.0. 4, 



AND GARDEN ER'SJOURN A L. 



55 



rnmiiiDn red clover [very flourishing] imnieciiatcly 

 aining, tlie soil precisely similar, did not yield near 

 'f ns much, in proporiion, as the Lucerne. 

 We hnve no doubt that it may be cut five times an- 

 ler year, and will yield at the rale of a ton and a 

 If of Imy to the acre, at each cutting. 



American Silk Good^t'. 



At n meeting of the American Silk Society, held 

 Baltimore, the 19th of Feb., a quantity of Silk 

 oods were e.\hibited from the establishment of Mr. 

 app, of Economy, Pa., and Mr. Gill, of Mount 

 easant, Ohio. The following account of them is ta- 

 rn from the Journal of the Am. Silk Society : 



BUSS RAPV'S SILK GOODS CURING COCOONS. 



The editor of this Journal having solicited of Miss 

 app, of Economy, Pa., the privdege of exhibiting 

 me specimens of her silk manufactures, he received 

 bm her a case containing the following articles, viz: 

 '5 yards black figured dress silk, 12 do. lavender figu- 

 id dress silk, IJ yards green velvet, IJ yards black 

 ilvet, 3 yards plain black satin, 12 yards figured satin 

 jstings, 13 pieces fancy ribands, (165 yards,) 4 pie- 

 ja of plain ribands, and a raw silk handkerchief. — 

 'hess goods are all of first rate quality — heavy and 

 arable. They were exhibited at the public meeting 

 the American Silk Society on the evening of the 

 Bth of February, and elicited expressions of surprise 

 ad astonishment at the progress already made in the 

 roduction of silk in this country. They furnished 

 jnclusive evidence of the important fact, that we can 

 ot only furnish all the raw material, but even the best 

 lanufactured silks from our own resources, and that 

 II that is wanting to accomplish the great object is 

 iflfiision of knowledgo among the people, and for the 

 eople to say that they icUl do it. 



The following are extract^from the letter of Miss 

 lapp, that accompanied the siUcs. We publish them 

 ■rithout her permission, because it will do the public 

 uore good than it can ilo her harm. We would re- 

 ommend attention to the extract on curing cocoons 

 irith camphor. This is an important and an interest- 

 ng item of inlbrmation. 



EcoNOMV, Pa., February 7, 1840. 

 3rU)E0N B. Smith, Esij. — 



Dear Sir — There is so great a demand for our silks, 

 hat, after supplying the wants of our society, we 

 an never manufacture as much as our store couid sell 

 t the annexed prices. There is, therefore, no neces- 

 ity to seek a distant market. Notwithstanding this, 

 ve thought we would send you all we had ready made; 

 s these specimens (together with those you will prob- 

 ibly receive from other quarters) may assist you and 

 /our society a good deal, to conmnce eoenj patriot tUut 

 Turmcn, and our oina people's hands thevisdrcs can 

 'rro'liiee and mnnnfaeiurc this so highly beloved arti- 

 :le of luxury, with which we are so fond to adorn 

 jurselves, and clad in a garment of which, if thus 

 obtained, we may justly feel a noble pride, — but, 

 if Ike product of foreign hands, we have the best 

 reason in the world to feel great shame, when we 

 reflect, that by the way of obtaining it, we have 

 BO much and so unpatriotically contributed to squan- 

 der our national treasure, burden our country with 

 an enormous debt, and thereby lay, the sure foun- 

 dation of ruin and misery. These specimens have 

 all been maie of silk raised within our society in the 

 summer of 1^39, (we never wove a thread of purcha- 

 sed silk.) In strength and durability they will sur- 

 pass any imported article. The handkerchief of silk 

 floss, or tow, you will please to accept as a small con- 

 tribution to your collection of specimens; it is to show 

 that that part of the cocoon is valuable too. 



As you wish me to make any communication which 

 I consider useful, I will ofler a few remarks: 



1. On the curing of cocoons. 2. On the mulberry 

 tree, the foundation of the whole business. 



]. Since we are killing our cocoons with camphor, 

 we find them as easy to reel, at any time after the reg- 

 ular season, as when freshly taken from the spinning 

 shelves. We do it as follows: for 100 lbs. of cocoon^ 

 in the floss, we take a v/ell made box, large enough 

 to hold them, then we take about 3 oz. of camphor, 

 which we moisten with as much alcohol aa is ne- 

 cessary to rub it into a powder, a part of which we 

 eprinkle on the bottom of the box, then we fill the box 

 by making 5 or 6 layers of the cocooie, and spread a 

 proportional part of the ca phor between each of 

 thera: then we screw on the lid and paste strips of pa- 

 per on all the splits and joints, to make it air-tight. — 

 After 3 or 4 days, we take them out and dry them in 

 the shade until perfectly light. They must be assort- 

 ed before camphoring, or else the bad cocoons will 

 Bpoil the good ones. 



