FESSENDEIN'S 



AND 



DeToted to the Culture of ^ilU, Ag^riculturc, and Rural Ecouomy. 



VOL. II. 



BOSTON, OCTOBER, 1836. 



NO. 6. 



PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY 



JOSEPH BRECK & CO. 



51 Sf 52 JVorth Market St., at the JV. E. Farmer Office. 



T. G. FESSENDEN, Editor. 



Fifty cents per year — twelve copies for five dollars 

 — always in advance. 



inr Postmasters and Agents allowed 10 per cent on 

 all subscribers. 



BOSTON, OCTOBER, 1836 . 



(For the Silk Manual.) 

 T. G. Fessenden, Esq. Editor of JVew- England 

 Farmer and Silk Manual — I noticed an article 

 in your last Manual stating tlie progress of one 

 gentleman in Saco in the mulberry business in 

 Maine. I was much pleased that he had entered 

 into it so largely ; his intelligence seems to be all 

 tliat you have uj)on that interesting business. I 

 will state to you the progress I have made and 

 tliere are others in this vicinity making small be- 

 ginnings. I have ten or twelve thousand plants, 

 of four years growth. They are small of their 

 age, as I thought not best to force the growth of 

 them. I have one or two hundred that are six 

 years old, but through inexperience in the cultiva- 

 tion and other casualities I get not much from 

 them. One year ago last spring I transplanted 

 from the seed beds twenty four hundred and thirty 

 in a nursery form. They lived and have grown 

 well this summer particularly. I have fed a few 

 worms are made a little sewing silk by way of 

 experiment for three years past. This season 

 from my young trees principally, I have fed five- 

 hundred worms, which far exceeded my most 

 sanguine expectations ; I had twenty pounds 

 cocoons, chrysalis not killed, which produced 

 one half pound raw silk spun on a common wool- 

 len wheel, having nothing better to work with, 

 when doubled and twisted made three hundred 



and seventy five skeins of sewing silk of the same 

 length and number of threads as imported silk. 

 Now sir, I should like to be informed through the 

 medium of your valuable paper, whether my suc- 

 cess has been at a medium rate or not, as those 

 of longer and more experience in the business.* 

 I hatched the insects in my house and fed them 

 there the three first weeks, when I transferred 

 them to an out building which was only roughly 

 boarded where they made their cocoons; I think 

 1 shall double my quantity of silk another season, 

 as I planted thi-ee thousand in addition to my 

 former number. 



1 have the ground prepared for three thousand 

 more next spring ; my opinion is now confirmed 

 in the business and I shall extend my operations 

 as fast as my small means will permit me to do. 

 I do not intend to sell many of my young trees, 

 for when sold they are gone from me and I am 

 so much behind in the business. Enclosed you 

 will find a sample of the silk we have made this 

 year, manufactured by my wife and daughter 

 without any knowledge except what they gained 

 by reading and very attentive practice, mingled 

 with a good share of patience. If you think the 

 above imperfect sketches worth noticing it is at 

 your disposal. Very respectfully yours, &c. 



JAMES WALKER. 

 JVote. 



* Considering that the cocoons were not killed 

 previous to weighing, and that the machinery for 

 winding was simple and imperfect, the product as 

 above stated was very satisfactory. In France, 

 according to J. D'Homergue, it requires twelve 

 pounds of cocoons to produce one pound of raw 

 silk ; eight pounds will in this country be amply 

 sufficient to produce the same quantity. — jpc«- 

 senden's Silk Manual. 



Mr Walker deserves much commendation for 

 his efforts in silk culture, and we are glad to per- 

 ceive that he is determined to persevere, with 

 such favorable prospects. — Ed. Silk Manual. 



