384 Miscellanies. 



7. The Asckpias Syriaca or Milk Weed a substitute for fiax, ^c. 



Salem, Mass., Dec. 10, 1834. 



To Professor Silliman. — Sir— Some information on the arti- 

 cle inserted in a late No. of the American Journal, stiled a " substi- 

 tute for linen," being inquired for, it is with pleasure given.- — The 

 plant there referred to, is the Asclepias Syriaca, or common silk or 

 milk weed — and the material itself, is the exterior and interior barks; 

 the exterior, however, is considered of the most importance. If the 

 structure of this plant be examined, the body of it, when in full growth, 

 will be found to envelope three sets of fibres, two of which are con- 

 tained in, and in fact constitute the barks ; the third set adhering to 

 and covering the stem, being of no value, is not patented. This 

 invaluable plant grows spontaneously, abounds throughout this 

 country, and being a perennial, would not require, as flax, hemp, 

 cotton, &c., &c., to be renewed annually, but with a top dressing, 

 it is said, it would yield abundantly for many years. In all my re- 

 searches among trees and plants in pursuit of a vegetable silk, none 

 have been observed to compare with this, for beauty, strength, and 

 abundance of fibre and milk — to which it probably owes its superior- 

 ity of strength and beauty, over every other known fibre. This new 

 and beautiful material, so very valuable for the many purposes to 

 which it can be applied, we cannot but hope will receive attention ; 

 for we are not prepared to believe that it is destined to linger, from 

 century to century, as was the case with some of the most favored fab- 

 rics of the present time, in consequence of the darkness of the age in 

 which they were produced. When a whole nation and that the 

 most enlightened then on earth, could not be induced to believe in, or 

 profit by the discovery of one of them, its consequent slow progres- 

 sion through many subsequent ages to the present unrivalled state 

 of perfection to which it has attained, need not occasion surprise. 

 Neither would it be deemed extravagant in us, perhaps, considering 

 the present advanced state of knowledge, should we venture to 

 predict that the fibres of the asclepias will ra'nk among the most fa- 

 vored fabrics of the present day, if they do not wholly supercede 

 some of them. Very respectfully yours, 



Margaret Gerrish. 



It is worthy of remark that the milk of the plant above named, 

 contains a quantity of caoutchouc or elastic gum, which, at our sug- 

 gestion, was extracted, some years since, by Dr. Grosvenor of the 

 Medical Institution of Yale College, who made this plant the subject 

 of his inaugural dissertation. — Ed. 