2. In regard to the mnlberry, I would earnestly re- 

 commend, especially to the silk growers of tlit nor- 

 thern and middle states, not to neglect the cultivation 

 of the white Italian or a similar mulberry as by rais- 

 ing the nmlticaulis only, the best crops (which are 

 produced in the fore part of the summer) are lost. — 

 The multicaulis is a most excellent addition to, but 

 not a perfect substitute for the other kinds. They 

 ought to go together. Several years ago we received 

 among others a kind of mulberry under the double 

 name of morus l/russa or erpansa, which we now en- 

 deavor to multi^ (by grafting) as fast as possible, as 

 it possesses all the excellent qualities of the Italian, 

 besides having large, heavy, glossy leaves, which are 

 gathered with less than half the labor required for the 

 foliage of the white Italian. Such silk growers as 

 possess this kind, would undoubtedly do well to prop- 

 gate it as fast as possible with the multicaulis. 

 ReepectfiUly yours, 



Gertrude Rapp, 

 for George Rapp. 



From ttte Native American. 

 Exhibition of American Manufactured Silks. 



We were taken quite by surprise on Tuesday, Feb- 

 ruary 18, upon entering the Rotunda at the Capitol, to 

 find a large table spread out with silk velvets, &.c., 

 which, upon enquiry, we found to have been made by 

 Mr. John W. Gill, at Mount Pleasant, Ohio,«during 

 the past summer. The articles exhibited consisted of 

 large pieces of silk velvet, Terry velvet, tippet plush, 

 hat plueh, &c. &c. were all trnly beautiful, and would 

 not suffer in comparison with the most costly import- 

 ed silk fabrics. Mr. Gill informed us that he commen- 

 ced the silk business about a year since; that his vel- 

 vets were all made from trees produced from the first 

 year's planting; that a vest he had on was made for 

 him in thirteen weeks from the day he planted his mul- 

 ticaulis buds: that he had no difficulty in finding a 

 market for his goods; indeed some of them were sold 

 in our presence at six dollars per yard, and, from an 

 exact calculation made by Mr. Gill, he finds that eve- 

 ry acre of ground planted by him in mtdticalis buds 

 last year, has yielded him .f!3.50 net. This little exhibi- 

 tion, and the facts connected with it, aflii-irded us addi- 

 tional evidence, that 'silk may be grown in all the Uni- 

 ted States, not only Pir domestic purposes, but also as 

 an article of commercial export.' 



From the Neic England Farmer. 

 Report on Beet Sugar Premiums. 



The Trustees of the " Mnssachuset'.e Society for 

 the Promotion of Agriculture," impressed with the 

 consideration of the important advantages that might 

 be derived, as well for the benefit of the agricultural as 

 of the manufacturing interests of the country ; and 

 being also aware that the attention of many eminent 

 men in several foreign countries has been zealously de- 

 voted to this subject, whereby great improvement in 

 the production of the beet and the manufacture of su- 

 gar therefrom, was in progression; were thereby induc- 

 ed in their proposals of premiums the last year to offer 

 as follows, viz : 



" To the person, persons, or corporation who shall 

 raise the greatest quantity of sugai- beets by the acre, 

 not less than two acres, %vhich shall be manufactured 

 into sugar in the year 18.39, giving a particular account 

 of the soil and the manner of sowing, cultivating and 

 gathering the beets, a premium of One Hundred Dol- 

 lars." 



This premium was not claimed, although the prin- 

 cipal objects aimed at by the Trustees, viz : the soil 

 best suited, the manner of cultivation and ingathering 

 of the beets, are fully made to appear in the applica- 

 tion made for the next proposed premium, having re- 

 lation to the same subject, which was aa follows, viz : 



"To the person, persons, or corporation who shall 

 manufacture from the sugar beet, (denominated Siles- 

 ian white beet,) sugar iiTthe greatest quantity and of 

 the best quality, in the year 18.39, giving n full and 

 particular account of the process of manufacturing it. 

 One Hundred Dollars." 



For this premium there was only one claim prefer- 

 red, which was from the Northampton Beet Sugar 

 Company, by their agent, David Lee Child, Esq., 

 wlio presented two several samples of common brown 

 sugar of the usual flavor of such low priced commod- 

 ity. An excellent samjilc also of loaf sugar, a very 

 bright color, well grained and crystalized, and no wise 

 inferior in appearance to the best loaf sugar manufac- 

 tured from the cane. The sugar of each quality was 

 carefully examined by the committee. It was also in- 

 spected as made u*e of in different articles of confec- 

 tionary, by one well eenversant intheart(Mr. Duioy,) 

 who commended each sample, considering it as fully 

 equal to e»gar of the like quality from the cane. 



