ON MULBERRY TREES AND SILK. 49 



early grave among the infested prairies of the west; 

 and our young women, from flying to the manufactur- 

 ing towns to be immured in loathsome prisons, 

 where all improvement in household concerns with 

 them must cease ; a great and philanthropic pm'pose 

 will be accomplished. 



I will only add, in conclusion, that from all expe- 

 riments that have been promulgated, the Morus Mul- 

 ticaulis seems to be the only tree with which we may 

 expect to succeed in a profitable cultivation of silk. 

 Although this tree is classed among the tender vari- 

 eties of the mulberry, yet, so luxuriant is its growth, 

 that if taken up in the fall and placed in the cellai", 

 or buried in the field, and replanted in the spring, it 

 will produce a pound of leaves to a tree in the same 

 season of planting. Some may be startled at the 

 proposal of this extra work of taking up and replant- 

 ing yearly, yet I can assure any whose fears may be 

 thus excited, that an acre of these trees may be 

 taken up, secured, replanted, and cultivated through 

 the season, at less trouble and expense than an acre 

 of potatoes can be planted and cultivated ; and if 

 properly managed, not a tree will be lost. It has 

 also been found, that the foliage will put forth as 

 early a.^ if they could be left standing in the field. 

 As to the product of an acre thus planted the follow- 

 ing simple elements may be deduced from the prac- 

 tice of numerous individuals: 



1. On an acre of ground maybe planted ten thou- 

 sand trees. 



2. Each tree on land of fair quality, will produce, 

 on an average, one pound of leaves. 



3. One pound of leaves will feed sixteen worms 

 until they spin. 



4. Three thousand worms will produce one pound 

 of silk. 



Thus an acre, containing ten thousand trees, will 

 produce fifty three pounds of raw reeled silk. I should 

 not rely on these premises, were they not sustained 

 7 



