THE CULTIVATOR. 
7 
of his silk business in 1883. This is stated in the following ex¬ 
tract :— 
“I will now show you,” says the writer, “ the account of the 
sale of my silk of 1838. I shall take care to subtract the expen¬ 
ses, and you may see the clear profit. 
2 11-12 inferior silk, at 18 fr. the kilogram,- 
Deduct for portage, 
Value of the different remains, coming from the re¬ 
mains of the filatures used at my house,. 
Sum realized,. 
For the expense of management,. 
For the filature, reeling, •.•. 
171f. 75c. 
263 85 
Profit. 
l,830f. 
60c. 
44 
95 
l,884f. 
55c. 
16 
00 
CO 
CD 
CO 
55c. 
115 
00 
],98Sf. 
55c. 
435 
60 
l,548f. 
95c. 
“ To appreciate the advantages of the cultivation of the mulber¬ 
ry, one must remember, that this sum 1,548 francs of profit, (after 
deducting all the expenses,) is the product of leaves furnished by 
trees which have occupied for eight years, on an average, a piece of 
ground, rather less than half a hectare, or at most two set£r£6s, a 
local measure.” 
The kilogram is two pounds two ounces and four grains, avoir¬ 
dupois; the franc is 18J cents; the c. (centime) one hundredth part 
of a franc; the half hectare is about lj acres. Hence, the gross 
product in silk, from one and a quarter acres in mulberries, was 
69J lbs., which sold for $350-25, or about $5 the pound, and after 
paying all expenses, afforded to the proprietor, a nett profit in one 
year, of about $290-40. 
We quote again from M. Carrier’s letter:—“ The proprietor who 
wishes to occupy a plantation of mulberry trees, supposing he 
had already at his disposal a quantity equal to those which I strip¬ 
ped last spring, and in the same condition, that is, producing 160 
quintals of leaves, at four francs the quintal. Well, this proprietor 
could have obtained from half a hectare (about 1£ acres) of ground, 
with no other expense than that of cultivating the trees, a revenue 
of 640f., or 320f. for each setlrib, composed of 640 square fathoms. 
“ The person who would have bought this quantity of leaves to 
devote himself only to the raising of silk worms, would have had 
(as I did) 928 pounds of cocoons, and would have sold them at If. 
50c. a pound, according to the course of that time: this sale 
would have produced,. l,892f. 00c. 
Deduction of expenses, purchase of about 8 ounces of 
eggs, at 8f. the ounce,. 
Expenses of all kinds for the management, • 171 75 
Price of 160 quintals of leaves, at 4f.» • • 
Rent of the room,. 
24-f. 
00c. 
171 
75 
640 
00 
60 
00 
895 75 
496 25 
His part of the profits for 40 days attendance, - • . •.. 
The filature who buys the cocoons, obtains a quantity 
of silk equal to mine, and sells it in the same man¬ 
ner,. 1,868 55 
He draws from the remains,. 115 00 
Total, 
It is necessary to deduct from this sum, as the cost 
of 928 pounds of cocoons, at If. 50c.-• l,S92f. 00c. 
Expenses of the filature,.. 263 8 5 
l,983f. 55c. 
1,655 85 
Clear gain of the winder,. S27f. 70c. 
“The laborer, with a family, takes for his share the remains of 
this filature, employs his wife and children to prepare and wind the 
low and different qualities of silk, which are in much request and 
readily sold. These products can be valued, after having received 
all the suitable work, at...165f. 
Deduction for the purchase of the first materials,.50f. 
Hand work, although gained by the family,..go 
— 80 
Profit, without including his work, already paid,. 
85f. 
640f, 
, 00c. 
496 
25 
337 
70 
85 
00 
l,548f 
'. 95c. 
“ A simple recapitulation will make the result better understood 
than this division of the labor, which division certainly agrees, in 
many cases, with the taste or situation of persons who neither 
wish, nor are able, to undertake all parts of the business. 
The land owner, who sells 160 quintals of leaves, at 4f. 
receives,.. . 640f. 00c. 
The person who buys them, and manages the raising, 
gains,. 
The winder, who takes charge of the cocoons, winds 
them, and receives for his labor,. 
The laborer who works up the remains, does the labor for 
SOf. and gains besides,..... 
Sum equal to the total profit which I have made by 
the union of all these operations,. 1 
“The calculations which I have just presented, speak loudly 
enough without my adding the least observation to make the evi¬ 
dence more sure; I will only say, one of the great benefits of this 
direction of industry is to make a considerable mass of work for all 
classes of society, and for all ages.” 
A plantation of mulberries may soon be obtained, by procuring 
the young trees from the nurseries, or by sowing the seed. An 
once of seed will produce from two to three thousand plants. Sow 
early in May, upon a bed of good earth, well pulverized, in drills a 
foot apart: cover with half an inch of fine mould, compress the 
surface slightly with a hoe, that the soil may better retain moist¬ 
ure and come in contact with the seeds, and if the weather is dry, 
water occasionally, to aid germination, and to enable the young 
roots to get firm hold of the earth: keep the bed free from weeds, 
and after one or two years, prune out the plants in nursery rows, 
three feet apart, and in two years more they will be fit to set out 
where they are to remain permanently. 
ITALIAN RYE GRASS. 
The following communication relates to a grass of great promise, if it will 
withstand our winters. The French and Scotch commend it as highly as 
the Germans, though it is of but recent intioduction among them; and 
our personal observation tallies with the high character which all give it. 
We sowed some in Sept. 1833; —it promised remarkably well—but the 
winterkilled it. We supplied some friends with seed, which was sown 
last season; it is of course not yet known what effect the winter has had 
upon it. The State Society have directed a quantity of seed to be pro¬ 
vided for distribution, with the view of giving it a fair trial among us. 
Description and culture of the Italian Lolck. 
(Translated from the German.) 
The Italian Loich (Loliwn perenne italicum aristatum) yields 
the most abundant todder of any kind of grass that is known. Its 
extraordinary yield has, for several years past, extended the cul¬ 
ture of it, in one part of Germany and Switzerland, very rapidly, 
and also in France some agriculturists have made experiments with 
it which were completely successful. 
If sown in October,* its growth being very rapid, before winter 
sets in, it makes a thick sward equal to that on old grass land, and 
the first crop of hay is double to that of a common meadow. The 
Italian Loich is entirely different from the English Ray grass, which 
latter serves only as a means of making a sward on the land for 
pasturage, does not grow over 2| feet in height and gives but 
two ordinary crops in one season, while the former commonly 
grows to a height of 4 feet, on a soil more moist than dry, and 
gives always four abundant crops in one season, and frequently 
more. 
The haulm is covered with leaves of a light green colour. The 
most proper time to sow it, is in the fall. After a crop of grain is 
taken off from the land, turn the stubble over, harrow it and sow 
the seed. And frequently it grows large enough to cut before cold 
weather; but it is advisable not to cut it, because it will take bet¬ 
ter root if left. Such a meadow, shows itself before winter thick 
and well overgrown, like an old one, and the first year’s crop was, 
by haying time a full one. Sowing it in the spring, or month of April, 
requires moist weather and more seed. The plant is lasting. And 
at the end of the seventh or eighth year, these meadows are as vigo¬ 
rous as they were in the first year. If, however, light places are to 
* Note by the translator. —The. winter in those parts of Germany where the 
loich is cultivated, does not set in so early as in this section of country. 
