Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-12-15

In single year The farmers are above
board, out Of debt, with money TO lend. and
their daughters have something comfortable
laid by. TO present their husbands when they
marry, as marriage gift, in the form Of mon
ey al irfcresf, the product OF their own labor
In feeding the silk worm and Keeling and spin
ming IFS tiny fibre. Who would not value
such wife, not only for her solid charms,
but for her habits of industry, her spirit Of in.
dependence, and her knowledge and skill in
branch of business which is destined TO 90
the source of incalculablc blessings TO OUT
country
But the introduction OF the Chinese hsx,,
berry f,hc Hersas spoisi~sa;ss and H.. T--.s ?
has produced new era in the silk bushes i,
the Uuited States; and by its tested superiori
~ over every other kind, and its rapid and
extensive propagation and distribution through
the land, IS Fastening the period when we
snail be silkgrowing country Its large, nu-
trltious and abundant foliage, and the conse-
quent great saving Of labor in picking the
leaves, "a saving of nearly nine -tentbs, y and
It's immediate fitness for use, greatly enhance
the profits of the silk culture. Fears have
oeen entertained that it would prove too ten
der for our climate; but, placed on high and
Dry SOIL, not very rich, il stands even our Sc
verest winters. But even were we obliged to
take the trees up every fall, as we do crop
Of potatoes, and plant again in the spring, It
would yield an ample return Of profits in the
crop of silk. A field of Morus mnlticauis,
cultivated in this way, would require but little
more labor than crop of corn. The high
prices which the tree has commanded have
resulted from the conviction of its great value
for producing silk. 1t stands upon its own
intrinsic merits, upon the solid basis Of silk.
a E.r
ates; but at the lowest, the profits of the silk
culture with the multcanlis, are ample
greater than can be realized from any other
agricultural pursuit BY actual experm ent
II has been demonstrated, that from SO to 100
lbs. Of silk may be raised from an acre Of
ground the first year, planted about as thick as
you would plant corn or potatoes; at an ex-
pense of not more than % per pound. This
silk, reeled, is now worth 90 per pound in its
raw state, or $40 IL converted into sewing
silk. Even at the past and present high pri-
ces for the tree, very large per centage may
be realized the first season, by the crop Of
silk that may be raised. An intelligent deal
er in the Morus multicaulis has informed US,
that he had made sales to considerable a.
mount this fall, at SO cents tree, on a credit,
and that he had given purchasers the choict,
either to pay the whole in money, or half the
crop of silk which would be raised the first
year, by feeding as many worms as the trees
would supply with leaves; the purchaser thus
making fifty per cent on his investment the
first year. A number of sales Of this kind he
had made; and in one instance, the farmer
(who had had some experience in feeding
worms)-sitting down with his pencil and pa
per, and making a calculation, chose to paw
him the whole in cash. The growing and
sale OF the Morus multicaulis, has by no
means been a speculation. Large permanent
plantations have been made, for raising silk.
Whatever have been the motives which have
influenced those who have gone into the bust
ness, it has resulted in good to the country I;
II has awake ned attention. TO the subject, and
enlisted deep interest, far and wide in our
citizens; il has elected much light and knowl-
edge, experimental and PRACTICAL called forth
the inventive energies Of our people, in the
construction and improvement Of the silk MAJ
chinery, and by the rapid multiplication and
diffusion of the tree which forms the food OF
the silk worm, is putting it in our power soon
to be independent Of Europe.
We prophecy that in ten years we shall raise
if not manufacture, our own silk, and in fifteen
years, raw silk will form as important an arti-
Gle for foreign expectation, as does now our
cotton; and this without encroaching upon, or
diminishing our other great staples. Instead
OF, as now, being tributary TO Europe she shall
be tributary TO US, for the material which will
form her finest and most beautiful silk fabrics;
and the millions OF specie, which have been
drained from our countryside life's blood Of
our commerce-to pay our foreign debt, pro-
! ducing national bankruptcy and ruin, shall
flow back into Golfers. and circulate freely
| through every artery OF trade, giving scsfsit
and yigor TO the whole By some, we may %
deemed visionary, and pronounced a false
prophet. De il so. Whoever lives will see.
Our anicipaiions OF the future are not formed
from fancy but from fact-from a careful and
attentive examination the subject, and obser-
walton of the progress of the silk culture in our
country. We Judge Of the future from a
| know ledge of the past-from what has already
been done. and is now doing.
g. And what, it may be asked, has been ac-
complished We answer, the feasibility and
proftableness Of the silk culture has been salts
| faeiorily proved, as we have shown. Thou
sands, through the whole length and breadth
of our country have engaged or are preparing
| TO engage in the business. Immense numbers
\ of worms have been fed with perfect success
| the past season; no less than 400 cocoonertss
/ have been erected, and preparations are max
/ ing 10 feed worms on the most extensive scale
/ the coming season, hundreds Of acres will be
planted with tho Morus mulicaulis, not for tie
purpose OF specializing ia the sale Of the trees,
but for raising silk. Societies have been or.
ganized for the promotion Of the object, and
recently. a national society, al philsdeiphis,
at the head Of which are some Of the most dis
\ tinquished men OF our country Legislative
\ bonuiies have been granted ia several States
10 encourage the culture OF silk, and we trust
our own will not be behind her sister States
ia incnnraging. BY Legislative aid, the noble