254 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 2, 



lO''- 



though much neglected art, — the art of husband- 

 ry. It is the fountain from which we obtain our 

 wealth and earthly happiness. Let us then con- 

 tinue to unite our exertions with t!ie exertions of 

 those who have recommended and patronized the 

 best interests of the State, until the science and 

 practice of agriculture shall e.xcite that universal 

 attention which its high importance demands. 



To the ladies who patronize this Society after 

 what they have here exhibited of their industry 

 and economy — those brightest ornaments of the 

 female part of community, — compliments are use- 

 less. The works of their own hands praise them. 

 May others be stimulated to go and do likewise. 



NEW ENGLAn1)~FARMER. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1827. 



AMERICAN MANUFACTURE OF SILK. 



The communication with which we have been 

 honored from Gov. LiNcoi,N,(which is given on the 

 first page of this paper^ together with the report 

 of Geo. a. Tufts, Esq. will be higlily appreciated 

 by all enlightened men, who feel an interest in the 

 prosperity of the United States. There is a fair 

 prospect, that silk may, at no distant period, be- 

 come a staple commodity of New England, — an 

 article as well for exportation as liomc consump- 

 tion. Where interest and intellect unite with the 

 spirit of enterprise characteristic of the citizens of 

 the United States, we may safely calculate on great 

 and beneficial results. 



We have likewise on hand other valuable com- 

 munications and documents relating to this subject, 

 ■■vhich will soon appear in this paper. Among these 

 IS a manuscript pamphlet on the silk worm, written 

 (sixty-six years ago,) by a gentleman in Europe, 

 and transcribed under the directions of one of the 

 ancestors of a distinguished family in Connecticut. 

 This pamphlet is said to have been the principal 

 cause which induced some ingenious and enterpris- 

 ing individuals to attempt the manufacture of silk 

 in Mansfield, Con. where it has for many years 

 been raised to the benefit of the public, as well as 

 the emolument of those concerned. For this valu- 

 able document we are indebted to a gentleman who 

 has before laid us under obligations, for v/hich he 

 will accept our thanks. 



We have likewise received an interesting arti- 

 cle on the culture of silk, from the pen of a gentle- 

 man from Europe, who has been conversant witli 

 the business in some large establishments. 



Oy' An able and elaborate article, on the Manu- 

 facture of Cider, from Judge Buel, of Albany, was 

 received too late for thii week^s paper. 



From the ■JSTew- York Daily Advertiser. 



VINES. 



We give publicity, with pleasure, to the follow- 

 ing facts from Mr I'armentier, so important to cul- 

 tivators of the Vine in this climate. He has dis- 

 covered, by actual experiment, that a great varie- 

 ty of the choicest Vines of the north and south of 

 France are able to resist uninjured such severe 

 weather as we have lately experienced. We ihink 

 VTe may safely recommend the cultivation of these 

 vines to farmers and private gentlemen. A num- 

 ber of stocks transplanted from Mr Parmentier's 

 vineyard last season, within our own knowledge, 

 have flourished extremely well ; and we are con- 



fident, that a little care would supply this country i 

 vvitli the best grapes. | 



Sir — You will partake of tiie satisfaction I have ! 

 in announcing to the amateurs of tiie cultivation of ; 

 the vine, that the experiment which I have made, ' 

 of leaving a great number of my vines without 

 covering the present winter, hag succeeded be- 1 

 yond my expectations, notwithstanding the weath- 

 er has been so severe. The thermometer has fal- ' 

 len, several nights, to 28 and 30 degrees below ! 

 the freezing point ; and worse than that, the rain; 

 which fell during two days, and froze on the trees, ' 

 threatened the greatest danger to the vines ; yet 1 

 they have resisted all those attacks without re- 1 

 ceiving the least injury, and remain as if they 

 had passed the winter in France. Among these i 

 are nil the 24 species I have sold at 8 dollars the i 

 dozen, a printed description of which may be had! 

 at the bookstore of Mr Hay Stevenson, No 257 I 

 Broadway. 



The question, so important to this country, ' 

 whether the vine can withstand the severity of the 

 winters, and particularly such a winter as v/e are ! 

 now escaping from, is then decided. These vines | 

 are without any protection, exposed to every wind, i 

 and they have not suflTered. Nothing, then, need 

 prevent the cultivation of this excellent fruit on a 

 larger scale. The newspapers are the propaga- 

 tors of every thing interesting ; and I must take 

 this opportunity to acknowledge the disinterested 

 manner in which the editors have treated me. — 

 They have shown how sincerely they wish the i 

 general introduction of the vine, which would be a j 

 Irsting benefit to the country. i 



Yours respectfully | 



ANDRE PARMENTIER. i 



Horticultural Garden, Brooklyn, L. I. Feb. 1827. 



