Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-07-30
CINCINNATI, July 81, 1886

CINCINNATI, July 81, 1886.
Mr.. gunner: Sir-Yours of the
9th, by the hands of your brother
came duly. have waited for infor-
nation from the nursery from which
| expect trees, or l should have re-
Piled sooner. am sorry to say that
so great is the demand for trees and
SO small the supply that am direct
ed not to sell at a less price than thir-
ty-fve dollars per hundred, and even
at that | fear l shall not be able to fill
my orders. am therefore making
them conditional. hope, however,
to be able to supply more than ! yet
have orders for.
Ibeg Of you, sir, not to neglec. the
cultivation of the white mulberry.
Every silk plantation should have
hedges of white mulberry for fences.
The great advantage is, that it starts
earlier than the Chinese, and for the
first two ages of the worm is worth
about as much. The worm requires
comparatively but little food till two
weeks old, and this may be collected
at about the same expense Of time as
from the Chinese; after this, when
the worm requires more, the Chinese
If left to grow unmolested till this
time has a decided advantage, as its
leaves have become large and plenty,
while the white have increased but
little. think that the same member
of trees used in this way will feed,
with The same labor, one third more
worms than if fed entirely from the
the Chinese.
White mulberry hedges, properly
trained, are as good protection as
any fence that can be built, and GER
tainly cheaper in many sections Of
the country than any other.
am pleased to hear that you are
not alone in your neighborhood in the
silk growing business. Ii the farm
lers Of the w est will but arouse them
selves to this subject it will in few
years be worth more to them than
all the other products Of their farms.
Many of them are awake, and many
more, ! doubt not, will be when they
see the success of their neighborS in
it. Every acre of land in the west
ern country which the farmers think
too poor TO cultivate for grain crops,
will be worth more than gold or silver
mines, if planted out with mulberry
trees. This is not spcculation-it is
no theory.
The poor lands in New England,
(and their richest lands are but poor
compared with what is called poor in
this region0 are yielding greater pro-
fits. in proportion TO the capital in
vested, than any gold mine in the
country, and | think | do not say too
much when / say they are yielding
more nett profit than the richest lands
Of the West. And ii. with their
northeast storms and comparatively
barren soil. the New England farm
ers can make large profits, what can
we not do in our SO much milder and
steadier climate, and our SO much
richer and more congenial soil. But
l must take occasion here to say that
it will not do to put the Chinese tree
on the rich bottoms Of this region.
unless YOU protect them very secure
ly from the frost, for the wood will
not ripen sufficiently to stand the
winter, it being the nature of the
tree 10 continue to grow in a rich
moist mould until the frost checks
it. Our rolling lands, therefore.
when the water can pass off from
the roots, and thus withdraw a.
part Of the sustenance, are the best
adapted to its cultivation.
Some Of our western farmers are
doubtful as to the demand for the
SILK when raised. OF this no one
need entertain the least fear. Co
coons are now worth 81 per bushelI
at the east, and there is an advertise!
ment for them in the Cincinnati pal
pers Of this morning. A lady has
pat up reel here and will buy. pref
sumo all that offer. What she will
pay ! do not know; but when once al
beginning is made and made right II
have no fear Of the result. The del