

 enough — take it. Here is enterprise enough, 

 and here is the sheet anchor of this nation ; stay 

 by the sepulchres of your fathers ; stay by the 

 soil which none but freemen may tread ; stay by 

 the fountain which is for the salvation of the land ; 

 and when you have covered our soil, and millions 

 swarm here, then go out and seek other homes. 

 But, above all, I would say, whether you stay 

 here, or go away, remember that New England is 

 your mother, and never act unworthy of your 

 parentage ! 



vvliich. under the ch cumstanccs , can he the least possible 

 cncaurugement. If iliere was already any c-onsideral)le 

 qii;intity of cdcoons raised in tlie Slate, or even the 

 means <if making then), and tliey remained unreeled/or 

 want of skill only, siscli an aci of the Legislature migfit 

 induce persons to attempt the reeling of it. But the fact 

 is, (and perhaps ihe Legislature were deceived in this 

 particular,) tiiere is not, — I speak the residt of diligent 

 inquiries made for iho arlicle, foi the pur[K)se of reeling, 

 — there is not, as 1 think, one thousarif! pounds of co- 

 coons made this year in tlie whole Commonwealth. 

 That is prohnhly a large statement. This would make 

 from 100 to 1'25 lbs. ol" reeled silk, and if the wliole were 

 reeled and liie bounty paid on it, it would draw from the 

 Treasurj- the enormous sum of 50 to $G2 in bounty. 

 But the above is, no doubt, an over-statement, and be- 

 s'des the siik is in the hands of small growers, who have 

 from 10 to 20 lbs. Being relisrred to a aian who was 

 said to be one of the largest growers in one of the largest 

 counties, I found on application that he had a crop of 

 4 bushels or about 40 lbs. Another man to whom I afi- 

 plied f<)r 100 lbs. answered that so much was not raised 

 in ten miles of country round. One person L have found 

 to have about 100 lbs., perhaps the single instance in the 

 State. Now the whole of this silk would not pay the 

 price often reels, (the net profit of it reeled,) at a cost of 

 $25 a reel which is the price. And every man knows 

 tiiat the quantity cannot be materially increased in two 

 years, for it must take that time, at least, after planting 

 trees, to begin to feed the xcorms on them ; and there not 

 being trees planted in sufficient numbers to increase to 

 any great extent the stock of cocoons, the expectant of 

 the bounty must wait for his trees to grow. But, alas! 

 so soon as iie gets food for his worms, the act dies, and 

 he cannot expect any encouragement in the shape of 

 bounty on his reeled silk. I think I could safely engage 

 to pay all the State bounty this year for $20. The next 

 it may be a little mo.e. But if it were $10,000 it would 

 not encourage the reeling, for the reason slated, that it 

 lasts only two years, and the necessary preparation can 

 not be made in that time. 



In the present state of the business, therefore, the 

 bounty should be continued five years at least on reeled 

 silk, and a premium should also be paid to tlie raiser, that 

 is, a bounty on the cocoons, so that a sup|)ly should be 

 raised with which the reeler may work. 



The Legislature, besides, to encourage the early grow- 

 ing of trees, should have incorporated all companies ask- 

 ing for a charier, at the beginning of their late session in 

 September. Then we might have had extensive planta- 

 tions made this fill, which would have made a difl'erence 

 of a whole year in the use of the leaves over those plant- 

 ed in the ensuing Spring, as those then planted cannot be 

 gathered in the next Spring after, but must be let alone 

 f )r two jears, while those now planted may bo gathered 

 in the second year. 



It is to be hoped, if there is any serious intention of 

 promoting the ciillure and reeling of silk in this State, 

 that some different tnean> will be adopted by the Legis- 

 lature speedily for doing it, and that, in iht; coming win- 

 ter a change will be made uKire likely to effect the ob- 

 ject. BoMBXY. 



[For Fessendeii's Silk Manual.] 



BOUNTY ON REEL,ED S1L.K. 



The Legislature of Massachusett*, at its last session, 

 passed a law allowing a bounty of 50 cents on each lb. of 

 ■ilk reeled in the State, from cocoons produced by woi ms 

 raised in the State; the act to continue in force two 

 years. If the intention of the legislature was to encour- 

 age the reeling ( f silk, they have not adopted the mode 



The Cambridge (Md.) Chronicle says, the crop 

 of rice planted by Major Leary, near that p ace, 

 has grown vigorously and matured completely. 



The wood of the mulberry tre^ is iise<l for 

 many pur[>oses. Being compact, pliant, and hard, 

 and capable of receiving a good polish, it is 

 sought by upholsterers, turners, and carvers. 



