294 



THE GENESEE FAR3IER 



September 17, 1831 



two former articles. Wonki is eager to raise his 

 voice on the occasion, but seems to know nothing 

 of the matter in dispute. 



These samples of the literature and manners of 

 our good city will be interesting to many persons 

 in Europe. (i. 



Jjp The number of the N. Y. Farmer, contain- 

 ing the communication of Wonki has not been 

 received at this office. Will the editor please send 

 it? 



From the \ew-l:nglanil Farmer. 



Mr. Fessenien, — In the sheets of the Re- 

 vue des Revues sent by Doct. Van Mons, is 

 an interesting account of a process for ma- 

 king a cheap and very good kind of cheese : 

 and as the experiment may be deemed wor- 

 thy of repetition, by our agriculturists, I send 

 you a translation for the New-England Far- 

 mer. It is probable the process may be con- 

 siderably improved, by the use of a press of 

 some kind, which does not appear to have 

 been applied, as in the mode practiced by 

 our dair -women. 



I have read your remarks on female indus- 

 try, and think them generally correct. When 

 the daughters of farmers can be well employ- 

 ed at home, that is the very best place for 

 them ; but if there is poverty, shiftlessness, 

 vice, and no work to be done, within the walls 

 of the parental dwelling let them seek a bet- 

 ter situation for earning a support, cultiva- 

 ting their minds and improving their mor- 

 als. 



You have treated this important subject 

 of inquiry with candor, and that practical 

 good sense, which characterises whatever 

 you publish under the editorial head of the 

 New-England Farmer. 



In this land of freedom all must work to 

 live, and recollect the apothegm of Franklin, 

 that 'God helps them, who help themselves.' 



There are innumerable employments for 

 females in the country. I called at a small 

 house in a neighboring town a few days since, 

 to obtain a glass of water. I found the snug 

 apartments, neatly furnished, and such an 

 appearance of thrift, that I was induced to 

 investigate the cause. The tale was soon 

 told. The little tenement belonged to a 

 widow, who had two daughters, whose time 

 was devoted to the manufacture of artificial 

 flowers for the New-Orleans market. By 

 this pleasant branch of industry, they earned 

 four or five hundred dollars per annum, and 

 were consequently independent, respected, 

 comfortable and happy, in the neat cottage, 

 which was embellished with fruit trees and 

 flowers, by their own hands. 



It is most interesting and gratifying, to call 

 at the houses on the road side, as we pass 

 through the country, where a certain appear- 

 ance of rural enjoyment strikes the eye, and 

 ascertain the infinite modes, in which the va- 

 rious inmates earn a support. The variety 

 of manufactures which claim the attention of 

 the frugal mother and active daughters, is 

 absolutely astonishing. 



To know how our people live and earn a 

 living, we must viiit them at their own fire- 

 sides. Industry, economy, and temperance, 

 with a cheerful heart, and moral habits, tri- 

 umph over all the hostilities of climate and 

 soil. The rough features of this northern re- 

 region are made to assume the delightful as- 

 pect of more favored climes. Labor, con- 

 stant, unremitted and untiring labor, has giv- 

 en to New-England the glorious appearance 



of universal prosperity. Freedom has pitch- 

 ed her tents upon the hills, and health and 

 comfort reside in every vale. Let those who 

 are ever looking on the dark side of the pic- 

 ture of life, contrast the condition of this peo- 

 ple, with that of any other country, ancient 

 or modern, and they must rejoice at the ad- 

 vancement rather than the decadence, of the 

 human race; they must be prcud of their 

 countrymen rather than disposed to hunt up 

 causes of complaints, and of perpetual de- 

 nunciation. The good should be noted, when 

 what there is of error calls down rebuke. — 

 The everlasting cry of depravity will not e- 

 radicate the latter or augment the former. 



(Unqualified disapprobation, at all times, and 



j in all places, bespeak a cold temperament, 



I and an utter ignorance of the character of 

 man; to elevate him, commendation is bet- 



jter than censure. 



With the advantages of schools and reli- 

 gious instruction so abundantly afforded thro' 

 out the Eastern states, with a disposition to 

 advance in fortune, intellectual acquirements 



land reputation, the daughters of agricultu- 

 ral and mechanical parents become, in prop- 

 er time, mothers of robust children, who are 

 taught by precept and example to emulate 

 the meritorious deportment of their progen- 



' itors. 



