PRACTICAL F A R ]M E R 



147 



It is conficlently believed that silk wi!i yet be 

 grown and manufactured in America at less ex- 

 pense than in Europe, and that we shall export 

 not only the raw material, but the staj)le article 

 made from it, at a good profit. 



We think that the raw silk may yet bo made at 

 a price even less than three dollars by the pound, 

 probably at about two dollars. 



The people of Massachusetts, under the pro- 

 tection of government or State bounty, are privi- 

 leged above most others, being allowed one dollar 

 for every ten pounds, or ten cents per pound for 

 all cocoons by them raised. Also 50 cents for the 

 reeling of every pound, and 50 cents for the 

 throwing or twisting of every pound — making 

 two dollars bounty on every |)ound of sewing silk, 

 nearly or quite enough to j)ay all the expense of 

 raising the cocoons — reeling and twisting, leav- 

 ing every pound of silk a clear profit to the 

 grower. 



The Philadelphia Committee allow 2480 co- 

 coens to make a pound of raw silk. This is a 

 generous allowance, perhaps a medium quantity. 

 But worms well fed will yield cocoons, 2000 of 

 which will yield a pound of silk. We are confi- 

 dent that good American sewing silk will fetch as 

 much in market as the best Italian — our mer- 

 chant tailors even prefer it. 



What better jirofit ' ("an the yankee farmer de- 

 sire, who, from cocoons of his own raising, can 

 reel and make sewing silk which will readily sell 

 at 10 dollars by the jjound, and when he can take 

 at least 100 pounds of silk from an acre set with 

 Chinese mulberry ? Let posterity, nay let the 

 year 1840 or '42 decide the question, and we 

 think a few individuals will do it the next year. — 

 lb. 



MULBERRY. 



A dry, sterile sand is unsuitable ; and a sliallow 

 soil « n a foundation of clay produces leaves of bad 

 quality. In low rich grounds, and extensive plains 

 or prairies, near ponds and in the valleys of rivers, 

 the mulberry tree indeed grows most vigorously, 

 yet the leaves being more watery, though vora- 

 ciously devoured, they prolong the labors of the in- 

 sect by inducing weakness, and injure the quality 

 of the produce. These grounds are alike exposed 

 to the destructive frosts of wintei and of summer : 

 the moisture of the atmosphere in such situations 

 causes the leaves to become spotted and to mildew, 

 and the leaves thus infected, if given to the insects, 

 are the sure sources of disease and of death. 



Sunny expositions and the declivities of hills, 

 those especially which slope to the south, east, or 

 west. The cocoons of mountainous countries are 



deemed sujjerior to those of the plains; although 

 not so large, they are usually of a whiter color. 

 Plant the nmlberry tree on the high uplands, and on 

 the hills, for here they are neither exposed to suffer 

 from the early and the latter frosts, nor are the 

 leaves liable to become spotted or diseased from the 

 mildew ; and from these combined causes, the 

 growth of the tree will be consequently prolonged 

 for a double length of time. 



Prepare the soil by suitable nutriment, to the 

 depth of eighteen inches beneath the tree, and to a 

 proper distance around. The roots of the mulberry 

 tree strike downwards; other plants may therefore 

 be profitably cultivated beneath its shade, which is 

 not deemed pernicious, the whole ground being 

 kept as a garden during the first years- 



The climate of the countries bordering on the 

 great northern arteries or rivers is in some degree 

 unfavorable. The winds, which, unobstructed, 

 follow almost invariably the general course of the 

 valleys of these rivers, bring down alternately from 

 high northern regions, and from other climes, a de- 

 gree of cold, during winter, the most intense and 

 destructive. On the best authority I am assured 

 that the pear, and particularly the peach and the 

 cherry, have during the last winters suffered partial 

 destruction in the valley of the Connecticut, as far 

 south as the country around the city of Hartford, 

 and even still farther downwards and towards the 

 sea. Even far below the city of Albany, on the 

 Hudson or North river, the cherry tree particularly, 

 and many other trees which are equally as hardy, 

 and especially during all the period of their younger 

 years, are, as I ani assured, extremely liable to suf- 

 fer death during winter, from the same destructive 

 climate and causes. 



The proper soils for the mulberry tree are " dry 

 sandy, or stony." And trees growing on dry, 

 sandy, or stony soils, and situated on the open plains, 

 and on hills the most exposed to cold winds, will be 

 found to suffer least of all from the destructive 

 frosts of autumn and of winter. With all anthors 

 I must agree in recommending a soil of but mod- 

 erate fertility, and least of all a cold, moist, and 

 heavy soil on a clay foundation, or even a very rich 

 soil ; a dry soil on a friable subsoil, on gentle eleva- 

 tions or declivities, being the most suitable of all 

 for the mulberry from China. — Kenrick. 



In France, although they raise so much silk, they 

 still import annually, to the amount of 43,000,000 

 francs of raw silk, or nearly one-third of all they 

 consume, for the supply of their manufactures. 



