Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-12-04
Agricultural.
From the New England Farmer.
SILK CULTURE.


and become great interest of the coun-
try. Ia this matter we have ceased to
trust to hearsay or mere report; but we
have come to The knowledge of various
experiments made in different places, and
made with perfect fairness and the great
est care and exaclness, which demonstrate,
that even with the high prices of labor
current among US, raw silk can be pro-
duced at an expense not to exceed two dol
lars and fifty cents a pound We shall
presently have the pleasure of laying these
reports before the agricultural public in
such form that they canno: be distrusted
or disdained. The silk likewise produc-
ed in New England is in point Of strength,
weight, and lustre not inferior to any
grown in any country. We know very
we'll that many persons pronounce it very
much superior to that grown in warmer
climates; but this may be so or NAV be
otherwise. This opinion may result
mainly from the hdbltual self conceit.
which we must confess, is a somewhat
strongly marked feature in the organiza-
lion of Yankee. 1t is enough for us
however. to say, that the silk produced
among US is as good as any that is to be
found any where; and This circumstance
is IN itself great encouragement to the
cultivation.
We have given the last three weeks al
most exclusively to the investigation of
this particular subject and at the fountain
head. The inhabitants of Mansfield. in
Connecticut, have been in the practice of
producing silk for nearly seventy years.
They have found it source of considera-
Bile profit even on the limited scale upon
which 1t has been pursued among them.
The work has been principally perform
ed by females, and it has not unfreuuentlv
happened, where mulberry plantation
has been taken as it istermed TO the halves.
the young woman taking it gets thirty to
fifty dollars and her board for her six or
eight weeks labor. In this case the own
er of the land furnishes eggs, trees, and
room 10 work in, besides boarding the wo-
man while the operation is going on. The
woman tends the worms, picks The leaves
and reels the silk the produce is then d.
vided equally
The tree hitherto used in Mansfield has
been the white mulberry. In 1885, two
thirds OF all the trees in the town were
killed by the severity of the cold. They
nave not as yet been replaced but they
soon will be, either bv some of the same
kind. or by the imported and improved
varieties. In other places experiments
have been made with the foreign kinds
the Multicaugis, the Canton, and the AL.
pine; and these experiments have been
perfectly successful the foliage has prov
ed abundant; the silk made from them Of
fine quality; and the worms have proved
healthy under this feed. This is a great
result; and pu:s it in the power of any
one so disposed, to ascertain the practica.
6llIty and the profits of the silk culture.
The question is soon settled and the de-
termination. of it requires small expense
OF money or time
The prosecution of the silk culture will
prove OF immense importance to the coun.
try. For half century to come there
can be no danger of its being oyerdone.-
The demand will, as a matter of course
increase with the supply. To meet the
present Wants of the country, is no small
matter; and years are likely to elanse he
fore we can reach this point. WHY i
may not hereafter be made matter of ex
port from the country. no good reason car
be given; at least no better reason thar
could have been given forty years ago
why cotton should not become am articI.
OF export from the country.
We look forward to the production O
a silk with the highest satisfaction and in
terest, as affording most desirable re
s source for aged persons, who, incapabl,
OF enduring severe toll, have not vet pass
ed the period of useful labor; for youns
y persons, whose services could be mad,
useful only in some such light employ
ment; and for INDECENT persons, decayet
widows and females, who often find it ex
e tremely difficult to obtain or invent tn
means of support
will have some preludices to encoun
;; ter from persons who are habtually dis
y trustful of every new project, and the ex
. travagant calculations and most exaggel
aied estimates of profits TO be expected from
~ II, which are constantly made and pu
forth by the ignorant or designing, mus
operate much TO its hindrance and disad
;. vantage The public mind will present
~ De dlsabused in all these matters an
results, resting upon the most careful an
: uec,sive experiments, and such an accu
mutation of settled facts as leaves no roor
., lot doubt, will set every thing right. Tn
- culture OF silk will 90 on and prove
source OF profit to industry and good mar
] oSeilent suiilcient TO satisfy every reason
ok anu " compensate most ampl
: the labor bestowed upon it. We forbes
RS. further statements on the subject at thi
NO time, as we shall make il matter of fn
examination and discussion in our next r,
:, port to the government Fl. G.