THE CULTIVATOR. 
87 
ceeds of my own dairy for the last season. The prices, it is true, were 
high; but owing to a combination of circumstances beyond my control, 
the quantity fell considerably short of an average ot preceding years. 
I milked twenty cows, which, owing to the great scarcity of lod ler, had 
been fed for two-thirds of the preceding winter on straw. Toward spring 
they were fed with good hay, with about 18 cwt. of oil cake, which cost 
me seventeen dollars. I commenced making cheese on the fifteenth day 
of May, and finished on the twelfth of September. I made 250 cheeses, 
averaging fifteen pounds each. Before commencing and during the time 
of making cheese, I made 400 pounds of butter, the Sabbaths’ milk being 
always used for that purpose. Afterquiting the cheese I made 560 pounds 
of butter. I fed 2,000 pounds of pork, chiefly on the whey, and made 
112 pounds of whey butter. I have already stated that the price of cheese 
was eleven cents per pound; mine was carried to market loose, and sus¬ 
tained some damage, in consequence of the boat springing a leak and hav¬ 
ing to unload her cargo, for which reason one-fourth of a cent per pound 
was deducted, I must therefore calculate accordingly. 
20 calves, averaging $3 each,..... $60 
400 pounds butter at 20c. per pound... 80 
550 “ “ 28c. do. 154 
3750 “ cheese, 10|c. do. 403 
112 “ whey butter, at 12Jc. 14 
2000 “ pork, at 8Jc. 1^0 
Add for milk and cream used in family containing 13 persons, say 30 
911 
Deduct for first cost of hogs and extra feed,. 60 
The average of butter to each cow is a fraction over 47 pounds, the ave¬ 
rage of cheese 187J pounds. The average amounts to each cow, $42.55. 
P. S. As my butter, as well as cheese, stand as fair in market as any 
other, I may hereafler send you a few remarks on my manner of treatment 
of that article likewise. J- SMEALLE. 
Princetown, Schenectady co. 
PRODUCT, &c. OF THE FLAX CROP. 
JVew Berlin, JV". Y., June 3, 1837. 
J Buel—Dear Sir—I was somewhat surprised on reading an arti¬ 
cle on the culture of flax in the April No., 1836, as a statement of the 
product of Major Kirby’s crop of flax. Seven and three quarter tons of 
dressed flax were represented to have been grown upon six acres of land. 
This was so palpably at variance with what I had understood the amount 
of the crop, and with my own experience, that I set it down as an unin¬ 
tentional mistake of your informant. 
Were it not evident from perusing an article in the February No. that 
the delusion was likelv to be perpetuated, I should not now fulfil a deter¬ 
mination I then made of writing, and I have only to offer in apology my 
desire to see the Cultivator a vehicle of correct information. I have 
grown and purchased the crop for manufacturing to some extent for the 
last two years, and I can state that the average of crops will not vary much 
from one ton of stem per acre, and this quantity will decrease one-fifth in 
weight in the process of rotting, and will afford of merchantable flax, for 
the purpose of manufacturing, from 240 to 320 wt„ average, say 275 wt. 
Ball’s patent hemp and flax machine, manufactured at Copenhagen by 
Doct. S. Allen, is undoubtedly the most approved. Its great merit is 
found to consist in its giving a greater amount of lint from the raw mate¬ 
rial, and that too without injuring the fibre of the flax. The expense of 
rotting and cleaning may be set down at 3c. per lb. or one-third value of 
the product. , 
1 have been informed, but with what accuracy I would not vouch, that 
flax grown in the western counties, although yielding abundant crops of 
seed, affords very little lint. If so, I can only account for it because of 
its very rapid growth, and consequently drawing a weak harle. Early 
sown crops are generally superior in yielding the heaviest and strongest 
fibre I am very truly yours, 
T. S. KNAP. 
Remark.— The seven and three-quarter tons should have been un¬ 
dressed, and not dressed flax.— Cond. 
SUBSTITUTE FOR THE MULBERRY. 
Rome, June, 1837. 
Judge Buel—Dear Sir—I take the liberty to enclose herein for 
your inspection a skein of white sewing silk. The worms from which it 
was reeled may be fed from a vegetable that may be grown in abundance 
in every section of our country, with the same culture as a carrot, and 
worth, for the table, about the same price. The discovery of a substitute 
for the mulberry, for the northern section of the U. S. at least, must be 
of much moment, as our winters prove very fatal to the mulberry. 
