Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-11-30
TO TIE EDITOR OF TIE Eve
THE SILK CEITUmi,

HE SlLH Gun ni,
1t ia with the creates! ina giuable pleasure, that
perceive the columns Of your paper occasionally d.
ver;rd from thu dIca!y waste OF Poiitlcs To the
genial field of Agriculture; and especially that the cu
of Sllk which, like the day OF national pros.
qs;iiy has dawned time hnnofed Stale, meets 10
thu Enquirer not cny welcome reception, but foster
iaz socitu6c. YOU Sir, wii hope, live 10 the day,
sTn the reflection lot you have freely given your aid
The opening Of this heretofore hidden, bot rich mine
of national wealth, will afford mental satisfaction,
than the most pleasing Of your political rerospectons
On this neutral ground both Democrat and FederaiIst
harnt nous!Y meet and cordially unite in promoting Tie
prosperity of our common country trust, Therefore,
yau will perssrerr in lie good cause, and not Er dis
ged by the gloomy lorhnfings OF! deSpontIng
less enicTprisiug men. Never yet has an improve
been ushced 10 the world bet met open hostility
chilling neglect from some quarter We need 90 no
further back lUn the Of Robert Fulton TO illustrate
this assPrtiGn and IL singular historical fact, that
when Henry 4th, aided by his able AID inGetagabr
adTtor Oliver DE- SprrcS, was st:Fng"y every r"-shle
means to Introduce the planting Of MuberrlCs and The
growing Of Silk in France. the measure met with The
most energetic and decided opposition from his great
minister SulIy. Happily, however, the uninvorohlt va
Iicnaiions of the minister ailed 10 influence the Ming
France derives revenue from this source of wealth
OF upwards Of 100 millions OF Livres. Can you not my
good Sir, say something 10 arouse the people u" Rich.
mOEd 10 sc!sIbIity on this subject: VIII they,
possessing advantages Unnecessarily superior lag behind
their fellow citizens Of The North: If Silk be
ccss'uly raised any where within The limits OF the u nj
ted States where is the prospect OF success iaer than
in Virginia; The mulberry is indigenous to cur soil
Here is cmpialicay The hcme Of the MUrus Multicaus
Our climate is congcnia TO The habits Of the silk
worm than the climate Of either France Italy, as the
observations of NJ d. Ilcmergue and others have salts
iaCtoiily proved Labor for factory be procured
cheaper here than any State North ui us. Why, Then,
should We hold back, while Northern brethren are
pressing forward seize the boon Nature has freely
offered to us Can we he inse nsblc to The fact that Eu
rope offers market worth fifty Millions and the United
States 20 millions Of dollars per annum for ard ma
nulacrrrcd silk; which, The shsme of the Anglo Saxon
race is left in the possession Of Turks and HIndoos? IL
Is reflection the intelligence of our State, 10 suppose
liza. English ancestors, far back the time Of
James LIST. understood interests better than we, in
this enlightened age, understand them 1t TO be hupcd
that he Legislature. at its mex; session i'll follow The
precedenl sci by tie Royal edCl Of &C. and stimulate
the energies Of the people by the offer OF small bounty
for producing md rcclnG silk Should the cnCrprising
portion Of the citizens al Richmond incline 10 invest
some of their disposabe funds in this lucrative business
beg leave To call their ate ntion 10 position in the mn
mediate vicinity of their town, unparalleled for the pur
pose. Belle sIc in James River, local advan
ares unique in themselves and greatly t!anscendng all
Other places in the Union. 1t has been viewed by two
Northern gentlemen experienced IN The SIR business
and they have u1hrstangly pronounced II lar beyond
any place they have III the United States for the
purpose OF raising Silk lis advantages arc ls lis SOIL
which from ich quick allu"ial sand 10 black
and fertile mouIdhe first peculiarly adapted To the
NURSERY and the latter Mulberry Orchard III, its
position Presenting aspects 10 every point OF the com
pass trees growing on lis South exposure would
s3rng forward with the prccGcy Of hot bed plants; while
those on It's Northern aspect would he more dy-hus
81 aiding the silk grower 10 hatch his worms earlier IN
tic Sp.irg, and feed them later in The Fall This is
decided advantage, as, in ordinary situations The cuu
!is is compelled rclard the hatchrg Of his worms by
cyuosinr them 10 Tie chills Of ice house. until his
trees pu; forth their leaves This check on Nature mani
f slly injurious and The strong and vi
uus those batccd at the proper season. and conse
ivenlly more liable disease The high and full Southern
xprsrc Of Belle Isle this difficulty, by pushing
1Giuy full Northern aspect reardsthus afnrdIng ten
der leaves for both The first and second crop OF worms
-,d-lts isolated situation, and the facility with which the
proner labor could be- from the city, and kept free
from its communicating influence By the way, the
great advantage Of the Silk business lies in the fact that
IL be carried without shstrac!ing from other
cations their productive labor. would not the establish
rnt Of cocoonercs among tend TO the interest OF our
iron and cotton manufactures: Ii lhe wives and chill
,lrpn Of their workmen could find al k0mc occupation
suited their strength and ages appears TO- me that 1t
would operate Involvement 10 Them 10 remove here
and be strong stimulaDt 10 industry aud ifugaty, as
they would find themselves growing richer from an un
looked for source Of profit. The effect think, would
be to attract married artisans 10 Richmond, and, con-
smring their interests, they wnuld remain there
Finally Belle Isle possesses advantage peculiar 10
Itself aud Of The last Importance 10 the nursery man and
silk culu;ist Il is this The vapor arising from The
fall; efcually neuLraZ's the effects OF irost that
vegetation there rarely destroyed Even The tender and
delicate is tree ou;ishes wi,hou! shelter through The
sevetcst Winter. The singular fact, that on this highly
favored Island the climate Of the tropics exists within
Latitude Of 50 degrees at relieves the culirator Of
the Mnrus Muliicaus from all solicude TO the fate of
his trees in Winter aud ensures him carly and full
foliage in the Spring. | will say nothing OF the facility
offered b. the wafer power Of Belle Isle for the esia
biishmenl Of nanufacory of Silk fabrics; that vii! tell
better few years hence But take at present Cor TIE
combined purpose Of nursery and cccoonery, and ii
would seem that Nature By her mysterious workings for
the rood of mankind had formed this place r-nrrssly
introduce The elk culture and manufacture in the SCUM
c,n States-lr these crude suggestions, hastily thrown
,orehrr should contribute 10 arouse The good people Of
Richmond t. some meditation this highly interesting
subject it will be most gratifying TO ,,,-,,res