Delaware patriot & American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1828, 1828-10-31
To .he Editor Of the Deiamare Patriot.
SILK WORMS.

tr
SILK WORMS. i,
Smith paper printed in Wilmington. Of =
Oct. 9th discover that my last communication e
in answer to the queries of Coonus, relative to The
culture of silk has drawn forth severe sric ii
lures from the pen Of Mr.. Gideon b. Smith, Of $
Baltimore IIestberein takes the liberty to tell
the public that my Statements on this subject, IN
which urge the necessity of aid and protection o
from the General and State Governments in order :
to insure its successful adoption in this country b
IS an important error" lie then proceeds Ia ;
instruct them from the treasures of bis own m- I
mense experience, that the planting OF mulberry
orchards is not more difficult than the planting Of
apple orchards; and that the rearing OF silk
worms is equally simple and equally Independent
of extra AID. That finer, stronger, and more bril-
liant silk never was produced, than that which IS
male in this county, and in proof, names sam
pie now in his possession which he alirms to be
worth fourteen dollars pound. That our cocoons
as we'll as silk, are equal in qua'lt, 70 any ever
produced in france, Italy or China That he is
constrained to think that Agricoa does not pos
sess the information on the subject to which he
pretends. That our pcasantry, unrestricted, IN
assisted, ard unprotected, las the inference must
necessarily be from his previous statements) are
ltuly competent to the production OF silk OF this
superior quality and then in the exercise of per-
feet consistency the purest public spirit and real
self denial, lie kindly offers to transmit BY n'all
to any person who desires It all necessary inior-
lmaton for the culture of silk ,U0rms and silk, nc
companied scith from fire to ten thousand Of their
eggs for the ting consideration Of Jire dollars,
(quarter OIL
Were the culture Of silk, or were the individual
consideration with me. as it appears 10 be with Mr.
smith, should not feel myself justified in so fire.
I qucntly soliciting public attention. but when
consider its vast Importance to the prosperity OF
the American people, feel that should BE- want
ling in the discharge of that duty which owe to
my adopted country, were to remain silent on
the present occasion. At time like this, when
public opinion is generally excited when enter
lp,sing individuals already beginning to EN-
bark portion Of their capital IN establishments
lor the culture of silk, when State Legislatures
8 are enacting laws for their encouragement and
~ when the General Government appca,s to be anx-
- iuasy entleavorIng to obtain that accurate intur
. nation on the SUBJECT. which it rightly deems
~ sentia is ultimate successful such important
d crisis, think it an indispensable obligation which
81 owe TO the countr, of my choice to IN, best
exertions to prevent such erroneous impressions
from beng made on the public mind as may tend
utterly to misead it. and finally to PROSTATE an
% undertaking of such great national Importance =
. Here | ,efer to my communications OF 4th April
o. and eth Septembe' in the Delaware Adverser)
M In order therefore to remove the doubts nf Mr.
Smith as well as Of all others. who like him. may
be disposed to question Agricoia's information on
= this subject as well IS to invite greater share Of
- public attention to my communications, will now
state briefly. but explicitly, that have for man,
% years attended practically to the culture ut silk
- on a very extensive scale, in the state OF Venice
70 in Lombardv. where vast abundance and a great
variety Of this valuable article is continually man
ufactured. and more especially that superior quail
ity called in that country Organizing and which
always has great preference in foreign markets
.. there pursued the business in many dfcren
situations with every facility for the highest i'm
- provement. | pursued it both on the mountain
NAT and in the plains. and IN the COARSE of my busi
ness had occasion of frequent intercourse with tn
/. greatest banker IN that Republic whose immens
Z capital was principally embarked in this importan
IN. business. and doubtless should have still remain
ay ell in that delightful country. engaged in this, m
favorite pursuit had not the devastating wars prt
duced by the French Revolution destroyed N
gr- prospects came to the United States with
u is tu determination to go extensively into the Gu
10 ture of silk in this country, but, upon observii
led the erroneous methos of cultivation pursued her
H.. at once saw the absolute necessity Of Legslatis
interference, both to counteract existing pfpjud
" ces and also to afford that aid and protectla
-, :" which consider indispensable to success
'he am willing so far to admit the correctness OF NJ
ose Smiths statement say with him that any ma
u.s. who can plant an apple orchard can plant mu
onal berry orchard but can By no means admit TN
ub his ode of planting It. nor indeed any other Mot
aud which have hitherto seen practced IN this conr
.k, try, will produce the mulberry in perfection
8 Of nv r., ~ H.. y : :,s,n.o
have never yet witnessed in the United States
YET Neither have ever seen any cocoons in Amerit
i'm BY ans means equal to those Of Italy. although
have spent several years in this country, and q
;aos ring that period. have examined great variety
J. specimens; yet am willing again to admit as NJ
leila '"''', :, ~ ,ha r.;s;nS &c the mnlherr
and indeed, much 50: for should he throw