88 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
all are revived, taking care to place those that revive 
each day on separate tables, as before. The worms are 
then to be fed as before, as much as they will eat of 
fresh leaves. It is needless to go over in detail the pro¬ 
ceedings of each age, as the periods between the moult- 
ings are called, the same things are to be done precisely 
in all, exceept that, as the worms grow larger they re¬ 
quire more food. The quantity of food must always be 
regulated by the appetite of the worms; if they eat more 
you must give them more; it they eat little you must 
give them little. Bear in mind that it is important that 
at each moulting or change of skin, each day’s revival 
must be kept separate. The object of this is, that when 
the worms come to spin their cocoons, all on each shelf 
or table may commence as nearly as possible at the same 
time. This saves much labor and difficulty. 
Cleaning Hurdles.— After the 2d moulting, when 
the worms have been removed from, shelf to shelf by 
means of the leaves, the Paper nets, described in a 
previous paper, come into use. When the worms be¬ 
gin to revive in the morning, spread a paper net over 
the shelf, and lay some fresh leaves on it. An hour 
afterwards pass the rods into the loops at the ends, and 
then bear the net to a clean hurdle, laying it down gen¬ 
tly. Thus continue to lay the nets on the hurdles every 
day till all the worms are revived and removed; then 
clean the hurdle thus vacated of its rubbish, and prepare 
it for the reception of worms from other tables. It is 
generally unnecessary to clean the hurdles at any other 
time than at the several moultings; occasionally, how¬ 
ever, this is necessary, and particularly after the third 
and fourth moultings and during damp weather. It may 
at these times, of course, be performed in the same way 
as at the moultings. The paper net that has been car¬ 
ried to a clean shelf with worms on it, will of course re¬ 
main under the worms and rubbish till the shelf is again 
cleared, when it will be relieved, must be carefully 
cleared of the rubbish and hung up to dry for use again. 
If very damp weather happens at any time, it will be 
well to make a brisk lire of shavings or some light fuel 
to dry the room and purify the air. Air slaked lime 
may also be sifted over the worms at all times, every 
morning before feeding, just enough to whiten the sur¬ 
face of the worms and leaves. If the worms be sickly, 
or appear dull and torpid, sift over them more lime. 
The lime should be air slaked, and should be as tine as 
possible. If the worms on a hurdle appear very sickly 
with the yellows or other disease, the best way is to take 
the hurdle immediately out of the room into the open 
air, where all of the dead worms may be taken from 
among them; sift lime over the others, lay on fresh 
leaves, and leave them to themselves. Most of them 
will soon recover, and when well may be returned again 
to the cocoonery. Whenever one hurdle has been found 
sickly, others may soon be expected in the same condi¬ 
tion; and therefore all should be carefully watched. 
Every window and door should be opened, and every 
means used to ventilate the room. Slaked lime should 
be freely spread over the hurdles and floor of the co¬ 
coonery. During the whole process of feeding, from 
the hatching to the spinning of cocoons, the utmost care 
should be observed to keep the air in the rooms sweet 
and pure. In damp weather all the windows and doors 
should be closed, and fire made to dry the air. In hot, 
sultry weather, all the windows and doors should be 
thrown open, taking care not to allow the sun to shine 
on the worms, but rather to shade the windows next to 
the sun with blinds or by some other means. When it 
can be done, always keep the room rather dark. Strong 
light is very offensive to the worms. 
Those who prefer feeding with branches can do so 
by laying them on the hurdles instead of picked leaves. 
After the third moulting, lay the branches with all the 
leaves on them first across the hurdle five or six inches 
apart, so that the edges and ends of the leaves will touch. 
The next time you feed lay them lengthwise, and so on, 
crossing at each feeding. When the pile gets too high, 
lay a paper net over the worms as in the other mode; 
and when the worms have risen through the meshes, car¬ 
ry the net with the worms to a clean hurdle, and go on 
again as before. The same process is to be gone thiough 
in cleaning the hurdles, moulting, &c. Some people feed 
in this way from beginning—never clean nor separate the 
worms. This practice may succeed sometimes, but I 
should not dare to advise it. 
