68 ON MULBERRY TREES. 



from the nursery in 1831, and were set out in rows eight feet 

 apart, and the trees about five feet from each other in the rows. 

 Between the rows Mr. Currier planted corn, potatoes and beans, 

 that by the same process of keeping his plantation free of weeds, 

 he might cultivate his corn and potatoes. In this manner he 

 produced 7 bushels of corn, 135 bushels of potatoes, and 3 

 bushels of white beans, besides the potatoes, beans, and peas, 

 which he used through the summer and fall for his family. 

 The trees appeared thrifty and well. 



Mr. Currier has fed about 15,000 silk worms the present season. 

 They were hatched from the egg without any artificial heat on 

 the 20th of June, and came to maturity in thirty-five days. In 

 the early stages the worms were fed with the tenderest leaves, 

 and in the fifth age they were fed with the largest leaves. Un- 

 til the last age Mrs. Currier took the whole care of the worms. 

 At this age she had the assistance of a girl two days and a half, 

 and her husband two days, in pulling leaves and preparing 

 branches for them to spin upon. Mrs. Currier also performed 

 the work of the family, consisting of seven persons, and one half 

 the time had the care of her dairy, the produce of six cows. 

 The quantity of cocoons produced was 73 lb. 10 oz. 



Mrs. Currier made an experiment of reeling the silk from 

 several pounds of cocoons, and making it into sewing silk. She 

 produced to your committee several ounces of sewing silk of her 

 own manufacture, well colored, and which appeared exceedingly 

 well made. We think she is entitled to much credit for her in- 

 dustry and her successful experiment in reeling, twisting and 

 coloring her silk. The committee recommend that the first 

 premium of twenty-five dollars be adjudged to Mr. Currier for 

 his plantation of white mulberry trees and for the silk manufac- 

 tured in his family. 



The plantation of Asa A. Abbot was also examined by your 

 committee, and they were much pleased with the thrifty and 

 healthy appearance of the trees. The following statement was 

 made by Mr. Abbot to your committee. " My nursery of 

 white mulberry trees now consists of 1600 trees of three years 

 growth. The first of May, 1830, 1 sowed about one-sixth of an 



