THE CULTIVATOR. 
25 
Site in a measure. AS they increase in size they must have more room 
allowed them, so that they are not crowded. 
In gathering the cocoons, particular care must be had not to com¬ 
press them-, or leave any portion upon the branch. Select the largest 
and firmest for seed. Strip the floss from them, hang them in a warm 
airy room, and in two weeks the moths will emerge, copulate, and, the 
females being placed upon paper, as they do not fly, will deposite 
their eggs. One hundred females will produce an ounce of eggs, 
enough for 20,000 to 40,000 silk worms. In the residue of the cocoons, 
which are intended for silk, the worms must be stifled, which is done 
by exposing them three or four days to the rays of the sun, and in va¬ 
rious other ways. After the worms are smothered, the cocoons are to be 
spread thin upon shelves, in an airy chamber, and turned daily, till 
they become perfectly dried. In transporting them to market, they 
should be handled carefully, and placed in tight boxes or barrels. 
According to Mr. Roberts’ calculation, an ounce of eggs will produce 
20,000 cocoons; and fourteen ounces cocoons, one ounce eggs; 1,000 
worms consume 50 lbs. leaves; nine pounds of cocoons will make 
about one pound of silk; 3,000 cocoons, about one pound of silk,- and 
330 cocoons weigh one pound. 
Collect the papers on which the eggs are laid, when quite dry, fold 
them up, and put them away in tin or other boxes, in thin layers. 
They should be kept dry, where they will not freeze, and where the 
temperature does not rise above 65°. 
Ants, fowls, mice, rats, weazels, lizards and spiders, are all ene¬ 
mies to the silk-worm, and must be guarded against. Bad air, that is 
prejudicial to man, is also hurtful to them. Hence ceanliness and a 
free circulation of air, when the weather will permit it, are essential. 
We omit, for the present, the processes of'reeling and manufacture, 
as none should attempt them, without personal instruction and the 
proper implements. Cocoons have sold for three to four dollars per 
bushel. 
COttltESPOMPENCE. 
REMARKABLE LARGE CORN CROP. 
Mr. Jesse Buel —It affords me pleasure to be enabled to resort to 
your very useful agricultural paper as a medium through which I can 
bear testimony to the value and importance of th.e soil of our little 
state of Delaware . 
Little has been heretofore known, beyond its own limits, of the su¬ 
perior quality of the soil of the peninsula of Delaware and Maryland, 
and of its advantageous location; but the present age of improve¬ 
ment has fortunately brought within a part of our territory the public 
improvements of a canal, and two rail-roads, which have developed 
to the world the importance of our location, the beauty of our country, 
and the susceptibility of our soil, to the greatest extent, of production 
and improvement. These improvements appear also to have infused 
new life into our citizens, and caused a spirit of enterprise and indus¬ 
try which has been most beneficial to the agricultural interests of our 
country. 
As a specimen of the capability of the soil, and the ability of the 
farmers in the neighborhood of St. Georges, New-Castle county, Dela¬ 
ware—permit me to present you with the following statement of a crop 
of corn raised last year by Maj. Philip Reybold, one of our most en¬ 
terprising farmers—and one, to whom, our community are largely in¬ 
debted for the impetus given to our agricultural improvements—viz: 
On one field of 22 ac. he raised 2,216 bushels, about 100 * bush, per ac. 
On another field 30 “ “ 2,249* “ “ 75. “ 
On “ “ 27“ “ 1,819 “ “ 67* “ 
79 Total crop, 6,284* bushels, 
averaging for the whole crop of 79 acres, near eighty bushels to'the 
acre—and all this upon a soil that was not naturally as good as a 
greater part of the soil of this country; and brought up, within the 
last ten years, from an extreme state of poverty. 
I have obtained from Major Reybold a statement of the mode adopt¬ 
ed by him, for an improvement of his land, as well as the cultivation 
of the crop of corn here referred to, which is as follows: On the field 
of 22 acres, about seven years ago, he put 60 bushels of stone lime to 
the acre, and planted it in corn; in the following spring he put in oats, 
and in the fall put on about 40 loads of barn yard manure to the acre, 
and sowed it in wheat and timothy seed, and in the ensuing spring 
with clover. It remained in grass until last spring, receiving an inter¬ 
mediate top dressing in 1833, of 40 loads of barn yard manure per 
acre. He mowed it for three or four successive years, and each year 
obtained from 2* to 3 tons of hay per acre. Last spring he gave it 
another top dressing of 40 loads per acre of long manure, which was 
permitted to remain as long as possible, in order to give the grass a 
chance of starting through it. He then ploughed it up about ten inches 
deep, with a No. 5 concave plough, which completely covered the ma¬ 
nure ; he then gave it a stroke with the harrow along the course of 
the plough furrows, and then crossways, and struck it out very shoal, 
Vol. III. 4* 
3i feet from centre to centre each way. After the corn came up, he 
harrowed it both ways with the fallow harrow; and from that, until 
the first of July, he gave it three dressings with the cultivator (fluke 
harrow,) first crossing the plough tracks; in ten or twelve days, the 
other way, and then again the other way, being very careful not to 
disturb the manure by going too deep with the cultivator. The plough 
was never used in the field after planting; and the corn thinned so as 
to leave three good stocks in a hill. When the com became fit to top 
and blade he cut it off by the ground and put it up in shocks. 