Above all things, take care not to hatch more worms 
than you can properly attend to. Don’t run the risk, by 
feeding too many, of losing the whole. This has caused 
more failures than all other causes combined. 1 en thou¬ 
sand worms, well fed and well attended to, are worth 
more than fifty thousand sparingly fed and badly ma¬ 
naged. Don’t be deceived by the appearance of the lit¬ 
tle worms when first hatched. Unless you are a pretty 
eood iudge, a parcel of young worms will appear to 
you to number not more than 20,000, when they really 
anount to 100,000; and you will probably not find out 
your mistake till your hurdles become piled up, and 
your floor covered with them; or till just as you begin 
to expect to see them spinning, you find your leaves ex- 
hausted and your worms perishing. Beware of this 
great mistake. Many a hundred bushels of cocoons have 
been missed in this way, just as the proprietor was be¬ 
ginning to count the dollars he was to receive for them. 
Let no argument induce you to attempt too many, and 
be sure you are right in the estimate you make of the 
quantity of food you will be able to supply. 
My next paper will take up the subject of the spin¬ 
ning of the cocoons and the preparation for it, &e. 
Baltimore, March, 1842. G. B. Smith. 
PRODUCTION OF SILK IN THE U. STATES, &c. 
An important error having been discovered in the ta¬ 
bles of Agricultural Statistics, recently laid before con¬ 
gress by the commissioner of the patent office, the un¬ 
dersigned addressed a letter to the commissioner, sug¬ 
gesting its occurrence, and has received from him the 
following explanation. The error consists in the amount 
of silk cocoons estimated to have been produced in Mas¬ 
sachusetts. The amount is set down in the tables at 
198,432 pounds; whereas, it undoubtedly should have 
been 19,843 pounds. The effect of the error is apparent. 
It makes it appear that we have produced in the United 
States 379,272 pounds of silk cocoons, and consequently 
the equivalent quantity of raw silk (37,927 pounds.) 
Deducting the amount erroneously attributed to Massa¬ 
chusetts, and the total estimated production of silk co¬ 
coons in the United States during the year 1841 is 200,- 
683 pounds; of which the equivalent in raw silk is 20,- 
068 pounds. I have seen so much injury (to the silk in¬ 
interest especially) from exaggerated statements and es¬ 
timates of results, that I am particularly sensitive on this 
point, and have therefore obtained the explanation of 
Mr. Ellsworth, with his permission to publish it. No 
one need be told of the extreme difficulty of obtaining 
accurate results from so wide a field, and from so nume¬ 
rous a class of operatives as are presented by the experi¬ 
ments in silk culture. The wonder is, that greater er¬ 
rors have not been committed, not only in this item of 
the tables, but in others. So far as I have been able to 
arrive at conclusions, the estimates are as nearly correct 
in all other respects as the means afforded could possibly 
admit. The other portions of Mr. Ellsworth’s letter are 
deemed sufficiently interesting for general dissemination. 
The importance of green corn stalk fodder, which Mr. 
Ellsworth has brought to the notice of American farm¬ 
ers lately, and to which he now alludes, will not es¬ 
cape the attention of those interested. I may be permit¬ 
ted to state here in corroboration of his views, that 
a milk-man in the vicinity of Baltimore, who keeps a 
large number of cows, is every year in the habit of 
sowing corn broadcast, and mowing the fodder for daily 
feeding to his cows; and though he keeps no record of 
his results, he undoubtedly feeds as many cows from five 
acres in this way, as he would be able to do from twenty 
acres in any other fodder. Gideon B. Smith. 
respectable farmer: “A portion of his farm was bare 
rock, which, in view of the small amount of labor he 
bestowed upon it, he made the most productive. In the 
spring of the year he laid down or planted his potatoes 
on this rock, and covering them over with straw, paid 
no more attention to them until fall, when he merely 
raked off the dry straw, and exposed a most abundant 
crop of the finest quality. The advantages of this method 
of raising potatoes are: 1. No plowing. 2. No hoeing. 
3. No digging; the rake only being required. 4. They 
are perfectly dry; and 5. They are perfectly clean.” 
“ Sowing Grass Seeds.— If you intend to sow clo¬ 
ver seed alone on your grain fields, you should not think 
of seeding less than from 12 to 16 pounds to the acre. 
Timothy, if sown alone, should be in the proportion of 
1 to 2£ gallons of seed to the acre.” 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 
For articles received the last month, our thanks are due, 
To Geo. Sherman, Charles Robinson and Levi Durand, Esqs., 
for copies of “ The Transactions of the New-Haven Horticul¬ 
tural, and the New-Haven County Agricultural Societies for 
1841.” 
