Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-03-06
From the Journal of the American Institute
SILK.

Mr.. Danforth, by the following communi-
cations, which came with the silk referred
to ami exhibited at the Eleventh Annual
Fair has rendered his countrymen a timely
and most acceptable service. Thousands
are commencing, and bund:ejs oflhousands
are contemplating the raising Of silk. They
are seeking information. Trey require to
be informed, in few words, how to COM
mence and how to proceed. Mr.. d. has
told them practically, all he did, in plain
aud simple words, and the results, which
are truly wonderful. They have only 10
60 and do likewise. Fle has told all from
the planning of the mulberry TO the compile
ton Of the cocoon. There are volumes on
silk that do not afford half the useful infor.
nation contained in this short accout. The
beginner cannot mistake. The acrount is
made up offacis, and nothing but facts
Can any one doubt that ii is in our power 10
raise silk to almost any amount that can be
named? The work is begun. The en-
terprise of our country is pressing on tue
culture Of silk and the first movement for
this purpose. the supply Of the mulberry, is
progressing on vast scale, covering onr
country. and surprising any thing ever
Witnessed The propagation Of th" null
berry is like creation. Ir short period,
two or three years.--mill ons Oh millions
have come forth, and every new bud be.
comes q tree. lie who doubts our bccom.
ing great silk growing nation, knows moth.
ing of America. Let it bs done in u plain,
common sense way; let it become an ap-
pendage Of agriculture avoid scientific silk
growing, by means Of great establishments,
with thermometers and baromelers, taught
by large books imported from foreign coun.
tries. There is no more necessity for them,
iD growing silk, than there is IN raising
chickens and great incorporated COM
pany, with hundreds o(thsusands Of dollars
of capital stock, with presidents, directors,
secretaries and treasurers, would be just as
likely 10 succeed in raising eggs and chick
ems. as silk worms and cocoons. Begin in
the simple, domestic way. Employ such
domes,cs as have 10 employ. or those the
Ieas rroftably employed. Mr.. Danforth
ir note, desires n may be impressed dis
,ncIy on ,hose seeking information, that Mis
ras an experiment, made by entire norices
that ne tseding nas only for t'co months ana
KS .-'"s a1'G - -.rop al produced in tou'
ates:py. snci41,rr he time of planting The
:.7&cS, and :hut the product mas ten hundred
and ninety skeins ftorty yards EACH.
To THE COMMITTEES ON SILK AMERICAN liz
STITUTE:
Gsntlcmen,-The vast importance O
the silk culture to our country, and the ca.
gerness Of the public to obtain information
respecting it, make it the duty Of every one
engaged in producing "silk crop" 10 furn'
ish his quota Of knowledge. that thus q
mass of practical information may be COL
lected, from which We may 60 forward with
confidence, and gather in the rich harvest
which is before US.
With these views, and in compliance with
the solicitation Of my feow.citizens, | give
you the result ofmy experience during the
past summer. would first premise, that
in making trial of the silk culture, it was
my desire to adopt mode which could be
followed BY our agrlculursts at large, rath'
er than 10 show the greatest possible quan'
Iity of silk that could be produced from g
given portion ofland. Such an experiment
made under peculiar advantages Of soil and
culture, yielding large product, might be
viewed with admiration, bul the means be-
ing beyond the reach of the mass OF ou'
citizens, the same results could not be attain
:. ed.
The field from which the experiment wa!