1840.] SENATE— No. 36. 227 



Letter II. 



" March 15, 1840. 



I intended to state that the severe frost of last fall destroyed some of 

 my young trees down to the roots, the part that appeared to he most 

 affected was the bodies of the trees ; the bark was started and disco- 

 lored. The branches of the trees, however, remained green, and did 

 not appear affected by the frost. I considered the trees as completely 

 killed as though the branches had been as much affected as the bodies. 

 I left standing out in my field about 1500 of the trees, including some 

 of those that were injured and some that were not ; they have remained 

 out through the winter, and do not appear to have suffered by it. 



By young trees I mean those of one year's growth from layers. 

 The trees that have stood out the two past winters, were not affected 

 at all by the frost, and are now in good order, although they have had 

 no protection whatever. 



The reason for thinking them more hardy than the Multicaulis is, 

 that I have lost, I should think, nearly nine tenths of the Multicaulis 

 that were left out during winter, but the seedlings have never been de- 

 stroyed by it. If the tops should be destroyed, and the roots should 

 not be, I think them valuable for the raising of silk, as the sprouts start 

 early and grow more rapidly than from layers, and we can commence 

 feeding much sooner. 



It has been the practice of those who have raised the Multicaulis 

 and other kinds of the mulberry, in this vicinity, to set them in a very 

 rich soil, and to urge the growth as much as possible. Such a course 

 might be profitable where the trees are to be taken up in the fall, but I 

 think the trees much more tender than they would be when set in a 

 poorer soil, and more liable to be winter killed." 



Mr. Colman 



Q. 



LETTER OF JAMES DEANE, M.D. 



Greenfield, April 7, 1840. 



Dear Sir, — For a considerable period, my attention has been di- 

 rected to the patriotic exertions made to introduce the culture of silk 



