w 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 2. 



Fur the y'tw Genesee Farmer. 



REVIE^V. 



'ournal of the Amiriciin Silk Society — Edited hy 



Gideon B. SMrxH, Dailimorc. Nos. 11 and 12, 



for Nov, and Dec, 1840. 



This \a the only publication now remnining in the 

 Jnited States, exclusively devoted to the culture of 

 lilk. It was originally issued under the auspices of 

 ae American Silk Society; but the society itself is 

 )ng since defunct, having existed only during the 

 ontinuance of the multicaulig mania. The Journal, 

 owever, has been continued, with distinguished abili- 

 r, by Dr. Smith, the earliest, most steadfast, and 

 lost persevering advocate of the industry to which it 

 I devoted. It contains, throughout, a mass of facts 

 nd information indispensable to the cultivator of silk- 

 'orms in the present infancy of the art in this coun- 

 •y. It is with deep regret that it is perceived that it 

 Iso must soon follow the fate which has overtaken 

 ther periodicals of the kind, unless the friends of the 

 luse promptly step forward and hand in their siibscrip- 

 ons for another year. This crisis in its existence, 

 igether with an anxious solicitude for the prosperity 

 f the cause, has induced to the present communica. 

 on. 



The second volume of the Journal has just been 

 rought to a conclusion — the November and Dccem- 

 !r numbers having been issutd under one cover. — 

 'he value of these numbers perhaps exceeds any that 

 ive preceded them, with the exception of those which 

 mtain the account of the new and very important 

 leory of the editor, in regard to the principle of sa- 

 ing and preserving silkworms' eggs with safety, lor 

 le purpose of successive crops. The promulgation 

 ' this theory will, it is believed, constitute an epoch 

 1 the progress of silk culture in the United States. 

 he principle is philosophical and rational; and while 

 explains, satisfactorily, most of the difficulties and 

 sasters of the past year, a knowledge and apprecia- 

 jnof it will serve to guard against similar consequen- 

 la in future. That its discovery should have been re- 

 irved for this day and country, is by no means sur- 

 ■ising. In the old silk growing countries, the rear- 

 ig of successive crops has been attempted; and, ow- 

 g to the character of their climate, it is no doubt 

 [ipracticable. American cultivators, however, havg 

 oked to a more extended field of operation, and with 

 le advantage of the multicaulis, have conceived the 

 acticability of producing silk throughout the warm 

 inson. That they have been subjected to much dis- 

 juragement and disaster in the outset, ought not to 

 I a matter of any special wonder. It ia not to be ex- 

 ited that an art, confessedly in ita infancy in this 

 luntry, and conducted on entirely new principles, can 

 I prosecuted at once with entire success. It may 

 )ssibly require several years of e.\periment and ob- 

 rvation, to establish what may be termed the Ameri- 

 n System of Silk Culture, on a sure basis; but the 

 timate advantage, both national and individual, by 

 hich its triumph would be attended, offer strong in- 

 icements to persevere, even had its failure been 

 uch more general than it has been. As to the old 

 stem of single crops, reared in the spring, it has 

 cceeded in no country better than in this. 

 The two last numbers of the Journal contain gratify, 

 g intelligence from various parts of the country. In 

 ennessee the business appears to have flourished bet- 

 r than in any other State. There is a well organi- 

 d State Society to promote its advancement, and the 

 hibition of silk goods has been highly creditable.— 

 ; Economy, in Pennsylvania, the quantity of silk 

 oditoed, during the last year was very considerable; 

 d at Frederickton, in Maryland, the culture was at- 

 idod with decided success. These instances, to- 

 iher with numerous others that might be adduced, 



go to show that the cultivators of the silkworm have 

 still much encouragement to prooecuto their labors. 



The use of lime has obtained extensively, during 

 the past season, as a preventivo of disease amongst 

 silkworms. In the llth number of the Journal, there 

 is an article on this subject which is worth more than 

 the annual subscription. 



The Address to the friends of silk culture, in the 

 closing number, is a highly interesting paper. It con- 

 tains a general view of the present state of the business 

 in this country, with a notice of what is doing and may 

 be done to promote its permanent advancement. 



The following extract from the " Last Appeal" 

 of the editor to the fiiends of the cause, deserves spe- 

 cial attention: — " After considerable effort, the sub- 

 scriber bus been enabled to complete the publication of 

 the second volume of the Silk Journal. This has 

 been done at grea\ personal sacrifice, the subscriptions 

 to the work not having been sufficient to pay the ex- 

 pense by aeveial hundred dollars. It now remains 

 for the friends of the silk culture to say whether the 

 Journal fhall be continued another year. The subscri- 

 ber believes that the information which he will be able 

 to publish during the ensuing season, will be invalua- 

 ble to the cause. The great and important improve- 

 ments made in the art, in the United States and in 

 Europe, and those that will be made next year, ought 

 to be disseminated freely amongst the people. Par- 

 ticularly the New Theokv may be referred to as one 

 item of immense importance, that requires the freest 

 discussion and examination. If that theory shall be 

 proved to be the trtie one, the widest circulation ought to 

 be given to ita principles and details: because it will 

 efieetually establish the business in the United States, 

 and place it beyond the reach of casuality. All this 

 cannot be done without the aid of a publication devo- 

 ted to the cause exclusively." 



