Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-05-03
SILK CULTURE-Gay's Machines

Silk is going ahead The ms are more favorable
for the cultivation Of This new staple than they were
when the South began her attention towards the
growth Of cotton. The .M0ruS .Nuticauiis which grows
with such rapidity that furnishes foud for the worm
in The very Spring when is planted furnishes one es
senllal link towards its production The invention Of
new Machines, for Keeling and manufacturing the silk
into various FORMS enables the planter to turn his co.
coons at to account. The weakest port of our
slave population the young and the DID, may be pru(a.
by emp'oyed-ard as we heard Virginia Tobacco
Planter declare the other evening il would not be aso-
nishing if Gays Machine 10 effect singular re.
voluuon In Virginia, by keeping many of people
home who would otherwise have gone the cotton re-
gions Of the South and South wpst-and by bringing
more population and capital State and thus ere.
ang new and important element of her prosperity.
The public confidence indeed 10 increase in This
new branch OF business Ii is very evident that the
rage for the MoTus Mucauis would have expenI-
ed ITSELF unless its cultivation had been connected with
the raising Of silk. The multiplication Of the dur
ing the present season. will be very considerable Many
Of farmers GSvotng small portions of their land
from or up TO II 20 acres. silk company
Washington has 400 acres in cultivation -Bul, the me-
chanical ingenuity Of our countrymen which exceeds
that OF any country in the world, is already rsng 10
the level Of the occasion, and striking machines
for the manufacture Of he silk-The best
reel in France or Italy, the Piedmonlese ree-but al
ready The genius of MIR. Gay Of Connecticut has out
sltipt this boosted machine This single improvement
alone will give new and wonderful Impulse TO the
growth Of the Mulberry, and the raising OF the
Our attention has been drawn TO tins interesting subject
by the visit OF Mr. Gay TO our city. His reel has been
exhibited at The reading ronms in The Museum Building
and no can see il without admiration and dellgh
1t has suggested the following reflections:
Raising the Mulberry aud feeding The silk worm,
already familiar to many, and Of easy accomplishment
by all The production Of cocoons has in fact been
matter Ct amusement if not OF profit occasionally and
small scale, since before the Revolution; but hither
TO- insuperablc difficulties have appeared stand in the
way Of pushing it to the Of making it national
limo ta hova in Tho
time and labor required 10 grow and gather food for the
worm and in the abs. nee of suitable aborsaving
chnery for working up The beautiful product Of It's brief
abors True it is, that most excellent silk has been
made from worms fed on the while, and on our ind
genous Mulberry trees but these were OF such slow
growth TO discourage the steamboat locomotive 60
ahead genius OF our people especially IN the Souh-
This hrst impeachment has been completely removed oy
the introduction and rapid growth OF the N0uS Mucau
Es which springs with wonderful quickness from birth
10 maturity, like the insect for which Providence oh
Niously designed it;-and the remaining difficulty
tcQnt Of machinery TO make the c0coOnS araitaGle-
seems now 10 have been most OPPORTUNITY surmount.
ed by another invention Of American ingenu1y:-
We alude 10 Gays .haehtnery, which has been
hbiied for some days past in this city BY the turning
OF Wheel which any child can d. cocoons ale wound
off, and converted al once into the most beautiful silk
for the needle loom Ali who hove it, have been
struck with the ease, regularity and result OF It's opera
ton, and The mechanical genius Of its inventor A view
of the process appears have inspired all with the
impression, that nop we can make own silk and
that must no longer pay tax of twenty millions for
q commodity which every circumstance and facility in
vi,es TO make for ourseirss.
The object Of the inventor, most respectable and in
genous machnis is 10 sell his patent rights 10 compa
MES, for particular States. While in The Union
possesses advantages than for establishing This
branch of industry there would to be doubt
but large profits must be realized by the company which
secures for the State Of Virginia. the exclusive ght
manufacture and vend this machinery to companies,
which may then be formed in each county, or individu
ais Under all the circumstances, may not look upon
The silk established interest in our land
We understand, that Mr.. Gay has disposed oil the "a
tent rGb, in several States New Jersey for ample
etS5 OOO-and the Company which purchased The right
cleared at once Sl5n0n by the speculation He asks
$50 600 for Norfolk alone about $4,000
were taken Several shares have already been taken IN
this city.
W IF Simon Sly, any Wing, will call at The Cof
fe House. MIR lynch is authorized 70 close WAGER for