14 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 3. 



Impiovemeiits in feeding Silk Worms. 



The (ullowing article whicii we copy frora an Ohio 

 pnper at the request of the author, contains eome sug- 

 gestions on the subject of Silk culture, which may 

 be of service to some of our readers ; but we cannot 

 conceive what new invention or discovery Mr. Till- 

 inghast claims the right to have secured to him by a 

 patent, nor can wo commend the spirit which 

 prompts him to make the attempt. If we were eng.-- 

 ged in that business, and desired to feed silk worms 

 according to the plan he describes, we fancy we 

 should do so in spite of any patent he may obtain. — 

 The paper from which we copy, contains several cer- 

 tificates signed by persons who have witnessed iVIr. 

 T's operations, corroberating his statements and tes- 

 tifying of the complete success of his plans. J3. 

 The .Silk Business. 



We lost week visited the Cocoonery and Silk Es- 

 tablisiiment of Mr. Joseph B. Tillinghnst, in this vil- 

 lage, and wjre politely conducted through the differ- 

 ent apartments, from the room occupied m the hatch- 

 ing and feeding of the worms to that used for reeling 

 and spinning silk, — und were much gratified to leuru 

 that Mr. T. is in a fair way to moke the business pro- 

 fitable to him, aa well as an honor to our village. We 

 were shown some specimens of raw silk, and a few 

 skoins of sewing silk, manulactured at Mr. T.'s es 

 tablishment, which will boar honorable comparison 

 with the bust Italian. 



Wo publish below an article from Mr. TiUinghnst, 

 giving a history of his method of feeding the worm 

 and reeling silk, which, no doubt, will be interesting 

 to silk growers generally. 



Thi= may certify, that f -ur years has passed since I 

 first commenced feeding the silk worm, and have an- 

 nualfy increased my stock I. f trees to half a million. 

 Notwilhstandine my success the three past seasons ex- 

 ceeded my expectations in this new branch of business, 

 until the present season, I have found some trouble 

 and difficulty and much anxiety in the last stage of 

 the worm before winding, which has led me to adopt 

 a new mode of feeding. 



In the first place, in the old way of feeding a large 

 crop of worms, directly after the fourth moulting, so 

 much food is necessary, that much hurry and confus- 

 ion ia unavoidable. And in the second place, much 

 labor is required in frequent changing, in order to 

 keep them clean and healthy. And, thirdly, the difii- 

 culiy of preparing, in proper season, suitable li.^tures 

 for making their cocoons agreeable to the natural in- 

 stinct of their species. In taking all those difficul- 

 ties into consideration, I finally came to this forcible 

 conclusion ; — unless some material change should 

 tike place in the management of the worm, in the 

 manner of feeding, &c., this important branch nf in- 

 dustry could not well bs carried on to much advantage 

 in this country ; therefore I ventured the followina 

 experiment : 



I feed iny worms as formerly in our nursery room, 

 as we call it, about 29 by 40 feet, upon thin board 

 ehelves, two and half feet by four, until they levive 

 from ihe.r fourth moulting ; at which time they are 

 removed upon those shelves into the cocoon room with 

 the litter that has accumulated since the third moult- 

 ing. The said cocoon room is constructed long and 

 narrow, 1-10 feet long and 18 wide, and as low as 

 will admit of co.ivcmence. Tlie frame of this build- 

 iogconsiats only of hewed posts und rafters, set six 

 feet apart. The posts are well set in the groun and 

 the ■■ominon earth constitutes the Hoor. The feeding 

 frame is four feet wide, to admit the feeding shelf the 

 hJOgest way, and extends the whole length of the 

 room, except intermedime spaces for storage oi fdi- 

 ■ ng.i. Tuis room is intended' to feed, by cutting whole 

 trees, fro'ii one to six feet in length, by laying them 

 upon the worms with their foliage. The feeding frame 

 is suspended from the rafters about three feet from the 

 ground, and one tier of frames on each side, two feet 

 from the wall, which lea.'cs six feet alley througli the 

 middle, sufricient for a handcart to pass with foliage. 

 Two tier of sideboards, hung with leather hinges the 

 whole length of both sides, constitute both doors and 

 window s, and admit of both light and air ; tke lower 

 one is hung close to the ground and opened for the 

 p-issnge of the litter, whicli is very soon removed with 

 a hoe or rake. The feeding frame is mads of sawed 

 stuff, one and half inches by three, and moveoblo slats 

 of aliout one inch square, placed at suitable distances 

 tj support ih e tre?s and worms as they rise from the 

 shelf below, which ia supported by buttons ; as soon 

 as the worms leave the shelf, it is let down to the 

 ground v,-ith ihe^litior. Tue Worms ore left with a 



free circulation of air, and their excrement falls away 

 from them to the ground. The trees are crossed when 

 laid on, which makes -a most suitable place for their 

 winding, and remarkable for their being formed single, 

 and less tioss than any other fixture [ ever saw. 



