9^ 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol, 



N, Y. State Bounty on Silk. 



The bill to encouroge ibe growth nnd manufacture 

 of S.IU, was pasc-ed by ihc Legislature a Rhort time be- 

 fore its Bdjjurninent. We believe it was slightly a- 

 mended, ihiiUgh not materially, but ae it wjli beBonie 

 time bciore it will be publicbed by the Slate paper, and 

 knowing the anxiety of many of our readers on the 

 subject, "e give it them this month as reported by the 

 AfBcmbly, and if any alieralione wcte made by the 

 Senate, we will ni( ntion ihcm ncil month. 



We first thougiit toomit all the preliminary remarks 

 of the committee, but on examination we found them 

 to contain bo much important information and correct 

 reasoning, thnt wo felt unwilling to withhold them 

 from our readers. 



Rni'ORT 



Of the select commiUcc on the bill enlillcd " An act to 



encouiagc the growth mid munufiicti're nj*i>ilk'" 

 ICommliteil to the Coiiinilt;ce of ilic Wiiolr.J 



Mr. Ward, from the select committee to whom was 

 referred the bill " to encourage the growth and manu- 

 <acuire ot'tilk," 

 REPORTS: 



Tuat your committee have bad the subject under 

 couoideraiiort, have collected many interesting facts in 

 relation thereto, and submit the same for the conside- 

 ration of the House. 



Your committee are surprised to find how great a field 

 ie here open and how long it has been neglected. They 

 are sutislied beyond a doubt, that we have the powei 

 to produce and mauulQcture silk in this Statu to an im- 

 mense extent, and that no diHiciilty is to be encoun- 

 tered either from soil or climate. 



In their invcdiigntions ujion this subject, the com- 

 mittee hardly know whether they have been most sur- 

 prised at the beneticini results which have eventually 

 accrued to thos'.i nations or govjrrnments where the 

 growth and manitiueture of silk have been encouraged 

 and brought to a Plate of citmparative maturity, or al 

 the inattention and apathy hitherto mnnile^ted in re- 

 gard to this great interest in this country, by a people 

 BO pre-eminent for iheir spirit of enterprise, and une- 

 qualled in their ability and leaourees. whetbrr mental 

 or physical, f;r the adoption and the successful prose- 

 cuiio:) of any and every branch either of science or the 

 arts, by which their wants may be supplied, their de- 

 sires aatitfied, and their independence of foreign labor 

 and foreign ingenuity be fully achieved. 



Your committee can attribute this reluctance or ne- 

 glect on the part of the American people to embrace a 

 eahject of 80 much importance to themselves as the 

 culture nnd manufacture of ailk — an article which for 

 years has ceased to be considered a luxury, nnd be- 

 cjrne one of daily and almost indispensable necessity 

 — only to an ignorance which prevails of the great and 

 increasing amount which their wants demand, the hea- 

 vy tribute which they annually pay to foreign industry 

 nnd foreign skill, and their want of a correct an I gene 

 ral knowledge of the adaptation of the soil nnd climate 

 to the growth, and our ability to manufacture silk, 

 equal, if not superior, to that of any other nation on 

 the globe. 



Accoriling to the report of the Secretary of the 

 Treasury, the value of silk impoiteri into the United 

 States i'l IHU.I, amounted to i(t;.i,4;)8,l!rit;; but had in- 

 creased in 1635 to the enormous sum of .<i'23,ySO,S2r.J; 

 while all our ex|)orts, except tobacco nnd cotlou, 

 amount to only about $10,001), ODI) annually. 



The nations of Kurope and Asia, are generally en- 

 gaged in the culture and manul'ncture of silk; and 

 your committee are of opinion that, in order to a full 

 unJerslanding of the 6ubj'-ct,a brief history of the rise, 

 proiirefls and liiinl eiiCL-essof the culture of silk in those 

 C'.niuries, should lie g v. n at th.s time. 



The nrot knowledge that we hove ot the cultivation 



of th'.Sjlk won'O, a. 1,1 the manufacture of silk, was 



°' ■'^ the inhabitants of S 'ricn, the northern jwrt of 



.£ , 1, tVtiin whence it derived its name. 



o ■« .ore than 2.000 years before the Christian era, an 



npress of China, desirous of rend'.-ring silk worms 

 i)re extensively useful, collected them from the miil- 

 dorry trees, and introduced them to the Imperial apart- 

 ments. Thus sheltered and thus protected, they yield- 

 ed silk superior in ,]uality to that produced in the for- 

 e^t.i. Sire nli5o tnught in what manner to mauurncture 

 Bilk from the cocoon. This employment, nhhough at 

 first confined to ladies of the highest rank, gradually 

 ba.?a-.iie geno'al a-iung all tanks in China, 



As the manufacture incrensed, it became an aiticle 

 of expoitaiion to neighboring counires, and finally 

 became the great and inexhaustible source ol wealth to 

 Chiiin. 



