332 
NATIONAL CONVENTION OF FARMERS, GARDENRRS, AND SILK CULTURISTS. 
seldom injured by the frost. The olive and the soft- 
shelled almond arrive at perfection there, but the 
apple, the pear, and the Spanish chestnut not, on 
account of the continued heat. He considered that 
the project of an experimental garden in Florida, was 
practicable, and would be attended with beneficial 
results—that trees and plants of the choicest, and 
©f the most useful kinds, could gradually be accli¬ 
mated there, from every region of the globe. But 
as to receiving aid from government, he thought 
that in the present temper of Congress, nothing of 
the kind could be hoped for—yet they might be dis¬ 
posed to grant a tract of land. It was his belief 
that the project could be carried into effect by pri¬ 
vate enterprise, and for one he was willing to con¬ 
tribute to its support. The sum necessary to com¬ 
mence operations, he said, need not exceed $1,000 
per annum. 
Supposed Effects of the Gases of Brick-kilns on 
Vegetation. —Dr. Underhill described what he con¬ 
ceived to be the “ Noxious Effects of the Gases of 
Brick-kilns on Fruits and Vegetation,” which led 
to the appointment of a committee to report on the 
nature of said effects, if they exist, and to institute 
inquiries as to a remedy, &c., whereupon the fol¬ 
lowing were chosen:—Martin Ellsworth, of Con¬ 
necticut; Dr. R. T. Underhill, Professor James 
Renwick, and Dr. J. R. Chilton, of New York ; Peter 
H. Brink, of Saugerties, N Y.; James Darrach, of 
Orange Co., N. Y.; and Stephen Haight. 
Progress of Silk-Culture in the United States .— 
General Dearborn suggested the expediency of ap¬ 
pointing a committee to report on the “ Culture of 
Silk” in this country, which was adopted, and the 
following gentlemen were chosen:—A. C. Van 
Epps, of New York; J. B. Hyde, of Long Island; 
J. M. Summy, of Lancaster, Pa.; and H. P. Byram, 
of Kentucky. 
Mr. Van Epps, Chairman of said committee, :read 
a report on this subject, stating that it is a matter 
of regret that a branch of industry so evidently and 
intimately connected with our interests as a nation, 
and which, at the same time, has been so fully 
tested in every latitude of our country, should ad¬ 
vance so slowly, and elicit the energies of so few 
of our people. The committee go on further to 
state, emphatically, that they believe no other 
country or people are so well calculated to perfect 
the whole silk business, as our own, and that the 
chief obstacles are altogether artificial. They in¬ 
timate that unwise legislation on the part of the 
general government, and the want of suitable en¬ 
couragement from State authorities, are the chief 
reasons why this branch of industry has never 
been more extensively prosecuted. In accordance 
with these views, they begged leave to adopt the 
following Resolutions:— 
Resolved , That we recommend the careful pre¬ 
servation and cultivation of the Mulberry Trees 
now among us, and to increase them to a sufficient 
extent to supply a constantly increasing demand; 
and that we urge upon every farmer the planting 
of at least one acre of trees, from the foliage of 
which one or more crops of worms may annually 
be fed, without interfering with the ordinary pur¬ 
suits of the farm. 
Resolved, That we view the change recently 
made by Congress in the duties on imported silks, 
altogether misjudged, and calculated directly to 
throw additional embarrassments in our way whicfe 
we are altogether unprepared to surmount; an4 
that unless a more judicious policy be adopted by 
the next Congress, the business generally must be 
immeasurably retarded, and in some of its branches 
utterly destroyed. 
Resolved , That we consider the practice of fami¬ 
ly reeling productive of irregular and imperfect 
raw silk, and thus greatly interfering with the 
after uses to which such silks may be devotedL 
Hence, we recommend the establishment of a regu¬ 
lar filature system, furnishing a cash market for 
all the cocoons produced, as the only effectual re¬ 
medy for this evil, and intimately and inseparably 
connected with the ultimate success of the enterprise 
Resolved , That we most earnestly urge upon the 
approaching Congress the importance of so correct¬ 
ing the duties upon both raw and manufactured 
silks, as to give such protection for us as to place 
us beyond the possibility of injury from foreign 
competition. 
Resolved , That the establishment by Congress of 
a national Filature Nursery Plantation and Cocoon¬ 
ery, in or near the District of Columbia, under 
the superintendence of a competent and experi¬ 
enced person, where individuals can obtain all the 
information necessary for prosecuting the reeling 
of silk, the cultivation of the mulberry-tree, and 
the successful nurture of the silk-worm, would be 
a measure of the utmost importance to every sec¬ 
tion of the Union, and calculated to advance the 
enterprise more than any other single instrumental¬ 
ity can do. 
Resolved , That we believe it the duty of the Le¬ 
gislatures of the several States, each to offer imme¬ 
diately a liberal bounty for the production of 
cocoons, and that we regret that the State of New 
York should have refused, in opposition to the me¬ 
morials of a considerable portion of the people, to 
renew a bounty which has been fostering the busi¬ 
ness for six years past. 
Resolved, That we recommend to State and Coun¬ 
ty Agricultural Colleges and Institutes, the import¬ 
ance of connecting with their operations a depart¬ 
ment for the culture of silk, under the direction ©C 
those qualified to give instructions on this branck 
of industry. 
Culture of the Grape .—It was moved by Dr. 
Underhill that a committee of three be appointed to 
report on the “ Culture of the Native Grape m 
Vineyards for Wine, and for the Table,” whicl. 
was adopted, and Dr. R. T. Underhill, Charles 
Henry Hall, and Henry Meigs, of New York* 
were chosen. 
Dr. Underhill, as chairman of said Committee? 
offered a report in which was embodied the follow¬ 
ing resolution :— Resolved, That the culture of the 
Native Grape is a subject of primary importances 
and that it be recommended to all the agricultural 
associations in the Union to make experiment 
with the different kinds growing in their vicinity? 
in order to ascertain their properties, to test theif 
qualities, procure seedlings from them, and by higk 
cultivation to secure such varieties as will lay the 
foundation for successful culture. 