Remarks by the Editor of the JVeic England Far- 

 mer We should be happy in being assured that all ] 



the species of vines alluded to in the foregoing ar- 1 

 tide by Mr Parmentier can withstand the severity 

 not only of New-York but New-England winters. ! 

 But a trial for a single season can give us nothing i 

 decisive on the subject. Besides we fear the sea- ] 

 son of trial for the present year may not yet have 

 arrived. We have always understood that plants , 

 are less liable to be destroyed by continued and 

 uniform cold weather, even of very great severity, 

 than by sudden alternations of frost and thaws. I 

 Sudden variations of temperature, by alternately ! 

 contracting and dilating the fibres and sap-vessels 

 of vegetables, may prove fatal to such as are not 

 fitted by nature nor habit to endure such changes; 

 while greater variations, if gradual, might prove < 

 harmless. Thus we say of wheat, which is sowed 

 and begins to vegetate in autumn, but dies before 

 the next growing season that it is it'infcr-killed, I 

 when, in fact it is most commonly spring h'lhci. 

 It will remain verdant, whether covered or not 

 covered with snow through the winter, and per- ! 

 haps till some time in March or April, and yet, by ' 

 subsequent frosts be destroyed. What is called] 

 Ian o//cn winter, in which there is but little sr.nw j 

 I IS most apt to prove destructive to clover, winter 

 I grain &c. and probably to vines. 



But if it be true that Mr Parraontier's vines will 

 endure, without covering, the winters of Long 

 Island, and the grapes they may produce will ri- j 

 pen in the open air of that climate, it does not! 

 follow that they could withstand a similar expos- | 

 ure in most parts of New England. The latter is I 

 situated farther north, and its interior further from ! 



eiiel 



*■ 



the sea ; from those circumstances, the mea 

 perature of our climate is less ; and tender 

 plants might flouiish in Long Island, but per^'"'"'" 

 New England. So far as we can learn, cultl 

 in the neighborhood of Boston have rarely i?^ 

 er succeeded in cultivating vmes of foreign o 

 gin, without laying them down, and coveri 

 them during the colder part of the season. Sm 

 thing however, may be anticipated from such vl 

 becoming acclimated, or accustomed to our'l 

 mate ; and in time so far naturalized that 'A 

 may prosper in situations and aspects which || 

 generally proved fatal to them. We wism 

 Parmentier all possible success, and think bii 

 of his merits as an able horticulturist, but belie 

 it our duty to warn such as are disposed to cul 

 vate the vine not to be too sanguine in their t 

 pectations of procuring grapes of foreign orj 

 which will brave the rigours of New England MP'" 

 ters through a succession of seasons without 

 ter. 



SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE. 



The papers from the interior of the iouthernti 

 south western portions of the Union are filled w't 

 complaints of the unprofitableness of cotton pl^ 

 tationa. They enter into elaborate statistical Cfl 

 eolation to show the necessity of some new ap^ 

 cies of culture. The different Agricultural £ 

 cieties of South Carolina have formed one geneh 

 State Institution, at a recent meeting of whichiK 

 following resolutions were passed : it 



" Resolved, That it be recommended to evt 

 member of this society, to use his best efforts 1 • 

 promoting in his respective district, the culture 

 some staple, suited to our climate, and which ni 

 divert the attention of planters from the culture 

 cotton, now produced in excess. 



Resolved, That a premium of forty dolltrs 

 awarded to any experimentalist who shall succe ' 

 in introducing such new culture, on a space 

 ground not less than one acre." 



The new cultivations which seem to be most 

 favour are those of the vine and silk. In varic 

 parts of the Southern States they have both he 

 tried with considerable success. Tlie present 

 a favourable opportunity to push these experimei 

 still further, since the cotton culture is so uuprn 

 table. The climate of that part of the Union 

 admirably adapted to both. 



Resolutions have passed the Legislatsre 

 North Carolina, in favour of Frances Morceau, 

 Wilks county, giving him in fee simple .TOO acr 

 of land on the Bushy Mountain for the purpose 

 making experiments in the cultivation of the vin 



JUDGE BUEL. 



The Hon. Isaac Hill, Editor of the New Ham 

 shire Patriot, in republishing from the New En; 

 land Farmer some valuable agricultural observe 

 tions in answer to the gentleman who sent tl 

 ootnmunication, and who appeared not, personal! 

 to know .Tudire Buel, makes tlie following pc-fii 

 ent and just remarks as to the character and usi 

 ful labors of that distinguished friend and prom< 

 ter of the interests of the plough. 



" Our respected correspondent is informed thi 

 Judire Buel was educated ori'nnally to the bus 

 ne.sa of a printer — that he was editor and publisi 

 er of that valuable political paper, the Albany Ai 

 gus. during and subsequent to the last war — the 

 by his industry and perseverance in busines«, h 

 obt.ained a handsome property, sold the newspapc 



