Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-03-31


highly excited as to the great value and
importance Of this species. II is beautl-
fol tree as regards the size and briliancy
offs leaves; and the facility with which It
can be propagated, and its leaves gathered,
would strongly recommend It to notice and
cultivation. The question Of the most i'm
portance is, what are the qualities ct its
leaves, II is well asce-taned, that the
quality of silk depends on the nutrtive |
qualities Of the mulberry leaves. Count
Dandalo, than whom here is no higher au-
thority, says, that 1.-THE leaves OF the broad
leaved white mulberry contain but little
saccharine matter" and you make the re-
mark, which believe to be correct, in the
last number OF the Culliva,or, that "both
the fabrics and raw silk from our native
mulberry, although they do not excel in
softness and beauty, they appear equal to
any in strength and turabllliy.' Gen.
Tallmadge's information, that the Italian
sewing silk, which stands so high, is nei-
Their produced from the white mulberry nor
the mnicanls, but from the Indigenous
mulberry of the country, the black or NO
rus N;gra. confirms the position that the
quality of the silk depends entirely on the
quality of the leaf
With these preliminary remarks, state,
that received letter from Mr.. Andre
Mlchaux, under date ofthe 4,h Of July last,
at Paris, containing the following remarks
1.-The Morus Muiticauiis does not answer
the expectation it raised. Already we
have ascertaincd that its leaves are not as
suitable for the nourishment Of the silk
worm rs those OF the common white null
berrytree. A method has been introduced
that promises TO be advantageous, and has
succeeded so far very well. 1t is to graft
or inoculate near the earth, or two or three
inches above the soil, the common white
mulberry on the plants Of the morus multi
cauiis, two or three years old these gratis
Of the common white mulberry grow to the
height Of four or six feet the same yeav."-
To enable US to decide on the verify of this
statement, can only say, that Mr.. Mi
| chaux had no possible motive to misrepre>
sent. His character stands too high even
for suspicion; he is an eminent botanist
and arborist, and his treatise on the trees
OF this country, at!ests to his ability in both
| departments.
received n visit in November last from
Mr.. Lewis Flnnell, one of The exes from
Lombardy in Italy. He arrived in the u
| ned States during the last au' umn, in com
pany with seven other exlleS, IN an Austri-
an ship Of war Mr.. Flnne!ll, is well ed.
ucated and highly respectable gentleman,
who had been thirty years engaged in the
silk culture in Lombardy. He is intimate.
| y acquainted with the entire process, from
the rearing of the mulberry to the prepare
ton of the silk for the loom. He inform
ed me, without knowing Of Mr.. MlchauX's
letter, that the leaves Of the morus multi
caulis were not considered as suitable food
for the silk worm as the white Italian, and
that the multicaulis was used IN Lombardy
as mere recipient for the graft or bud OF
the white. | was struck with the conci
dence of this intelligence. and communca-
ted to him the contents of Mr.. MichauX' 5
letter.
am not aware that we have any expe.
rence in the United States which would
gentleman ofsuch high responsibility. Pru.
dcnce at least would suggest to those who
intend planting the mulberry, to be better
assured OF the qualities of the morns multi
cauS, before they adopt 1t in preference tc
the white.
The silks of Turkey have long been eel
ebrated for their softncss, richness aud bril-
'iancy, notwithstanding the inferlority o
their manipulation, to the silks of France
and Italy. This can on BE- accounre ed for
by the superior excellence OF the TurkisI
Mulberry. Commodore Porter visilet
Broussa in 1882 and in one of his publishe,
letters. says 1--WE visited the silk manu-
factories for which Broussa is 50 celebrated
they are spread all over the city, bu, Their
is nothing that can be called a silk factory
The weaving is all done by job work, of s.
much the peake of 3-4rhS Of yard o
f; Whereabouts: and these stufs, so remarkabl
for their beauty, are wove IN miserable it'll
y rooms, only large enough 10 contain tn
loom and The weaver, Or two weavers, a
tho case may be-"
Fortunately there are already trees grow
ing IN this country, from the seeds of tn
Broussa mulberry. Mr.. Charles Rhine
some years American Consul at Odessa
struck with the beauty and brlIlancy Of tn
Turkish silk, came to the conclusion, tina
= it was attributable to the superior qualite
# of their mulberry leaves; ana that he coul
not confer greater benefit upon his cour
S try than in acquiring the seed Of this spe
= ces, and planting it here. From the loo,
. situation Of Broussa, which is on elevate
j. ground at the base of Mount Olympus
d whose tops are covered with perpetut
d snow, and from the hardness Of the mu
j. berry trees growing there, he conclude
o that it was adapted to our climate an
j. would resist our severest winters. He OF
: tanned quantity of the Broussa seed, an
committed them to tho care and cutivatio
OF David Ruggles. Esq. of Newburgh, q
:, the Hudson River just above the Highland
d Under the superlnt Evidence of Mr. Ruggle,
o he has growing IN his nursery, ten or twelv