The field of 30 acres,—one half he covered with oyster shell lime, 
100 bushels to the acre, and 5 acres with marl, 12 loads to the acre; 
and previous to planting in corn, the whole field was covered with 40 
loads of long manure per acre. The produce of the ground on which 
the lime and marl were put, was about equal, and exceeded that of 
the ground which had not the benefit of the lime and marl, about 12 
to 15 bushels of corn per acre, as near as he could judge. The field 
was planted and tilled in the same way as the one first described. In 
order to test the advantage of the cultivator over the plough, for tilling 
corn, he had five rows in this field that he lapped the furrow to, with 
a plough, previous to going over it the last time with the cultivator. 
He soon discovered that the growth of these five rows fell short, in 
height, of those adjacent, and yielded one-fifth less corn. 
There is no doub( but the true mode of tilling corn, especially where 
sod ground is used, is, to plough deep, and to use nothing but the fal¬ 
low and fluke harrow for its cultivation. By not disturbing the sod 
ploughed down, it remains there as a reservoir of moisture, and an 
exhilarating principle throughout the season, to the growth of the 
corn. 
The third field of 27 acres was covered with about 30 loads of ma¬ 
nure to the acre, in the spring of 1834, and six or seven years ago, 60 
bushels of stone lime, per acre, was put upon it. The planting and 
mode of cultivation was the same. I might here remark, that all the 
second, and part of the third field, were in corn, the year before last. 
JAMES N. SUTTON. 
St. Georges, Delaware, March 5, 1836. 
Note.—The management which led to the extraordinary product of corn, 
should be deeply impressed upon the mind of every corn grower. 1, The 
ground was well dunged with, long manure ; 2, it was planted on a grass ley, 
with one deep ploughing ; 3, it was well pulverized with the harrow : 4. the 
plough was not used in the after culture, nor the corn hilled, but the cultiva¬ 
tor only used; 5, the sod was not disturbed, nor the manure turned to the 
surface ; and 6, the corn was cut at the ground when it was fit to top. These 
are the points which we have repeatedly urged in treating of the culture of 
this crop ; and their correctness is put beyond question by this notable result. 
The value of lime and marl are well illustrated in the second experiment.— 
Conductor. 
SHEEP HUSBNDRY.—No. Y. 
HINTS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 
I had prepared two numbers, one on wool, and one on the habits and 
management of sheep. Having observed the notice of the editor, that 
the subject of wool was anticipated, I am disposed to withhold the 
first, and offer the second. My object in the preceding numbers, has 
been to give the history of the Merino, and from “ quotations” of high 
authority, to establish the fact, that he is a distinctive sheep, and ought 
to be so preserved. The further illustration of which, is marked by 
its longevity; the merino ewe originally sold for $ 1 , 000 , died in my 
possession at the age of 16 years, having reared a lamb the preceding 
summer, which was preserved. In my purchase of the flock, she was 
not estimated; and cost me nothing. They do not breed at so early a 
period as other sheep, and are less likely to produce twins. The exu¬ 
berant growth of their hoofs, protuding and curving, and in some in¬ 
stances to the extent of 5 or 6 inches; requiring frequent paring, .evi¬ 
dently showing that they were originally designed for domestication, 
or long subjected to it. I have not observed this in any other kind of 
sheep. 
Sheep are much like birds, requiring a clear air for respiration, much 
exercise, frequent change of place, dry, clean lodging, and nutritious 
aromatic feed. The ( Transhumanta ) or migrating Spanish flocks, 
changing situation so as always to enjoy a congenial climate, moving 
and grazing, must, under good shepherds, be most eligibly circumstanced. 
The similarity between birds and sheep might be greatly extended. 
They are both disposed by instinct to associate in flocks. Many kinds 
of birds migrate from north to south. Sheep in Spain are so managed. 
Perhaps left to themselves, they would do the same. Birds, in fine 
weather, ascend the most lofty branches for nocturnal repose: but in 
severe storms, they seek the humble lodging of the lower boughs, and 
the dense covert of the compact hedge. Sheep in good weather uni¬ 
formly select the dryest and most elevated bed for nightly repose; se¬ 
vere winds greatly annoy them, and drive them into the placid valley. 
Birds shut up in a cage soon die ; sheep shut up in a pen soon die. 
Some years ago I committed a great error, and perhaps on examina- 
tion, it would not be left solitary. Having assumed the opinion of the 
similarity of sheep and deer, I proceeded confidently on the operation. 