Tliere were also two samples of molasses, one of 

 which appeared to be of good flavor and quality, and 

 it was thought well suited for those purposes to which 

 this well known article is applied for domestic use or 

 for the Bakery. 



The article of second quality may be used for the 

 d'siiUery, or for various gross purposes, as well as in 

 aid ol the vinegar cask. Its properties are also thought 

 well of as nutritive for animals. 



The whole process of sowing, cultivating, ingath- 

 ering, and preserving the Silesian white beet,coneider 

 cd as the most replete with saccharine matter, and of 

 course most suitable for manufacture, with remarks on 

 the soil best suited for production, and a full and par- 

 ticular account of the whole course of the manufac- 

 turing the beet sugar through its several processes, 

 arc very minutely set forth in a pamphlet of 150 pages. 

 This work of careful research, the committee are led 

 to expect, will hereafter be so far abridged as to diffusa 

 a more general knowledge than might otherwise be 

 had. 



For the several wished-for objects thus brought into 

 notice, the community are indebted to the praisworthy 

 enterprise of the Northampton Beet Sugar Company, 

 and the assiduous application and zeal of their agent, 

 Mr. Child. 



The measures thus taken in this establishment may, 

 it is hoped, lead to a course of experiment and im- 

 provement which may, if persevered in, lead to their 

 benefit as well as that of the public. 



The Northampton Beet Sugar Company, having 

 produced through their agent, Mr. Child, the requi- 

 site certificates as to the quantity and quality of beet 

 sugar manufactured by them, and the same having been 

 carefully examined and found to be severally of good 

 quality, as herein represented, and having, also, sub- 

 mitted a full and particular account of the whole pro- 

 cess of the manufacture, the committee were induced 

 to report that they are entitled to the premium of one 

 hundred dollars. 



It may be considered, perhaps, incumbent on the 

 committee, in closing this report, to state some facta 

 which the treatise furnished in concexion with this 

 subject, will if referred to, more fully show. 



'The cost of the brown sugar as manufactured ap- 

 pears to be from 5 to 6 cents per pound. In France, 

 where nearly one hundred millions of pounds are said 

 to be annually manufactured, being about three pounds 

 to a person, labor, generally, much lower, and a great 

 partof itis performed by women and children; it is 

 done, too, at a rate less than half what is paid here. — 

 This, as far as labor is included in the calculation, 

 would add essentially to the cost of the sugar. Thero 

 are, however, circumstances which are reasoned upon 

 in this communication, which go far to counteract 

 these disadvantages, viz : the cheapness of fuel, rent, 

 buildings, &c. 



The value of the pulp, too, or residuum of the beet 

 may be of great advantage, if well distributed, in the 

 fatting of cattle, swine, &c. _ 



There is, in conclusion, one important object to be 

 hoped for from the great efforts which are making in 

 Europe as well as In this country, that the research and 

 experiments now in exercise, may conduce to a more 

 simple process, by which the manufacture of beet su- 

 gar may be availed of by domestic industry. This is 

 by many winfidently anticipated. 



It is, however,.much to be regretted, that this de- 

 sired object has, in this respect, thus far, wholly foiled. 



All of which is submitted in behalf of the Com- 

 mittee. JOHN WELLES, Chairman. 



Boston, 1839. 



Mr. David L. Child's work on Beet Sugar has 

 been published in Boston. The Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural Society have awarded him .flOO for his suc- 

 cessful experiments in this town. We have not had 

 time carefully to examine the work, but one item of 

 importance is dcducible from his publication. In 

 France, 100,000,000 pounds of Beet Sugar are made 

 annually, 0,000 acres of land devoted to raising Beds, 

 and the fixed and floating capital engaged is $28,000,- 

 000. Contrasting with this, the Cane Sugar made in 

 the United States reaches only 60,000,000 pounds an- 

 nually, 15,000 acres are cultivated with Sugar Cane, 

 and the fixed capital employed, reaches 45,000,000 I 

 We learn a company ie organized and funds subscri- 

 bed in Boston to carry on the manufacture ol Beet 

 Sugar. — Xortha7npton CMa/s.J Cour. 



Those who suffer their own grounds to be seeded 

 with weeds permit thieves to be partakers of their 

 substance. 



A Western Lady. — Mrs. Stump.on White's creek, 

 Tennesee, has manufactured a beautiful shawl from 

 ilk, grown in her own garden. 



