Editor’s Table. 
159 
for cocoons. There was a difficulty in dis¬ 
posing of the article in some parts of the 
country, last season, owing to the want of 
machinery or skilful persons to manufacture 
it. This last branch of industry ought always 
to be added to the former, as it affords em¬ 
ployment to'the women and children of the 
family during a portion of the year when 
their labor would be of little value for other 
purposes. We intend giving a simple ma¬ 
nual on this subject soon. 
We understand extensive preparations are 
making for the manufacture of silk, by our 
state convicts ; it being a branch of business 
not coming in conflict with the voluntary la¬ 
bor of our artisans to any extent; though 
we hope soon to see a rebellion of our silk 
manufacturers , (we have yet to manufacture 
them,) against the monopoly of their craft. 
Sheep husbandry is attracting considerable 
attention at the present moment, particularly 
at the South and West ; and to the many in¬ 
quiries addressed to us upon it, we beg leave 
to answer, that we are daily looking for essays 
on this subject from two valued friends, who 
to practical and experienced acquaintance as 
breeders in our own country, join the advan¬ 
tage of extensive travel and observation in 
different.parts of Europe. In the mean while, 
we say:— 
1. If the production of wool is the object, 
take the Merino and Saxon; and, if possible, 
procure Rambouillet and Paular rams to cross 
on the first, as they are the largest and most 
superior class of animals we know, they being 
originally derived from the same source, viz., 
the Merinos of Spain. 
2. If delicate mutton is wanted, with a 
medium fibre of wool, take South Downs. 
3. If larger mutton, with somewhat coarser 
quality of wool than the last, though much 
longer and more of it, is desired, procure 
Cotswold, Leicester, Bakewell, Lincoln, or 
New Oxford. 
4. Many of those who have crossed the 
South Downs with the Leicester and the 
other long woolled sheep, prefer these, for 
the reasons stated in No. 2 of our Tour in 
England. 
5. Others in this country greatly prefer a 
cross of the Leicester with the Merino, half 
and half, and then breeding those grades to¬ 
gether. Their reasons in favor of this cross 
are these :—1st. It gives a large sheep, with 
plenty of mutton. 2d. A large fleece of wool, 
and of sufficient fineness for all purposes of 
domestic manufacture, and gets rid of the 
troublesome length of the pure Leicester. 
3d. The animal is in good shape, good con" 
stitution, thrifty, hardy, and comes to ma¬ 
turity one year sooner than the Merino ; has 
nothing of his rugged appearance, and has 
little or no gum in his wool. 
The subject of mixing fine and coarse 
woolled animals, has been pretty thoroughly 
tried by Lord Western, and other eminent 
breeders, and though pursued with great en¬ 
thusiasm, has not met, as we understand, 
with very marked success. But this is a fan¬ 
ciful matter, and has nothing to do with the 
plain, practical farmer, who takes his half- 
and-half cross, and is satisfied with a useful 
animal. We have seen beautiful, and, we 
will add, almost perfect, specimens of the 
cross of the South Down, as well as the Me¬ 
rino, Avith the Leicester, uniting all the es¬ 
sential good qualities of the two, without 
their defects; and we can only say, when 
they have been successful, and these crosses 
meet the views of the breeders making them, 
we advise a continuation. Different persons 
and localities, require and must have differ¬ 
ent animals to suit them. 
We notice that very agreeable and in¬ 
structive agricultural writer, Doct. M. W. 
Phillips, of Mississippi, has joined the West¬ 
ern Farmer and Gardner, as assistant editor. 
He has for several months been among its 
most able contributors, and we heartily con¬ 
gratulate the readers of this valuable Avork, 
upon the additional interest that will here¬ 
after be given to it. 
Saltpetre.—O ur friend, Mr. Benedict, of 
Staten Island, in accordance with our sug¬ 
gestion of soaking his seed corn in saltpetre, 
having 1 prepared his seed, ordered it to be 
planted. But, in his absence, a neighbor, 
who is a decided opponent of book farming, saAV 
what his son Avas about, and advised him to 
throAV away his corn, as it would never come 
up. This Avas done, and the balance of the 
field planted Avith unsoaked seed. Mr. B 
says, that the corn from the nitrated seed is 
noAV twice as large and thrifty as the remain¬ 
der of the field. When will our hard work¬ 
ing, well meaning farmers learn that a vast 
amount of money may be made, Avith out ad¬ 
ditional effort of personal labor, by consulting 
sound practical agricultural works'! 
Tar for greasing Avagons, we think an ab¬ 
surd article. In the hottest weather it soon 
gums up and becomes adhesive, and in cold 
Aveather is always so. Wherever iron axle- 
trees are used, black lead mixed with grease 
is best :—or Flour mixed with Lard. 