To J. Parker, Esq., Perth Amboy, N. J. t for a copy of “ A Let¬ 
ter to the Farmers and Graziers of Great Britain, to explain 
the advantages of using Salt in the various branches of Agri¬ 
culture, and in feeding all kinds of farm stock, by Samuel 
Parkes, F. L. S.” &c. republished in Philadelphia in 1819. 
To Hon. D. D. Barnard, M. C., for the “Annual Report from 
the Commissioner of Patents.” 
To Rev. T. S. Hinde, Mount-Carmel, Ill., for a copy of “The 
Western Shepherd, by Geo. Flower, of Albion, Ill.” 
To L. Smith, Esq., Fallsburgh, N. Y., for a small box of the 
“ Yam Potatoe,” described by him in a communication in 
another part of this paper. Mr. S. informs us that he will 
deliver these potatoes at Newburgh, from which they can be 
shipped north or south, at $6 per barrel. 
To Hon. H. L. Ellsworth, Com. Patent Office, fora pamphlet, 
published by the National Agricultural Society, on the “ Mode 
of Manufacturing Sugar from the Corn Stalk, and of Oil and 
Stearine from Lard,” &c. 
To T. B. Wakeman, Esq., New-York, for Rev. Mr. Choules’ 
Oration before the American Institute at its last Fair. 
To-, for a very highly finished “ Livingston Coun¬ 
ty Plow,” manufactured by Howard Delano, Mottville, Onon¬ 
daga county, N. Y., to which was awarded the first premium 
of the State Ag. Society, at its fair at Syracuse. A cut of this 
plow was given in our last number. As no letter accompa¬ 
nied it, we do not know to whom we are indebted for it. 
To Parsons & Co., Flushing, for a Catalogue of their Commer¬ 
cial Garden and Nurseries at Flushing. 
Sir —Your very kind letter of the-ult. is received. 
From my qualified remarks that there had been “ quite ” 
an increase in the culture of silk, the error in the statis¬ 
tics as published, on reflection is obvious. The esti¬ 
mates were transmitted to me, sometimes in cocoons and 
sometimes as silk, rendering it necessary to bring the 
two together, by increasing the latter at least ten times. 
Although I cannot at the moment ascertain from the 
person who assisted me precisely how the error occur¬ 
red, I am satisfied that it exists, and that it was doubt¬ 
less occasioned by reducing the two classes of products 
reported to me; thus giving one figure, (the last,) too 
much. I am glad you have pointed out the mistake, 
which I should doubtless have discovered had I not been 
confined to the precise time on which my report had to 
be transmitted to congress. 
The work of improvement is onward; and while cre¬ 
dulity will be daily taxed in crediting the improvements 
of the age, I hope that scepticism will not too obstinately 
resist the light of science or the tests of experiment; 
above all, that if there is tenacity in the former, it will 
be assailed by argument rather than ridicule. I make 
this remark from noticing the sceptical surprise mani¬ 
fested by some of our agricultural friends in their periodi¬ 
cals, especially the New Genesee Farmer. The statistics 
I have submitted are based upon the census of congress .. With 
the exception of the article of silk, where you notice the 
error, no very great difference appears, farther than the 
season or increase of population, &c., will justify. 
To be informed that the juice of corn stalk on 
Beaume’s Saccharometer is about the same with that of 
cane in this country, or that it is five times greater than 
that of maple, and three times that of beet, may appear 
wonderful. Still, the experiments of Mr. Webb justify 
fully the belief. Indeed, he has kindly deposited in the 
patent office samples of sugar and molasses obtained from 
the corn stalk, the simple machine used in the manufac¬ 
ture, together with many accurate details of the process. 
The New Genesee Farmer admits that 40,837 pounds 
of Herd’s grass, when green, has been raised to an acre, 
and yet thinks it incredible that five times as much 
weight of corn stalks, (so much greater in size and 
height,) can ever be obtained. But facts are stubborn 
things. I have carefully weighed the stalks of corn on 
four square feet of land; the produce was 20 pounds; the 
stalks were thick and stout, the corn having been sown 
broadcast; this you will perceive is 5 pounds per square 
foot, and on an acre 43,560 feet, equal to 217,800 pounds. 
Although an experiment at the North, where the season 
is short, might not equal this aggregate, I doubt not that 
other trials on a rich soil, well prepared, in this latitude 
will prove the truth of the statement. 
You will be pleased to notice the great simplicity of 
turning lard or pork into oil and stearine, as described 
in the pamphlet enclosed. I will only add that the oil 
burns well. Accept the assuranee of yours, respectfully, 
Patent Office, April 6, 1842. H. L. Ellsworth. 
