Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-02-14
SIX and .H0ruS NuiticauliS

The following is the letter with which we nave oeeh
favored by Mr. Olms,ead. II contains many valuable
suggestions bu we must adapt them the change Of at
ude in applying them 10 the South We must calculate,
that it SO much be done in Connecticut how much
more can be accomplished in Virginia Our climate Is
more genal both 10 the Mulberry and the Silk worm
One more generation perhaps, be raised Of the worm
in our Southern latitude and The mulberry must be plant
ed earlier whilst it retains its leaves longer in the Au-
tumn:
EXTRACT Of q Letter from Mr. George Olmstcad.
"EAsr HARTFORD, July 80, le3S.
The questions you ask vii. endeaVor TO answer IN
the order they are put:
LIST, The prospects of price for those raised next
Fall are very encouraging the raiser | think the
price in the Fall will not be less than last Spring. viz
% cents each including branches
"2d Almost any soil that is very wet or stoney 10
suitable for them except stiff clay, which should think
will do well. With this exception, almost any
land that is good for Indian is good fol the Morus
hlulucauls; and if planted at the time OF planting In
dian corn, have doubt the plant will flourish in any
place from Florida TO Canada 1t cultivated in the
Northern States, like and potatoes, as an annual
crop and taken before any very aulumnal Frost
they can be ploughed up with facility, when there is
prospect Of severe frost.
"3d. The ground to plant them should be hoed or
made mellow the preceding year, poughed once IN the
spring. Cat The time you would plant Indian corn) har
rowed then iurrowed al BIO feet apart and plant
ed about = inches deep III continuous rows, which VIII
take about 1900 per The drills on most lana shouia
be sprnkled with compost mellow manure inches
deep and covered with little earth previous to the lay
ing down Of the trees Swamp muck or pohd nud' IL
carried into heaps this summer or fa ana heh worked
mixed with little stable manure next sPrng with
quantity of lime makes good manure. This manure and
ashes, mixed separate, Is excellent manure for
top dressing after the young plants are hoed in June
prefer ch land for them. such as Sandy Hill and
Fort EAward-Much of such land wall do well without
any manure, except top dressing Poor, sandy or
oany land should be well MANFRED in the drills with
compos, thought, as passed from The
Springs to Fort Edward, that most Of that land would
Le good lor this plant, if planted as above.
9th The middle 10 the 20th Of July is early enough
TO commence planting the leaves, picking the bottom
first, aud leaving or the top, constantly till
fail Picking the leaves fipens the tree.
18th ! cannot answer from any experience, as much
will depend the size Of the and leaves II is
estimated that 100 lbs Of green leaves will make ID.
Of silk An acre Of good trees will yield large guam
lily Of leaves aud they can be gathered at one sixth The
cost Of the Italian Mulberry. neighbor Of mine is
weighing all the leaves from eighth of acre, and
will continue TO do so for the When his expe
rimen is completed we shall have some landmarks upon
the subject Mr. Cheney says from 81 TO 100 lbs Of silk
be produced upon OF land the first season.
The feeding Of may be made separate business
from raising the trees Some OF my nelghbors lei,
ting their leaves the halves Several Of the Mans
field people applying for the privilege The trees
should ploug and the placed in the ground
under sheds the trees set together and the tops
be well filled with straw in the open ground previous TO
autumnal frost, (he must be the guide;
they will bear frost than Indian corn) They
in that condition until November; they should
then be buried in sand, in alternate layers OF trees and
sand, and remain there till spring; then the branches
cut OF and stuck buried in layers OF two inches deep
and the planted in the manner described above.
II has but few trees, they may be placed in dry
cellar apart and packed in barrels boxes casks,
up, filled with sand taking that the trees
cured from rats, for rats will eat The buds
18th The per cent they will yield depends something
trees and roots planted. My trees last year,
bought without branches and the unusually wet
The trees planted with the burrows left dishing when
they should be little above The surface of the ground)
and the yield no, much threeold while those
have planted and sold this year have yielded from eight
to tenold One man, who had 40 with the branches,
says has 100 and regrets not having planted
The prospect of market for several years TO come,
think very goodand The prospect for The present year,
think much better than the last year. The more in.
vestigate the subject of and silk my confidence in
the business is confirmed Many who were sceplical,
daily becoming converts 10 the opinion oil It's ultimate
success In addition to New England and New York,
the South aud South west looking 20 this profit
able employment for their young slave population The
genuine cannot be raised from the seed; they cnme
up generally spurious article have from Is TO 20 900
growing, which all gain 10 me from 1900 the last
year, (S30n worth lost by frost last ull) cOnsl
der my Mucaulis Of the best property have,
al % cents each next Fall think would contract al
that price for 10 10000 in addition 10 those have
sold % cash hen packed for transportation
Those who bought Of me last Spring, have fair
prospect of realizing from cUD 10 600 per cent for their
money. The stand severe drought better than
any plant we cultivate.
remain your affecionate uncle,
GEORGE OLNSTEAD.
Reference to Mr. Geo P. Bancroft; MIR Samuel Church,
Bethlehem, Conn Ward, Cheney q Brothers, Bur