But there is one striking fact, which may 

 be considered as the test of our prosperity 

 and the cause of our advancement in all the 

 arts of civilization ; it is the pre-eminent vir- 

 tue of the females, of all ranks and ages. If 

 the men were as distinguished for their rec- 

 titude of conduct, vice would soon disappear 

 from the land ; they are responsible for what- 

 ever there is of crime and licentiousness. — 

 Let them take counsel from women, and im- 

 itate her morals, and the prison and alms 

 house would become useless establishments 

 Misery would not exist, and joy and felicity 

 become the inmates of every mansion. If 

 woman is vicious man has made her so, and 

 the effects of his character fall upon his de- 

 scendants, from generation to generation. — 

 Woman is, in this country, the standard of 



j excellence for the lords of creation, who have 

 assumed a lofty position, but the power of 

 command does not always ensure respect. — 

 To merit distinction, they must endeavor to 

 propitiate by kindness and ensure commen- 

 dation by practical morality ; the times have 

 gone by when to order was deemed a right, 

 and submission ranked among the obliga- 

 tions of woman. She has a mind and has 

 cultivated it ; she is capable of deciding on 

 the character and deeds of man and he must 

 be ambitious to obtain her good opinions. 



With unfeigned esteem, your most obedi- 

 ent servant. H. A. S. Dearborn. 



Bnnley Place, > 

 Sept. 2, 1631 ._$ 



From the Bostou Evning Gazette. 



SILK WORMS. 



We recently witnessed the operation of over 

 4000 silk worms at the scat of Nath'l. 

 Dorr, Esq. in Roxbury — and must confess 

 that we never before felt the least interest 

 in this important branch of Natural economy 

 until we saw these busy bodies at work. It 

 has led us to read and reflect a little upon 

 this subject. 



The two following articles are taken from 

 the Baltimore Chronicle of the Times, which 

 is edited by Professors Ducaten and Sal- 

 vert, of the University of Maryland — and 

 presents a short but interesting description, 

 of the management adopted in the establish- 



ment of of M. Duponceau, of Philadelphia, 

 and also some account of the Native Ameri- 

 can Silk Worms, in the following account by 

 the editors. 



We have lately taken occasion, during the 

 visit of a few weeks to Philadelphia, to visit 

 the Silk spinning establishment of the vene- 

 rable P. S. Duponceau, Esq. The estab- 

 lishment is directed by Mr. D'Homergue ; 

 and though small, sufficiently extensive to 

 enable its founder to attain the object which 

 he had in view — namely, to satisfy himself 

 experimentally of the degree of skill requi- 

 red to learn the ait of silk sj inning. 



A short description of ihe arrangements a- 

 dopted in the establishment under D'Homer- 

 gue's directions may be acceptable to our 

 readers. It consists in a shed thirty-six feet 

 long by twenty in breadth, running north and 

 south, the eastern side entirely open, the 

 western exposure but partially rioted, hav- 

 ing six large sashes, usually let down, in or- 

 der to permit the free circulation of air so 

 essential to the operations to be performed. 

 The entire apparatus and machinery of the 

 establishment consists of ten furnaces built 

 up in masonry, with grates for burning char- 

 coal, and copper basins for heating the wa- 

 ter in which the cocoons are placed, and 

 made to connect during the spinning opera- 

 tion with the reels. These are constructed 

 in the most simple manner. — Each system 

 of apparatus and machinery is attended by 

 two females — the spinster and a little girl 

 win, turns the reel. The spinster takes her 

 situation next to the furnace; she is provi- 

 ded with a basin of cold water into which she 

 dips her fingers, after every immersion of 

 them in the hot water in which the cocoons 

 are placed. Her duty is to prepare the co- 

 toons by wiping them for a short time in the 

 hot water, and supplying them with the 

 number of threads to the reel. It is this op- 

 eration, which, although extremely simple 

 in appearance, is attended with difficulties 

 in practice far greater than we had any idea 

 of. We have satisfied ourselves by close ex- 

 amination, by inquiries from the females, 

 who are now spinning for the second year, 

 and by the full and precise explanations 

 which were given to us by Mr. D'Homergue 

 himself, that the art of spinning silk of uni- 

 formly good quality is a far more difficult ac- 

 quirement than has been sometimes stated, 

 and generally thought. 



From these considerations and a convic- 

 tion of the importance to our country of the 

 raising of silk worms, and the manufacture 

 of its invaluable product, we have no hesita- 

 tion in subscribing ourselves as the decided 

 advocates of the plan submitted by Mr. Du 

 Ponceau, to congress after their request — 

 namely, to appropriate a sum of money for 

 the thorough instruction of sixty intelligent 

 young men in the art of spinning silk, under 

 the direction of Mr. D'Homergue. We have 

 the greatest confidence in Mr. D'Homergue's 

 intelligence and abilities ; we feel the warm- 

 est gratitude for Mr. Du Ponceau's patriot- 

 ic exertions — his sacrifice of time and mon- 

 ey — in convincing our fellow citizens of the 

 importance of this new branch of industry, 

 and providing for our country the means of 

 securing its benefits. 



We have the additional gratification of be- 

 ing able to state, that the raising of silk 

 worms has considerably increased through- 

 out ihe United States, and that the farmers 

 of Pennsylvania at least, have satisfied them- 

 selves that it gives rise te a profitable em 