I'roin China, it was exported to India, to Persia, to 

 Arabia, nnd iiidied to the whole of Asm. The expe- 

 dition of Alexander to Persia and India, first introtju- 

 ced the knowledge of Bilk to the Grecians, 360 years 

 before the Christian era. As in China, so also in 

 Greece, ladies of the greatest dietiucliini attended to 

 the rearing of silk worms at their introduction there. 

 Kor upwards of four centuiies, the cultivation of silk 

 was confined to the conntries of Gieece. Sicily and 

 .Naples were ignorant of the art, and itB introduction 

 into the rest of Italy was extremely slow. 



At Rome, G30 yeais after the introduction of silk 

 into Italy, a silk mure of purple, was nccountcd by an 

 emperor, as a luxury too expensive for an empress; 

 its laliie being equal to that of gold, by weisbt. But 

 so extensive is its culture at the present dny through- 

 out Italy, that two-thnds of their whole exports to all 

 countries consists of silk. 



It.= first introduction into France was in 1494. But 

 it is less than 240 years since n.s final and succcfsfiil 

 introduction into that country by Henry IV. Turn 

 government haB continued its losteiing enrc, until silk 

 and its mnuufncture has become the most productive 

 source of the wealth of Frnncc. 



In nil countries '.;-,e culture of silk has engaged the 

 lariicular attention of governments, and every encou- 

 ragement has been given to increase its lulture, and 

 with success. Yet in our own country, so highly fa- 

 vored in ail respects by nature, the successful intro- 

 duction ol the silk culture, is mainly due to individu- 

 al enterprise. Until recently, individuals have strug- 

 gled single handed and alone in the cultivation of this 

 article. 



On a careful examination of the subject, your com- 

 mittee are of the opinion that the period has fully ar- 

 rived, when the policy of the State of New York 

 should be directed tuwards encouraging, by every con- 

 sirlernti"n, the growth nnd manufacture of this valua- 

 ble product within our own territory. 



A number of our sister states have thought it advi- 

 sable to encourage the culture of silk, by legislative 

 bounty for n limited period; and why should the Em- 

 pire Slate be behind her sister States, in encouraging 

 and fostering the benevolent enterprises of the dny. 



A State bounty of fifteen cents per pound on co- 

 coons, and filly cents per pound for reeled silk, contin- 

 ued for a lew years, will induce farmers to engage ex- 

 tensively in the culture, and wnen once fairly estab- 

 lished, we have no fenrs for the reeidl. Ihc State 

 may then venture to leave the silk culture to rise on 

 its own merits. 



It is an employment in which all may engage. The 

 rich, with honor and profit to hin^self and to his fami- 

 ly; and the poor man can by its successful cultivation, 

 place himsell nnd family beyond the reach of poverty 

 and want. 



Silk can be raised to a much greater profit than 

 wool, because three pounds of silk can be produced 

 from the same land ihal would produce but one pound 

 of wool, and the raw silk will sell for eighteen dollars, 

 while the wool will sell but for fifty cents. The la- 

 bor of raisiig silk is performed in six weeks, and may 

 be perfirined by children or feelle persons, whose 

 services would be worth but very little for any other 

 purpose, while the labor of taking care of sheep and 

 providing them with food lasts all the year; nnd a man 

 with but little land, who has a family, can keep them 

 employed at home, without the risk of sending them 

 abroad for employment. 



The cultivation of silk is an object more congenial 

 with the domestic habits of the farming population, 

 than almost any other o|()>ur household employments. 

 And nothing can bo said against the successful culti- 

 vation and manufacture of pilk, but what was with 

 equal propriety urged against the raising of cotton on 

 its introduction into this country as an experiment, 

 yet ilseuccess has be£.*n complete — tiiumphant. 



Cotton was first raised in this country as nn experi- 

 ment in 17,-^.S, nnd nlthough but filiy-three yenrs have 

 elapsed since its first introduction, we now manufac- 

 ture annually from .1.5 to ;£;50,000,000 in value of cot- 

 ton goods, nnd export of raw cotton more than $00,- 

 000,000 in value annually. Such is the eficct, and 

 such the result, of well directed nnd properly protected 

 dune-tic industry. Our success in the growth and 

 manufacture ol cotton encourages the belief that simi- 

 lar success will attend the growth and manufacture ol 

 ,8ilk. 



j The history of the past maybe the history of the 



future. Ami we trust the time is not far distant when 



, we ebftll sec oiu wives and ilsufbtere arroyed in silk 





;;Wllli 



In 

 jBie.«8i 



of their own maiiutacture; when, instead of payit 

 Ibreign nations .fi'JU.'iOO.OOO aunuolly for this art 

 we shall export und rece.ve back s.'ine of the n 

 millions we have paid to others lor this articl 

 luxury. 