The terms of the Journal are Two Dollars a year, 

 payable in advance; and we earnestly desire that the 

 friends of the culture may freely sustain it. P. 



Virginia, 1 vio.l1, Ib-ll. 



Lightuing Rods. 



Last summer during a thunder-storm, the lightning 

 rod attached to our house, received a very heavy 

 stroke oi' lightning — the shock was tremendous; but 

 we only mention it at this tjmeon account of the prac- 

 tical inferences to be drawn from the circumstances. 



The rod is fice-eighths of an inch in diameter near 

 the top, but six-eighths of an inch below, — in two 

 pieces screiced togctlier, with a single point on the top 

 capped with silcer. It is upheld by large oak pins 

 eighteen inches long, driven into the frame, and the 

 rod passes through them near the outer end. It is 

 painted to prevent its lusting. Near the surface of 

 the ground it begins to slant from the house, descends 

 into the earth, and terminates in a bed if charcoal six 

 feet deep, which extends still further from the building. 



This fixture has been found sufficient with a slight 

 exception, to let off a discharge that shook the whole 

 neighborhood. The exception follows: — A stove pipe 

 twenty feet in length, entering the chimney just under 

 the roof, ten feet below the point of the rod and three 

 feet from it, — received a small portion of the fluid, 

 which passed through two chambers in succession on 

 ita way to the cellar. Two joists under the stove 

 were very slightly shattered, and a few panes of glass 

 broken by bursting outward. It appears that the nails 

 conducted it through the pine floor into the joists. 



The point of the silver cap was melted. This we 

 suppose was occasioned by the crowding of the fluid 

 to get down the rod; but if there had been more 

 points, pru.iably no fusion would have happened, and 

 the stove pipe have been protected. 



No traces of the lightning whatever, could be dis- 

 covered on the oak pins, although the wood waa in 



contact wiih the rod; and neither glass nor any othef 

 substance employed to prevent the scattering of the 

 fluid. We infer therefore that all such appendages are 

 useless; and that it ia quite as safe to fasten the rod to 

 the building by cleats as to have it stand off at a dis- 

 tance. It must even be safer unless the upper part 

 leans against the building. 



The prejudice against painting such rods, appears 

 to be unfounded. We presume indeed that paint if 

 not more objectionable than rtiSt. f 



The Roads. 



The winter is a favorable time to lay up instruction. 

 After B light snow has fallen with a brisk wind, let 

 him that feels an interest in the stale of the roads, get 

 into a cutter and drive a few miles to make observa- 

 tions. For this purpose, he will commonly succeed 

 best when he goes alone. Where the highway hag 

 been turnpiked and raised considerably above the gene- 

 ral surface, he will find in most places more hubs than 

 snow, and he may heartily wish for a good sidetrack. 



As this is a term not often to be found in the vocab- 

 ulary of path-masters however, we shall slop to ex- 

 plain; and as in many districts, owing to the improvi- 

 dence of the people, nothing of the kind can be dis- 

 covered, we shall proceed to tell what and where it 

 ought to be. 



The law allows our highways to be sixty-six feet 

 wide; but if they are only sixty feet in the clear, and 

 thirty feet be appropriated for the turnpike, then we 

 shall have fifteen feet on each side for side tracka. 

 Make the ditch six feet wide with easy slopes, smooth 

 the bottom, and clear out all large and loose stones, 

 and there will be a most convenient track for the 

 snow to settle in, when it is driven by the wind from 

 the turnpike. No better sleighing can be desired than 

 what we occasionally find in a ditch of this descrip- 

 tion, while much of the track which ia ordinarily used 

 in summer, is unfit for any loaded sleigh to pass 

 along. 



But another side-track ought to be provided on roads 

 comparatively level. Between the ditch and the 

 fence there are nine feet remaining, where a smooth 

 sod ought to be found; and on this not more than 

 two inches of snow will be required to make com- 

 fortable sleighing. To see the traveler who has ven- 

 tured from a more snowy region, at one time grind- 

 ing over the bare ground with his horses on the strain: 

 and then starting on a trot as he reaches the sod 

 which perchance was left by the way side, — ought to 

 make us, who have it in our power to do better, 

 ashamed of our negligence. 



Why not go to work in the summer, level down 

 the inequalities, and remove all obstructions, but es- 

 pecially large stones whether fast or loose J In most 

 cases, the necessary labor would not be a tythe of 

 what is annually spent in hauling mud, or stufl' equal- 

 ly unfit, into the beaten track. Have path-masters 

 no memory ? Can they never recollect in summer 

 what we shall need in winter ? If so, now is the time 

 to make men.orandums, as well as observations, t 



Snow Drifts and Meadow Alice. 



Young trees surrounded by snow drifts, are in a 

 dangerous condition. Such as are quite small and co- 

 vered by snow, in consequence of its weight and ad- 

 hesiveness are almost sure to be crushed; while such 

 as reach above the drift, with moat of their limbs en- 

 veloped, will have them stripped ofl" and their bark 

 lacerated. 



A worse disaster however, often happens to trees 

 that stand in anow drifts. The meadow mouse, as if 

 aware of its numerous enemies, seldom, if ever, at- 

 tacks a tree that stands clear in the open ground; but 

 where it can work in safety under cover, it ia very 

 destructive. We bad one tree, three inches in diam- 



