i94 



N E VV 



aLAND FARMER, 



MAY 27, 18*0. 



ani> horticultdral register. 

 Boston, Wbdsbsday, Mat 27, 1840. 



SILK CULTURE. 



We have recently given our views so niucli at large 

 on the subject of the silk culture, in nur Third Repon of 

 the Agriculture of Massachu-iHtIs, thai it BP.eins almost 

 a work of supererog.tion to call the atlenlion of our 

 readers again to this topic. Yel that statement may fall 

 into comparatively so few hands, that we shall he par- 

 doned, we trust, for again referring to it. There will 

 be found in that, report some few verbal errors, whieh 

 indeed constitute errors of serine, which were acciden- 

 tal, and which vie ihink -the intelligent reader will at 

 once detect and correct ; as, for example, where it is 

 said, nn the 1 18th page, in spiaking of Sharpe's new 

 variety iil'nnilberiy, that the7rre is of an average size, 

 with the multicaulis, it should read the /ca/" is of an ave- 

 rage size with the multicaulis. Excepting, liowever, 

 some typographical errors of this kind, we cannot upon 

 reflection abate or alter the views there expressed on 

 the general subject. 



We are often asked in regard to the silk bu9inas3, will 

 not this humbvg soon be ended.' or, is it not all over ? 

 We know very well, likewise, of the sacrifices at public 

 gales of mulberry trees, that have been made, which' 

 considering the estimation in wliich they were held only 

 a year since, seem almost sacrilegious. We have known 

 trees wliich a year ago would have been considered an 

 eligible purchase at fifty cents per tree, sold for a cent 

 and for half a cent apiec^e ; and thousands and tliou- 

 sands offered without the owners being able lo obtain 

 even so much as two mills apiece for them. We have 

 in fact known six or seven thousand of plants of the 

 best description, used for heating the oven for a single 

 butch of bread ; and twenty thousand consumed in a 

 single fire on tile fiehi, merely for the purpose of getting 

 rid of them. We can easily suppose (hat such a specta- 

 cle must draw scalding tears from the eyes of some per- 

 sons ; and we honestly confess, so far from any compla- 

 cency in such results, we are more than half disposed to 

 weep over such lameniahle and painful cxarrip!t!S of the 

 disappointment of satiiruine hopes, and of the issue of 

 an infatuation of the human mind, wfii'-h if brought on 

 by an unbridled and insatiable avarice, showed equally 

 the w«nkness of the mind and the power of passion to 

 blind and pervert the judgment and render it i:allous to 

 all the teachings of experienee and the counsels of piu- 

 dence. But in spite of all this, we have entire confi- 

 dence in the ultimate snccess 6f the silk culture, so aa 

 to afford an ample compensation to labor, and lo meet 

 all reasonable and just expeciations. The silk culture 

 is no Immhug ; we detest the word, but we are com- 

 pelled in common parlance t" adopt it. Whatever may 

 lie said or thought o( the inidberry free speculation, it 

 ought not to be lost sight of in this matter, that tlie spec- 

 ulation in mulberry trees and ihe production of silk are 

 matters entirely distinct from each oilier. Nine tHuths 

 of the persons who have been engageil in the raising of 

 multicaulis trees, never had a thought of producing silk. 

 Their success or their failure llierefore, is no tetl of tha 

 judgment of the sober and intelligent, who have looked 

 at the subject in its proper aspec-l. 



It has been thought by many that the violent excite- 

 ment which has prevailed in regard lo trees, has been 

 the means of stocking the country with these valuible 

 plants to a degree which would not otherwise have oc- 

 curred ; that many who ore disnppoinlcd in the sale of 



trees whieh they have on hand, will necessarily turn 

 their attention to the production of silk ; and that in 

 this way the efTects of the speculation will ultimately 

 be good. We are not sanguine in this opinion. The 

 effect may be in some cases what is here suggested ; but 

 on the other hand, the gross and extravagant inflation 

 of prices, and the frauds and deceptions which have 

 been practised, and the numberless lawsuits which are 

 every where growing out of these mulberry contracts, 

 and the disappointments and losses which many have 

 suffered, have created such a gennral and strong disgust, 

 that men will fail to make any just discrimination, and 

 cr.ndomu the whole subject in the gross. 



In spite of all this, we repeat our firm belief that the 

 production of silk is destined to become a common and 

 profitable branch of agriculture among us. We do not 

 look forward lo the extravagant and enormous profits 

 and returns upon which some persons have based their 

 calculations ; but we believe that it will yield a fair com- 

 pensation for the lat'or that it will require ; and that 

 there is in many families and' situations a kind of labor 

 which may be applied to the production o( silk, which 

 cannot be, oris not likely to be, applied to any thing 

 else: in this case the product, let il be more or lees, 

 wi pr^yj o e r gain. The extraordinary revulsions 

 which have taken place in the prices of mulberry trees, 

 revulsions, it is believed, more extraordinary than have 

 ever occurred in respect to any thing else, need not dis- 

 courage us; but as the low price of trees will put It into 

 the power ofevery one to obtain a supply at the most 

 trifling cost, or at no cost whatever, a new facilily is ad- 

 ded in making an experiment, which if pursued will) 

 care, skill, and reasonable expectations we cannot have 

 a doubt will be entirely successful. 