Potatoes on a Rock. —In corroboration of the truth 
of the “ New Discovery in Agriculture,” or the produc¬ 
tion of crops without earth or tillage, Mr. Greely of the 
N. Y. Tribune gives the following as related to him by a 
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS, &c. 
In addition to those published in this paper, we have to ac¬ 
knowledge the receipt, during the last month, of communica¬ 
tions from Justin Morgan, Tart, T. Foster, N. Titus, Econo¬ 
mist, Camdonian, B. A. Hall, P. Otis, L. Rhysick, Dutchess Co. 
Farmer, E. H. Northrop. Tyler Fountain, Wm. Partridge, D. S. 
Howard, Lewis C. Beck, Anon. Friend, H. Clark, A. B. Allen, 
H. C. Godfrey, S. E. T. ; Lawrence Smith, John Moxon, Wilson 
Newman. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
New-York State Ag. Society—Work for the Month,. 
On the Culture of Hemp, . 
Notices of New Publications,. 
Agricultural Statistics of the U. S.—State of the Country, • 
Milk for Cities—County Ag. Societies,. 
Comments on Jan. and Feb. Nos. of Cultivator,. 
Letter to Samuel A. Miller.. 
Rust on Wheat—Clover Seed—Letters from Mr. Peters, 
No. 3—Ox Gearing—Milk House, &c..; 
Improved Board Fence—Stabling Horses—Salmagundi, 
• •«••■•••••••••••••••••••• •••••••*• ••••••••• 
Wintering Stock on Pasture—Rearing Calves—A Corn 
Stalk Cutter—Distress in England,. 
Mr. Bement’s Premium Boar—Plan of a Cheap House- 
Letter from Scotland,.. • 
Rotation of Crops— Culture of Potatoes—English Breed¬ 
ers—Fine Sheep,.... 
Suggestions for Cultivators—A Farm Gate—Notes on Feb. 
No —Setting Gate Posts—Privet for Hedges—Keeping 
Horses on Salt Hay—To Beautify the Country, .. 
Answers to Inquiries—Diseases in the Feet of Animals— 
Staggers in Horses—Cure for Black Tongue,. 
Cultivation of the Smaller Fruits—Culture of Melons— 
Pruning Orchards—Garden Hints—Silk Cnlture, &c. •• 
Letter from Hon.H. L. Ellsworth—Notices, &c... 
S 
s 
! 
i 
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! 
73 
74 
75 
76 
77 
78 
79 
80 
81 
S2 
83 
84 
86 
S6 
87 
88 
illustrations. 
Fig. 45—Lon. Milking Shed, 77 | Fig. 51-Corn Stalk Cutter, 82 
Fig. 47-48—Ox Gearing, ••• SO | Fig. 52 —Mr. Bement’s Boar, 83 
Fig. 49—Imp. Board Fence, 81 I Fig. 53-54—Cheap House,- 83 
Fig. 50 —Hay Box For Sheep, 81 | Fig. 55—Farm Gate,. 85 
MULBERRY TREES ON SHARES. 
S there is every prospect that the demand for the finest 
L kinds of Mulberries for silk will be greater next spring 
in the supply, I now offer to furnish 200,000 superior Trees 
the Alpine, Elata, and Multicaulis Mulberries, two years 
1, to be cultivated on equal shares; one-half the trees pro- 
ced therefrom to be delivered to my order in the spring of 
13 The expense of packing and transportation to be paid by 
3 person desiring them. The cost of matting and delivery to 
vessel or transportation line will be $2 per thousand j and 
y person desiring to contract as above, will, on remitting 
fficient to cover this expense, receive forthwith the number 
may desire. WM. R. PRINCE. 
Linncean Botanic Garden and Nurseries, 
Flushing , April 18, 1842. 
PLEASURE GROUND DECORATIONS, FOUN¬ 
TAINS, URNS, FIGURES, &c. 
THE subscriber is ready to supply Fountains, Urns, and Fig- 
- ures, for Geen Houses, Grass Plats, and Fish Ponds. The 
ove decorative articles are made of metal, (in imitation ot 
irble,) and are calculated to stand a northern winter. Fig- 
es and Jets, appropriate for any particular situation, sup- 
ed. A-plan for raising water may be seen by referring to 
3 Cuitivator, number 11, 1840. D. L. FaRNAM, 
New-York, April , 1, 1842. 247 Y ater-street. 
rROM 
THE STEAM PRESS OF C. VAN BENTHUYSEN. 