Entertaining these views, your committee have 

 amined the bill referred to them, and report the £ 

 with aniendmentB. 



AX ACT 



TO E-NCOCRAGE THr GROWTH ASD MAjltJrACTCl 

 or SILK 



[.4« reported amended by the select cummxtttt, 



The people of the State of AV.o Vorii, represt 

 in Senate mid Assembly, do enact asfoUoKs : 



Skctio.n- 1. To on) person or persons residiDi 

 this State, who tnnU present for examination, to 

 justice of the peace ol the city or town wherein ^ 

 person or persons reside, n pound or more of good 

 silk Ciicoone, or a pound or more of good, well rce 

 silk, nnd shall, by his, her or their oath or nffiimaii|Wi''' 

 or by the onih or nfEtmation, of some other crcd 

 person, prove to the saiitfaction ol such justice t' 

 the cocoons presented, were raisid in the city or to 

 where such justice resicics, or that the silk was t' 

 ed in such city or town, and fr, ni cocoons tnisvd 

 this State. The said justice hnving exnniined 

 cnused the snnie to be weighed, shall give his offiij 

 certificate specifying the number of [ ouutJs ot cocoi] 

 or silk piesented, the time when, ami the place -whi{ 

 the same was raised or reded, and the nnmes of l| 

 person or persons by whom the same was raisea 

 reeled, together with the nan;e ot the person by whc' 

 oath or affirmation the facts have been verified. A 

 on the presentn ion of any such certificate to t 

 board of supervisors ol the same cminty, they havi; 

 examined and found the same to be duly given, sb 

 audit and allow said certiiicaie, and caiue their alio' 

 ance to be endorsed upon the same, requiring I 

 treasurer of said county to pay to the bearer tbeieoi 

 premium of fifteen cents for every pound of cocoon 

 and fifty cents for every pound of reeled silk speciiii 

 in said certificate. 



5i 2. It shall be the duty of each county treasurer 

 whom such c. rlificates thus audited nnd nllowed sbi 

 be presented, to enter in n book kept by bim for th 

 purpose, the date of said c(*tificates, the number 

 pounds of cocoons or reeh d silk named therein, at 

 the names of such person or persons fir whose bene 

 the same were giv, n, nnd to endorse upon snid ceiti) 

 catcs his acceptance thereof, and the time when pn 

 sentid to him, nnd return the same to the beaier then 

 of, to be presented (or payment as hereinafter directei 



$ 3. On or before the first day of May, in each an 

 every year, the several county trensureis of this State 

 to whom shall have been presented for acceptance an 

 such certificate or eeitificntte as are specified in th 

 preceding sections of this act, shall cause to be mad 

 an abstract or abstracts of all such certificates so pre 

 seiited and accepted ; stating the number of pounilsc 

 cocoons or reeled silk, nnd the amount of prcmiun 

 due theielor, and shall transmit the snme to the Conip 

 tioller ol this Slate, « ho shall by his warrant, author 

 ize and direct the Trrnsurtr ol the State to pay to thi 

 county trcoeureis the several amounts specified in thi 

 ahstracts fy ibem tran--niitted. And the said coumji 

 treasurer shnll thereupon proceed to pay ihe premiumi 

 due upon the certifcates by them respectively accipt- 

 ed, ns the snme shnll be jiresenled for pnymcnt. 



5 4 False swearing or iiflirming under this act shall 

 be deemed perjury ; nnd nny frnud prncticed under the 

 i;ame shnll be a misdemeanor, and be severally punish 

 ed as such. 



5i ."i. A justice of the pence shall be entitled to re-^ 

 ceive, for every certificate given by him, by virtue of 

 this act, the sum of twenty- five cents, to be paid by the 

 person receiving the ccriificnle. 



^ 5. This net shnll continue in force until the first 

 dny of June, in the year eighteen hundred and forty- 

 six, and no longer. 



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Licbig's .Agricultural Cliemlstry. 



We observe that nn Americnn edition of this work 

 has just issued from the press, nnd such of our renders 

 as are interested in ngricul'.utal science, will be richly 

 repnid for its perusal. 



The high character of the work may be inferred 

 from the fact, that it was prepared by Prof Liebig at 

 the special request of the British Associntion for the 

 advancement of Science; and the ability with which the 

 task was performed is evident from the extracts we 

 hare seea 