To the Commissioner's Third Repon of the Agricul- 

 ture of IVIassachuselts is appended a table detailing every 

 step in the improved methods of silk culture tried, and 

 approved by Beauvais. We invite the particular atten- 

 tion of our friends to this curious and ingenious docu- 

 ment, which will be found of inestimable value. H. C. 



we hope the competitors will come in crowds from the 

 east and the west, the north and the south. Let us see 

 what can be done. Let Massachusetts be beaten if she 

 deserves to be beaten ; for any such defeat will only 

 prove with her intelligent farmers and mechanics the 

 incilem"nt to higher improvement and excellence. 



We have seen with much regret, occasional remarks 

 in some of our agricultural journals, disparaging the ef 

 forts or assuming to cansure the supposed negligence 

 of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for the 

 Promotion of Agriculture. Nothing nan be more unjust 

 than such remarks ; and W(^ are persuaded that they 

 can have arisen only from ignorance ol the fads in the 

 ease. We have not deemed il either necessary or ex- 

 pedient to volunteer any defence in the case. They re- 

 quire no defence. The Mas-acliusetts Society was in- 

 stituted more ihan fiirtyfive yenrs ago. Its institution 

 was the offspring of public spirit, and its funds were 

 mainly the offerings of private and patriotic liberality. 

 The Slate in regard In its endowments, has placed them 

 upon the same f mndalion as olher soeieiies in the com- 

 monwealth. They have published ten volumes of most 

 valuable papers liir gratuitous distribution ; and given to 

 the public annually many valuable papers and reports in 

 other furins. They held cattle shows and ploughing 

 matches for many years in succession while the public 

 inteiest lendered them useful ; lliey have husbanded the 

 funds of the society in the most useful, and distributed 

 ihein in the most judicious manner ; and without fee or 

 reward, they have labored and continue to labor by their 

 disinterested efibrts for the improvement of the agricul- 

 ture of Slassachusetls. We do not believe ihat any so- 

 ciety of any kind among us in proportion to theit means 

 of action, has ever effected a greater amount of good, or 

 continues to labor with more efficiency. H. C. 



MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY'S PREMIUMS. 



The prospectus of the Massachusetts Agricultural So- 

 ciety's premiums for the current year, we had intended 

 to make the subject of particular remark ; but we must- 

 express our regret lhat an accident has put the only- 

 copy we had out of our possession; and, away from 

 hoiTie, we cannot supply the deficiency. 



We can only renew t^e entreaty upon all our agricul- 

 tural friends in the Slate to do all they can lo circu- 

 late this document, and to induce an extended competi- 

 tion for the magnificent prizes which are olTerid, espe- 

 cially for the best cultivated and improved larins. The 

 terms on whicli the competitor is admitted are as liberal 

 as could be asked. The last year there were but four 

 competitors. One of these was a very deserving farmer, 

 who had twice before swept a portion of the stakes. One 

 was a faTuier, who received last ) ear not a premium but 

 a gratuity, which seems lo have been given rather to 

 encourage application than to reward any extraordinary 

 skill or success. Now we beg- of our broiher farmers 

 to wake up and bestir themselves. There oughtin Mas- 

 sachusells lo be instead of four, al least one hundred 

 competitors ; and we Ihink we should have no great 

 difficulty in naming u large portion r>f the hundred, who 

 need not hesitate on any grounds to enter the lists. 



We observed with the highest pleasunr that two or 

 three splendid jrremiums are proposed upon Ihe best 

 ploughs, which may he presented at a fixed time and 

 place io be hereafter designated, and llieir good qualities 

 fairly tested. We are exceedingly gratified th-it this 

 competition is to be opened lo the whole country ; and 



PLANTING I'OTAI'OKS IN THE FURROW'. 



A very skilful and experienced farmer stated to me 

 what I think well worth remembering. In planting po- 

 tatoes, whicli he always does by the plough, he does not 

 lay the sets in the bottom of the furrow and then turn 

 the land upon them, because this would bury them 

 much too deep; but, turning his furrow at an angle of 

 4.'>*, he lays the set just on the inverted furrow slice, so 

 tlial the next furrow slice shall in lapping cover the po- 

 tato only about an inch in depth. This is very judi- 

 cious. Folaloes should not be planted deep, but culti- 

 vated as near the top of the ground as can be without 

 being uut of the ground. H. C. 



ROSEBUSH SLUG. 



We would call the attention of amateurs and florists 

 lo tile liberal premium oft'ered below by Thomas Lee, 

 Esq and the Mass. Horticuitural Society, for the most 

 successful method ol destroying the rose bush slug — an 

 lnsf,ct which has been a serious impediment in many 

 places to the successful cultivation of this queen of flow- 

 ers Mr I^ee has set an example in this and in repeated 

 instances, worthy the imitation of those who have a lit- 

 tle surplus capital to spare. A few thousand dollars of- 

 lered in premiums for the most effectual methods of de- 

 stroying lilt; voracious insects which prey upon the pro- 

 ducts of-liie garden and field, would set the wits of the 

 Yankees to work to find a remedy, and mi^ht prove a 

 great benefit to Ihe eommniiity. J. B. 



NOTICE. 



Ala meeting of the Alass. Ilorlicultural Society held 

 March 7, 1S40, Thoma- Lee, Esq. offered a premium of 

 ten dollars for the most successful mode of destroying 

 the slug which infests the rose bush, and on motion of 

 Mr Downer, an equal sum of money was offered by the 

 Society for ihe same purpose, fur tha ensuing year ; the 

 whole to be under the direction of the Committee on 

 Flowers. 



Attest, E. M RICHARDS, Rec. Secy. 



