TALL MEADOW OAT-GRASS. 117 



Within a few years, a company purchased a very 

 valuable farm within thirty miles of Boston, with a 

 view of raising the mulberry, and of growing silk. 

 The land was a heavy loam, and excellent for grass, 

 but wholly unfit for the mulberry. Several thousands 

 of the mulberry were imported from France, and men 

 were hired to set them out, and were required to set 

 1000 each for a day's work ! The consequence was, 

 that nineteen out of twenty died, and five thousand 

 dollars worth of trees were sacrificed for want of skill 

 in selecting the land and in setting the trees. More 

 than one thousand dollars were also sacrificed on the 

 sale of the farm. 



Now, brother farmers, if a company of you, who are 

 not acquainted with trade, should go into a city, hire a 

 store, and set up on a large scale, we will be bound — 

 not to pay your debts — but that you will fail in your 

 speculation, as surely as this silk company did, — fail 

 as the man did who set up to live by his wit. He 

 failed for want of stock. 



We should not think of plunging headlong into the 

 silk business, or into any other business, without some 

 experience. The white mulberry is easily cultivated: 

 there is no difiiculty in it more than in cultivating the 

 apple-tree ; and we strongly suspect that this kind is 

 valuable as any. It may be sown in hedge-rows ; or, 

 what is better, planted in hills not less than six feet 

 apart : then the roots have some chance to extend, and 

 the leaves will be thrifty and large enough, provided 

 we cultivate the ground. In a few years, by lopping 

 the side branches from these hills, we make a complete 

 fence for cattle. 



TALL MEADOW OAT-GRASS. 



This grass has good qualities, and may sometimes 

 supersede some kinds now more common. It starts 

 11 



