The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1839-02-14
From The Farmers Register.
TREATIES ON TIE CULTURE OF SILKS


ton OF the culture OF silk 10 the United
States has been an object of great interest
Tor some years past, and has been steadily
on the increase, until it has now become
almost, II nel qnlte, a mania. In 1896, a
silk-"orm was curiosity IN most OF The
states OF the union and but little was known
or SAID about IT. At that time The writer
OF these remarks commenced calling public
attention to the subject, and for seven years,
kept laboratory expressly for the par.
pose OF obtaining and dfflsIng Information.
lie had access TO all the books then extant
on the subject, but they afforded little
practical information. Every thing was
new to him, aud every thing consequently
was TO be learned from experiment. Hap.
PLY, the simplicity of the whole routine
vas such, that careful observation and dill.
gence enabled him 10 acquire the intorma.
ton he sought without material difficulty.
From time 10 time he has published The re.
suli at his experience, on the subject gener.
ally, and on particular branches but as the
public feeling has now become more gen.
orally enlisted in lis favor, the demand for
information has increased. The writer is
almost daily applied to for his opinions and
the result of his experience. lie has there.
fore determined to publish the following
treatise.
The subject conveniently divides itself
into three parts, VIZ. The culture Of The
mulberry rearing The silk norm aud reel.
ing, t,cistlng, and preparation of rae silk.
And Al "a tlxi
be dicuSsed 10 three numbers OF the Far.
mers' Register. The following pages com.
plete the first part, the culture of The NAL.
berry, and il is hoped with sufficient clear
ness 10 enable any one TO understand the
/ subject distinctly. On the whole subject
We shall endeayor TO avoid d!sputations, en-.
tering into no critical or controversies on
disputed points; but giving our own opin.
ions freely. Ii We describe one practice
and say nothing OF another, II is because
we know the one to be the RICH, one, and
therefore say nothing of the other; for why
should we take up our own aud the reader 5
time in describing that which we know TO
be useless! With these Introductory re.
marks we submit the first number TO the
public.
The Mulberry, MulticGaiis Culture, dc.
The first thing to be done in the com.
meucenen, of the culture of silk, is Of
course, 10 provide full supply Of mulber
nv leaves. The leaves must be abundant,
that no siintlng Of the worms may occur
from any cause, at a moment when the
whole crop depends upon full and ample
supply Of food which is during the last ten
DAYS OF their feeding. The mulberry or
chard must be convenient TO the laboratory,
that the expense Of attendants for gathering
leaves may be as small as possible. There
are many accidents that may cause the
loss Of leaves; during rainy weather II is
necessary to gather supply Tor ie" days
ahead, that they may be dried before feed.
ny them TO the wofms Il those may be-
come spoiled, and thus lost. Therefore we
should generally make provision for double
the quantity of leaves that we expect to
consume for ii we lose none, the cost OF this
extra provision will be trifllng, compared TO
that of whole crop OF worms, from a deti.
cheney. This is the only mode by which
we can effect an insurance against such loss
Tins rev treaties furnished from source OF
such high authority, would under any clrcum-
stances constitute q very valuable portion OF the
original matter of the Farmers Register but
more especially interesting, and useful for praell-
cal instruction will il be at this particular june
ture when so many persons, who are totally un-
acquainted with the business, are shout 10 coH.
nence the planting of the Chinese mulberry tree,
and expect 10 commence the rearing oil siiL.wofms.
To supply the manifest wan, Of such manual OF
instruction as could be relied on for truth. and
sound views from writer having much praeu-
cal experience, as well as know ledge o: all that
has been published in this ceantrv the subject,
was the object which induced our request To NJ {.
Smth to write treaties ON silk.culturc, as much
in detail as bis arduous engagements would per
nit him to prepare. The hrst number OF the pro.
posed series, is the commencement of his fulfil
ment Of our request-ED. Far REG.
7 have seen with much surprise statement
in the newspapers that gentleman had made ex-
perlmcnts IN feeding sk.worms with wet leaves,
and that the result was very favorable, the CO
coons made by worms thus fed containing 500
yards of fibre, &c. If the statement be no; a
hoax, and one calculated and intended to do nJu-
ry, by causing the destruction of whole crops oil
silk. worms, it must have been founded upon Vc
ry insufficient scale to test its merits, have seen
the evil not only of feeding with wet leaves, o1t
even with leaves too suocuent. | weuld there
fore caution silk growers against such statements !;
aud advise, that, If they wish TO Try the expert
rent of feeding with wet leaves, to do so with a
single hurdle, and not risk the loss OF the whole
crop for b. IL known tina, the tripes, the disease
usually produced by wet leaves, will generally
spread over and destroy all the worms in the
largest estabhshmcRkin very few hours from It's
J aTsi appearance