This vegetable puts out leaves very early, and is never injured by frosts, 
has a heavier burthen of leaves than the carrot, and may be cut with a 
knife, scythe or cradle, with ease, and with little injury to the plant. By 
repeated trials, at different times, it was ascertained that the worms had 
i decided preference for this plant over the mulberry, as they would leave 
he mulberry leaf for these, nor return to the mulberry so long as any 
leaves of the plant w T ere left. The worms remained healthy, cocoons 
proved as heavy, reeled as well, and the silk proves as strong and of as 
good quality, as any I have seen of this country rearing. The skein herewith 
sent has not gone through the regular process of the Italian purified silk 
sewings, but has simply been washed in soap suds. This discovery is the 
result of much and persevering attention on the part of the person who 
has made it, a farmer of this town, with small means, and needing the 
benefit which ought to be awarded to public benefactors. He intends 
making public his discovery and experiments, after having again tested 
them, and trust to legislative benificence for his reward. 
Your ob’t serv’t, JAY HATHAWAY. 
The Italian spring wheat looks remarkably fine. I saw a field yesterday 
which stood a foot high. 9th June. 
[The sample of silk sent us may be seen at the Cultivator office. What 
the substitute for the mulberry is, is as much a mystery to the Conductor 
as it is to the reader.] 
THE ARBUTUS—TURKISH MODE OF MANAGING SILK WORMS. 
Dear Sir —In looking over the page3 of a book entitled “Sketches 
of Turkey in 1831 and 1S32,” page 436, I observe the following. You 
are engaged in a business which would render this notice interesting to 
you, and if this description and notice is true, vastly interesting to this 
country. It is for these reasons I take the liberty to call your attention 
to it. 
The author says, “ Here too seemed to flourish the strawberry arbutus, 
(A unedo,) which now seemed to offer its luscious scarlet fruit to the tired 
traveller, and bent over the road side under the weight of its snowy blos¬ 
soms. 
It w’ould be meritorious to introduce this beautiful shrub on our own 
hillsides. It appears to thrive on a barren soil; it might advantageously 
occupy the place of our formal and solitary mullien, and would contrast 
beautifully with our showy kalinias In Dalmatia, large quantities of su¬ 
gar and brandy are obtained from this fruit. It is only about five years 
since this manufacture has been attempted; and I am informed that al¬ 
ready more than eight thousand barrels of brandy are annually produced. 
One thousand pounds of this fruit will give a barrel of spirit, and hv the 
ordinary process, twenty pounds of fruit will furnish between four and five 
pounds of sugar, and a highly aromatic syrup. 
This shrub is said to be a certain bearer, every year equally well. Its 
capacity to produce sugar is better than either cane or the beet, or any 
other known plant. I should think a cargo of the plants could be sold, if 
any one would import them.” 
And while I am making extracts from this author, I will furnish you 
with one relating to rearing and feeding silk worms, that I am persuaded 
describes a preferable method to that in common use in this country. 
Silk worms, like every species of caterpillar that feed on the leaves of 
trees or plants, are led by instinct to be suspended on branches, and not 
to lie on a plain surface, and therefoi-e must enjoy more health under that 
form of feeding than when made to feed on leaves lying on a level sur¬ 
face. 
He says, “ The eggs are spread upon linen clothes, or kept under the 
arms, or in the bosom, until hatched, which take place in a few days. The 
room is then strewed with branches of the mulberry; first feeding them 
with the tenderest leaves, and as they grow older they continue to add 
branches every day until they reach nearly to the top of the room. In 
the course of ten or twelve days they become torpid, or fall asleep, and 
continue in this state three or four days; they then awake, and continuejto 
eat and sleep alternately for about six weeks, when they begin to climb. 
Dry oak branches properly trimmed and prepared for the purpose are then 
set upright on the pile, they ascend these and commence making their co¬ 
coons.” 
You will, perhaps, confer a favor on the Poughkeepsie Silk Company 
by furnishing them with the above information: as that rich company have 
had $200,000 invested for two years, and have not yet, I believe, produced 
any cocoons; perhaps they have in some way erred in the management of 
the silk worms. AGRICOLA. 
P. S. If any confidence is to be placed in the article respecting arbutus, 
and I do not know why confidence should not be given to it; if the author 
is the person I have supposed, he is highly respectable, that article is ve- 
I ry important. It is certain, however, that this species of arbutus is diffe¬ 
rent from any variety I have known. At any rate the plants should be 
obtained at any expense. A. 
Remarks.— The arbutus unido is also indigenous to Spain, where su¬ 
gar and spirits have been made from the leaves, and also in some parts of 
Ireland. It is also in our nurseries, and esteemed a highly ornamental 
plant. The arbutus uvaurgi, (bear-berry, or strawberry tree,) is indige¬ 
nous to our country, both red and white fruited; they are both abundant 
bearers, and beautiful shrubs, but we have not learnt that their berries 
l have been converted to any useful purpose— Cond. 
