68 



SILK MANUAL, AND 



and sameness of crops, altliotigh twice the profits 

 might be had from other cro[)s. But thesu preju- 

 dices are fast giving way to the light of science 

 and agricultural improvements, aided by the press 

 and publications of the day. — JVorthamplcm Cour. 



SILK CULTURiE. 



The importance of this branch of agriculture is 

 becoming every day more apj arent. The soil of 

 the Atlantic States, otherwise poor and run out, is 

 found to be admirably adapted to the cultivation 

 of the Mulberry, and promises through this source 

 rich remuneration for the trifling trouble necessary 

 to bring the trees to perfection. If the business 

 is piu'sued by with industry and zeal, the old 

 States will be able to compete with the new, in 

 despite of difference of soil and climate. Few 

 farmers have any idea of the vast profit of the 

 silk business. Four hundred and twenty |:ounds 

 of silk was produced from four acres of ground, 

 near Boston, planted with mulberry trees. This 

 silk sold for $3, 50 per pound — amounting to 

 $1470. The labor was jierformed by four girls, 

 whose atttention was required but a small portion 

 of the time. The following statement of the 

 profit of one acre of ground is given by Andrew 

 Parmentier, Esq. of New York : 

 One acre fenced with mulberry hedges 



and set out with trees, - - 250 00 



Interest and additional expenses during 



5 years, - - - - - 187 50 



$437 50 



The acre will then produce: 

 From 5 to 10 years - - - 20 percent. 



" 10 to 15 " - - - 47 " " 



" 15 to 20 " - - - 112 " " 



after 20 years the average will continue at H2 per 

 cent. 



The proportion of silk to the acre has been 

 variously stated from 40 to 100 lbs. — a fair esti- 

 mate would probably be about 60, which at three 

 and a half dollars per lb. would be 210 dollars — a 

 much larger sum than could be realized in any 

 other manner from the saine quantity of land. 

 The demand for silk goods has been constantly 

 increasing in this countiy. The importations last 

 year amounted to nearly 16 millions of dollars, 

 and it is probable that like the cotton business, the 

 consumption of this elegant article of dress will 

 more than keep pace with its increased cultivation. 

 When the fact is generally known that any young 

 lady, by a few hours of pleasant recreation in 

 each week, can clothe herself in a splendid suite 

 of native silk at the low rate of 12 1-2 cents per 

 yard, there will not be a garden without its mul- 

 berry trees nor a chamber without shelves for the 

 accommodation of the industrious spinner. The 



individual who devotes a portion of his leisure to 

 the introduction of this elegant and profitable 

 business should be regarded as a publii; bene- 

 factor. 



Great (are should be used in selecting the seeds, 

 especially those of the Chinese Mulberry. Nearly 

 all of this latter kind purchased in Boston by gen- 

 tlen)en of this town last spring, provtsd to be 

 wortidess. From about 20 dollars worth of seed, 

 one gentleman (Dr Durkee) has succeeded in 

 raising a dozen or twenty vigorous plants. We 

 should think that something near the sum of 400 

 dollars was lost by our fellow citizens from impo- 

 sitions of this kind. Hot water is said to be aa 

 infallible test — the seed which are good after be- 

 ing steeped in it a short time will sink, while the 

 worthless will remain on the surface. John Ben- 

 nett, Esq. has succeeded in raising a few fine trees 

 of Chinese mulberry. He procured the plants, 

 we believe, in New YorL. We were shown by 

 him a few f ne looking Cocoons made by worms 

 fed on the leaves of these trees. If he succeeds 

 in preserving his trees through the winter, he will 

 nexfyear reap a good crop and perhaps win the 

 high reputation of being the first gentleman in 

 Portsmouth who raised his ovvii silk. 



The White IMulberry has succeeded better in 

 this vicinity. Several gentlemen have succeeded 

 in raising a large number of plants. James W. 

 Emery, Es(|. has a great quantity of fine, thrifty 

 looking plants; they are decidedly the best of the 

 kind we have seen this year, and will in the 

 course of another year be worth their weight in 

 silver. Great care should be observed to prevent 

 the young and tender plants from exposure to the 

 severity of the winter. If this is done one or two 

 years, until they become sufficiently hardy to re- 

 sist the severity of the cold, no further precautions 

 on this point will be necessary, as they are ex- 

 tremely tenacious of life, and when once firmly 

 fixed beyond the power of frost they will be found 

 nearly as difficult to get rid of us the Canadian 

 thistle. — .V. H. Gazette. 



The Barre, Mass. Gazette, gives the following 

 account of a farmer in that town named Ebene- 

 zer Johnson, who is in the 94th year of his age. 

 He has been swinging the scythe the present hay 

 season, with considerable vigor, and he sneers at 

 the idea of being outdone by the younger wights 

 of the sneath — he also performs n share of al- 

 most every kind of agricultural labor, and can 

 truly boast of having been longer in the field, and 

 of accomplishing more hard labor, than any other 

 man he ever saw or heard of. 



The Pennsylvania papers say there is no reason 

 to apprehend a scarcity of anthracite coal. 