Actual experience has demonstrated the present 

 season, that two hundred worms con be well fed upon 

 every square foot of this frame, and if the whole 

 shoti'ld be filled at once we should have 200,000 to lln- 

 ish their work every two weeks, and the whole feed- 

 ing and attendance maybe conveniently done without 

 hurry or any difficulty with the help of two men and 

 two boys, ten years old, to pick leaves, gather co- 

 coons, &.c. 



I believe it to be a safe and prudent calculation, 

 from what we have done ond are now doing, with the 

 help we now have, that in three months' time 1,000,- 

 000 of worms may be well carriad through. As we 

 have had worms hatching about every day since wc 

 commenced the present eeoson, and consequently 

 some windingcontinuilly, we are quite certain of suc- 

 cess with every brood we hatch, if wc know our eggs 

 to be from a healthy stock and in a good condition. — 

 This is all important to ever/ silk grower. We are 

 daily witnessing the grcol contrast. Eggs from select- 

 ed cocoons of our own raising have done remarkably 

 well through the seoson, from hatching and winding, 

 and those we obtained, that were not selected, more or 

 less died in their periods of moulting, and some would 

 die just before winding. 



We have good reason to believe, that the principal 

 cause of many failures may be attributed to the care of 

 selecting or manner of preserving. We are now se- 

 lecting our best cocoons for our own stock of eggs for 

 the next season, and contemplate to feed 2,000,000 

 front our live ocres of trees. 



From the commencement, I have calculated to reel 

 our own cocoons as soon aa practicable for the manu- 

 factories. 



In visiting reeling establishments, where wnler is 

 heated by steam, I thought I observed the difficulty 

 attending it, by heating with charcoal in furnaces. 1 

 concluded to try another operation, by making a wood- 

 en box of 2 inch plank, perftcly tigiit, by making use 

 of sheet iron for the bottom. Said box is 4 feet iong, 

 2 feet wide, and 1 foot deep. This constitutes the 

 boiler, set on a brick arch, with a fine connected with 

 the flue of the chimney.. My small filature consists 

 of three of thi^Piedmontese Reels and one spinning 

 machine of three spindles which, with the boiler ond 

 apparatus for heating water in the reeling pans, are all 

 situated in a common dwelling room of 16 feet square. 

 1 hove a wooden trough, made of 2 inch plank, 9 feet 

 long, IC inches wide, and 10 inches deep, rniscd 2 feet 

 I'ronithe floor, tin pans with partitions fitted to the in- 

 side of the trough, of convenient length for each reel- 

 er. A two inch tin pipe is started from the top of the 

 boiler through the plank and is carried over the top to 

 the bottom of the trough, running four times tiit 

 length, under the pan.'?, und out ut th • bottom through 

 the ceiling outside : also, another pipe for letting off 

 the water from the trough. 



Tue same water may be used several days without 

 changing ; and in about one hour from the time the 

 fire is started under the boiler, the water is heated by 

 steam the right temperature for common feeling, ond 

 continues to keep its temperature with very little tend- 

 ing. Itonswera the purpose intended admirably. lu 

 five weeks from the time the eggs are hatched, the 

 silk is converted into sowing, and not much inferior to 

 the best Italian. We expect the foregoing improve- 

 ments will soon be patented. 



We ore very much graiiliod with the token of ap- 

 nrohotiim received from our numerous visitors, and yet 

 would he pleased to wait on all ns far as our time will 

 allow, and spore no pains ti impait information in 

 this bus'ness, as for as sve find ourselves in possession. 

 J. 1!. TILLLNGHAST. 

 .\orwa!k,.\ug. 1-8, 1811. 



All communicatiors by mail, for information must 

 be post paid. .1. B. T. 



Silk Culture. 



R,easons why the people of the United States, es- 

 pecially the farmers, should engage in the businoss of 

 silk growing. 



1st. Because silk forms the heaviest item in the cat- 

 alogue of out importations. 



2d. B-cause we possess the menus of doing it to 

 better advantage than any other nation. 



3d. Because the necessary skill is easily acquired 

 and no nation ever possessed better talents to acqu re 

 it. 



* 4ih. ir^caug? the mtion is under heavy embarrass- 

 iheiits on account of excessive importations, and no 



other means ore so sure of eticcesa in providing the 

 necessary relief. 



