FE SSENDEN'S 



AND 



DeToted to the Culture of Silk, Agriculture, and Rural Economy. 



VOL. II. 



BOSTON, SEPTEMBER, 1836. 



NO. 5. 



PDBLISHED MONTHLY BY 



JOSEPH BRECK & CO, 

 51 8f 52 JVoHh Market St., at the JV. E. Farmer Office. 



T. G: FESSENDEN, Editor. 



Fifty cents per year — twelve copies for five dollars 

 — always in advance. 



!I3= Postmasters and Agents allowed 10 per cent on 

 all subscribers. 



BOSTON, SEPTEMBER, 183G . 



(For the Silk Manual.) 



PROGRESS OF SILK CULTURE IN THIS 

 COUNTRY, 



The success which has so far, generally attend- 

 ed the efforts that have been made by individuals, 

 who have taken hohl of the work in right good 

 earnest, to iutrodiice the culture, and manufacture 

 of Silk among us, certainly gives fair and encour- 

 aging prospects of ultimate and not very far dis- 

 tant success. Is it asked what has been done ? 

 Look at the enterprise at Nantncket, where al- 

 ready silks cf fine texture, comparing with the 

 finest of European produce, have been manufac- 

 tured, and on a Power-loom, of purely American 

 ingenuity, the second one in the world, used for the 

 purpose of manufacturing Silk stuffs — the fir.«t 

 being at Providence, under the direction of the 

 Silk Company there. Look at the Company at 

 Framingham, in successful operation. That at 

 Dedham, and at Northampton ; at both of these 

 places, factories are building, and their plans near- 

 ly completed to cotnmence extensive operations. 

 At Woburn a company has been formed with a 

 large plantation of Mulberries under successful 

 cultivation. There are some others in this state, 

 and many in other States, all, as far as we can 

 learn, prospering remarkably and beyond expecta- 

 tion. We will not forget to mention the Connec- 

 ticut Silk Company. By its liberal policy hun- 

 dreds of indigent persons, male and female, are 

 taught, free from charge, in the mystery of reel- 

 ing and spinning silk, and thus hundreds are 



placed in comfortable situations, and pass their 

 days in industry, content and independence, who 

 otherwise might have lived in poverty and indo- 

 lence. 



And inaivldual enterprise has been lending a 

 powerful aid to advance this business. Mr Cobb 

 almost unaided and alone, for more than ten years 

 • has been devoting his time and money for the 

 interest of the cause. The venerable Du Ponceau 

 of Philadelphia, and our patriotic Dearborn, have 

 for a series of years, been investigating the sub- 

 ject, and laying the result of their research before 

 the peo[)le. Whitmarsh of Northampton, whose 

 splendid establishment is well known, is another 

 that had faith, and embarked his fortunes in the 

 silk business, looking forward to the time when it 

 should assume a character and an importance for 

 his remuneration, and well has he reaped. Adam 

 Brooks, of Scituate, has invented several ma- 

 chines; his Silk spinner and twister is well known 

 and is probably the best in the country. Mrs 

 Brooks is an adept in the art of making sewing 

 silk, and weaving. We passed a very pleasant 

 hour at her hospitable mansion a few days since 

 and were delighted with the specimens of her 

 workmanship which she unfolded for our examin- 

 ation. Silk handkerchiefs, articles for vestings, 

 for dresses, of the finest texture, beautiful hose, 

 and gloves, and sewing silk, which is eagerly 

 sought for on account of its superior strength. It 

 is Mrs B's, intention to manufacture this fall, a 

 piece of plush, &c. Her machinery is carried by 

 horse-power. 



Wewere highly gratified during a brief stay at 

 New Haven, last June, i-i visiting the grounds of 

 Mrs A. M. Wharton, (late Reddie.) We had 

 heard much of Mrs W's, success in the culture of 

 silk and expected to be gratified in our visit to 

 her establishment. But we were really astonished 

 at the extent, and excellence of her arrangements. 



There is a cocoonery of generous dimensions, 

 arranged in the most appropriate manner for the 

 accommodation of the worms, in which are now 

 upwards 800,000, most in the last age, and 

 ready to spin. [Since the above was written the 



