Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-09-20
From the Richmond Enquirer.
TIE SILK CIJLTURE.

are making to establish the art 10 the
North, aud says, that "the enormous i'm.
portation Of foreign silks, amounting in
single year TO more than % millions of
dollars, has set the nation a thinking.
Unprecedented efforts are every where
making 10 Increase the home production
OF this precious commodity. These eff.
forts are receiving strong impulse aud
aid through our American Institute.
The Star touches on the variety of the
Mulberry, shat is used for the sustenance
OF the worm.-lt speaks of the "leaves
of the Italian Mulberry as small. and the
expense of producing and gathering a
given quantity is in consequence greatly
increased. The hIorus Mult;caulis,
within very few years introduced into
this country, sends forth a large noble
leaf. but the tree is too delicate for our
severe winters. Macy of them are de.
stroyrd by the cold.-The Brussa, a
hardier tree, from the foot of Mount eau
casus, has been brought here, propaga,ed
and distributed to some extent. This
yields larger leaf than The Italian, and
thicker one than the Morus Multicau>
lis, but not so wide spread. We have
seen drawings Of the two new species
lief: at the Repository of the American
Institute by MIR. ID. Steb5ins, silk cui.
turist OF Northampton, Massachusetts
one is denominated the Alpine Mubrr>
ry, and the other the Canton. These
came from higher latitude than the
Multicauis, and will probably be suffi
ciently hardy to endure our winters.
The leaf, MS far as we can judge from the
drawings is larger than the Brussa leaves
How they will compare in thickness and
substance, remains to BE- determined.
The tree that will grow the most rapid
ly, Withstand our severe frosts, and at.
ford the most healthy sustenance produ.
cling the best silk, should be propagated
in this country"
We have never heard before any
doubts expressed Of the Morus NJ ulticas.
lis the Chinese Mulberry withdrawing
our climate. The Philadelphia U. s.
Gazette speaks of the success with which
it has been cultivated near PHILADELPHIA
and particularly oil the results OF an
Experiment made "upon the farm of
Mr.. Hatch, about & mile above Camden,
where early in the season absu. fifteen
thousand branches of the Rierus Multi
caulis were laid down." and careful at
teniion given to them. From these have
sprung up t.cepiy thousand trees, some Of
which we saw measured as they stood,
and they had at that time attained the
astonishing height Of FIVE feet eleven in.
ches: the whole of which had grown
this season, as the branch from which
they sprung was placed horizontally in
the earth, and these trees have sprung
up from the hesIthful buds upon the
planted twies. The height of these
trees. attained in such short time, was
not the only remarkable circumstance
which arrested our attention. The
who ole field seemed to be one mass of ell.
evated foliage, every twig bearing al
| most innumera bic leaves. measuring, ma
ny of them, twelve inches in length by
eleven in breadth, which lay over each
other like plates of armour, or, not to
lrop the military Ggure, like the rich
irooping feathers Oh an officers plume
On inquiry, we ionnd that the mode of
producing The trees from the twigs of the
Morus MulticauliS rendered almost Ger.
tain return Of twenty for one, or, as
the brokers would say, two thousand per
cent.-Ihese trees. we are happy 10
learn, are in demand, and the Messrs.
Hatches have adopted additional means
to supply the wants of those who wish
to increase the supply of the food for
worms
The pactice o(laying doun the branch
horizontally is familiar to the Chinese.
as we gather from long article in Ruff.
fms last Farmers Register" compris-
ing various trarslations from Chinese
work. The following is one of the pos
sages A plant plant is bent to the
ground, and maintained in that position
by clod of clay. Each bud produces Il
branch. When this mulberry tree has
attained the height Of two or three feet,
IFS roots are then formed. The mother
branch to which it belongs, is then cut,
and it is traDsplanted in another place.
1t soon becomes tree" A cutting
from the tree thFives and produces under
similar circumstances. We commend
this method Of multiplication.
The Philadelphia Gazette OF the 36h
August speaks OF having seen. that NOR.
ming. some leaves of the morus muiiicau.
lis, from twelve and bali to fourteen
and half inches in length aud breadth
firm, fresh and green"
The Bucks County (P.l IDteIiigencer
calculates that zone hundred pounds of
the foliage Of the mulberry, upon which
the worms are fed, will make one pound
OF tilk-and fourteen thousand cuttings
OF the Chinese Mulberry will grow upon
an acre Of land, yielding at the second