5th. Because it con be efTectuolly engaged in by all 

 classes of people, requiring little or no capital. 



6lh. Because wc have more spore land than any 

 other nation, and much well suited to the growth of 

 the mulberry, which is worn out for other purposes. 



7th. Because we are olicody well stocked with tho 

 mulberry trees, which will be lost to the nation if not 

 used for that purpose. 



8th. Btcause a stock of silk worms may he obtain- 

 ed the first yjor, equal to what could be reared of any 

 other live stock in a great portion of a life time. 



9th. Because row silk or cocoons are always surer 

 of pale than almost any other commodity. 



lOth. Because it ie a ver}' certain crop. 



11th. Because o pound of silk worth six dollars con 

 be grown in less time than a pound of wool worth fif- 

 ty cents. 



12ih. Becouse it will cost no more to transport n 

 pound of silk to market worth six dollars than a pound 

 of bread stuff or pork worth six or eight cents. 



13th. Becouse the labor of growing a crop of silk 

 requires only six or seven weeks, wdiile that of almost 

 any farming crop requires more than as many months 



14th. Because most of the labor will be performed 

 by women, children or invalids; who, though will- 

 ing, are unable to perform other profitable labor. 



ISih. Because there ore hundreds if not thousands 

 of f-kiilul silk monufocturers in the country who are 

 unable to find regular employment for want of raw 

 silk. 



16th. Because the growing and manufacturing of 

 silk has never failed to be a source of wealth to any 

 nation which embarked in it. 



17th. Because the Legislature of our Slate, having 

 observed and duly wcighed-all the foregoing reasons, 

 have wisely offered a liberal bounty for its encourage- 

 ment. 



18th. Because the American Institution, with a lib- 

 erolity which speaks volumes to its everlasting credit, 

 bos offered, for the encouragement of literature as 

 well OS this most eminent branch of industry, a premi- 

 um of fif:y dollors and a gold medal for the best trea- 

 tiae thereunto, and a like medal for the best silk reel. 



The person who would not be stimulated to exertion 

 by such reasons and liberal offers of rewoid must bo 

 sordid indeed.--JV. Y. Tribune. 



A OF TFIE NoriTH. 



[From the JVeslern Farmer and Garilener. 

 Oa the Dill'ereiit Breeds of Sheep. 



[Continued/rum oiir Octoher No.'] 

 Continuing the subject of sheep, I will now lay be- 

 fore your readers some account of what we here term 

 the short wooled — that is, the Merino, the Saxon, the 

 Southdown, &c. in as far as 1 commenced with tho 

 fong wools, it may be advisable to continue the de- 

 scription, having reference to the length of staple, aa 

 some order of rotation ; and consequently of those 

 already named, the Southdown will come first under 

 notice. 



The Southdown, Norfolk, Dorset, Ryeland and 

 Cheviot, though, in fact, the old short wools of Eng- 

 land, now occupy an intermediate apace between the 

 fleeces of Spam, Germany ond New Holland, and 

 the long woolsof the Cotawold, Leicester und Lincoln. 

 The Soutlidowns are a long langc of hills, diverging 

 from the groat chalky stratum which intersects a por- 

 tion of England from Norfolk to Dorchceler, euteiing 

 the county of Sussex on the west side, and continu- 

 ing nlmo.-^t in a dirrut line as far as East Bourne in 

 Pevensey boy, (being within a mile or two of the spot 

 where Willium the Conqueror landed his army, pre- 

 vious to the battle of Hastings) ond occupying a space 

 of more than sixty miUs in length with a Buccessimt 

 of open downs, and distinguished by their situation 

 ond na.iie, from a more northern tract posfcing through 

 Surrey and Kent and terniinatiiig in the clills of Do- 

 ver. On these downs a certain breed of fheep have 

 been reared lor several hundred years, and fioni their 

 locution do they take their nome. The pretfcni b:eed 

 of Sjuihdown sheep so justly admired, are indebted 

 porticularly to Mr. Etiman, for Inc possession of the 

 fine form they now invariably carry. Wo have it up- 

 on lecord, that far fi-oni possessing a good shape, they 

 were, originally, long and thin in the neck, high on 

 the shoulders, low behind, high on the loins, dov\n on 

 the rump, the tail set on very low, perpendicular from 

 the hip bones, shorp on the back, the ribs flat, not 

 bowing, narrow in the fore-quarters, but good in the 

 'eg, ultlionoh having big bone Their improvement 

 has not been by onv odmixtnre of foreign blood. The 

 ross with the Loiceeters and the Merinos have eoch 

 proved failures. The same system that Mr, Btike- 



