416 [Assemult 



and will last under water equal to oak. In Italy, single trees 

 have been rented for five dollars per season, and have produced 

 seven pounds of silk in six weeks, worth thirty-five dollars. The 

 Italians manufactured silk one thousand years before the tree was 

 introduced into France for that purpose. Henry IV filled the 

 public highways, gardens, and parks with mulberry trees. The 

 revenue of this nation from silk is now perfectly incredible ; we 

 pay her many millions per annum ; all of vrhich might be saved 

 to our country, and as many millions exported, if our government 

 would lend agriculturists assistance. Our climate is better adapted 

 than any other under the sun, which is proved from the fact, that 

 in all otlier countries it is necessary to hatch the worm by artificial 

 means, whereas here we are compelled to keep the eggs in an ioo 

 house, to prevent them from liatching before the leaves are grown. 

 The leaves, besides nourishing the silk worm, are an admirable 

 food for sheep, cows, calves and horses, all of which animals will 

 eat them in preference to grass; and boiled with bran, tliey will 

 fatten hogs rapidly. The fruit is much enjoyed by poultry, and 

 if eaten by man, when perfectly ripe, before breakfast in the 

 morning, will cure ulcers, inflammations of the moutli aud Hiroat, 

 besides relaxing the stomach. I might give some valuable prac- 

 tical hints respecting the culture of tlie tree, feeding the worm, 

 &c., having been the first in this country to feed in the open air 

 with marked success ; this, however, is not connected with our 

 present subject, therefore I will leave it to some more fitting oppor- 

 tunity. Our railroad proprietors should plant them on each side 

 of their railroad tracks. The time will come when they will be 

 appreciated. 



PAULOWNIA IMPERIALIS. 



This is a fine, fast-growing, and exceedingly beautiful tree, of 

 recent introduction into our country. I obtained it soon after, 

 and found it easy of cultivation, growing readily from pieces of 

 root, cuttings, S:c., and producing a very pretty blue flower, in 

 favorable situations. 



During the past summer a severe gale of wind swept my first 

 specimen even with the surface of the ground. On the first day 

 of July several shoots sprang up from the root, and on the 



