Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-03-04

ounces to make one pound of reeled silk. !
After they were Tossed and sorted, it re-
quired 10 pounds and ounces or about
PA to 2i5 pounds of leaves to make one |
pound of reeled silk. This shows a |
greater amount of leaves necessary to
make one pound of cocoons, and great |
er weight of cocoons necessary to make
one pound of reeled silk, than the esti-
mates published in various quarters, and
greater than experiments said to have
been made actually required All can
say is, the object of my experiment was to
arrive at facts. and the above is plain
statement of facts as they occurred in my
experience. am free to state, that even
with your very liberal premiums in view,
my object was not so much to see the
cery largest amount Of silk which could
be obtained from the smallest quantity Of
leaves, or to endeavor 10 reach the very
maximum which could under the most ia
vorable circumstances be produced from
the quarter of an acre, as TO make what
might be termed a medium or acreage ex-
pertinent to feed just as supposed the
great mass of persons engaging in the
silk business would feed | was often
obliged to feed qoet leaves owing to the
frequent long storms, and the worms ap.
peared to experience no injury whatever
from this. Still did not consider it safe
to feed leaves gathered in the storm, and
dripping wet, and in our attempts to dry
the leaves, some became wilted and were
thrown away, the worms also were al
ways abundantly fed, anda partial waist
of leaves frequently, no doubt, occurred
In this way. These things, together with
the loss of, perhaps the value of near
one pound of reeled silk, by worms
falling from the shelves would vary The
result a lillle, and might show that 100
lbs of leaves would produce one pound
OF reeled silk.
do not doubt, bu: that under the most
favorable circumstances few pounds of
cocoons might be produced on 10 or IL
lbs. of leaves 10 the pound of cocoons.--
Nor do | doubt that one pound of reeed
silk may be produced from s pounds of
cocoons, or even less. Much depends on
the quality of the cocoons, and mo on
the lime when they are weighed, wheth-
er IN fresh and green, or entirely dry
State. | could nave selected from nv lot.
even in a fresh safe, 8 lbs. of cocoons,
which would. beyond all question, have
produced. one pound of reeled silk-but
This would be no test of the profit of the
business. The public do not wish 10
know so much the very maximum that
can be made, as what may be regarded an
ordinary standard for every prudent far
mer-and am perfectly persuaded, from
two years experience that an not great
y mistaken.
Last year produced at the rate of $40
lbs. oil cocoons TO the acre-this year |
produced al the rate of 520-and my de-
llberate opinion is, that more will fall be-
low this standard than will exceed it
and IN one case, where less quantity of
leaves will give the above quantity of
silk, t,oo cases will occur that will REQUIRE
a greater.
Most happy will be, and greatly will
1t be Tor the Interests Of the Community, if
it shall be found on farther experience thai
80 or 100 lbs. of leaves will make one
pound of reeled silk instead of2I4 or 2I5
as required In my experiment, for my
quarter OF an acre did produce 1916 lbs
OF leaves, and the trees We're not stripped
remarkably close eilher-then the amount
OF reeled silk per acre would be the hand
some yield of lO4t to 1913 lbs !! A result,
albeit, which l frankly state, utterly de-
spair of seeing realized.
| | have read with great regret many oil
the calculations of the day on the subiec,
OF silk proh.s-some of them, | greatly
fear, are made, purely to subServe selfish
ends-regardlesS of the ultimate conse
quences to the public. Others are un.
doubtedl ~ honest, but they are, fear. too
often the results which are aoished, and
desired, rather than those which have &C.
tually beea realized.
1t IS hot the best way to produce con.
vlclion ia the minds of men, on a subject
like this, to assume facts and then reason
very do9matically in regard TO what mna
be done, and what the calculator will do
neTt year, or even to take some rerv for
; t@nGte experiment made on rerv small
scale, and then infer, because one Cocoon
: will weigh SO many grains. then 1000.
OOO Will produce so many pounds; or
because one tree will yield one pounI oil
leaves the first year, and 100 pounds oil
leaves will make one pound of reeIed silk
and 10000 trees will grow on an acre
therefore. an acre will produce 100 It's
; of reeed silk the first year-or because
: the l2Uth part OF an acre will produce So
much-then plantation of ten hundred
and twenty acres will produce so much
= [ am p'eased to see experiments made
5 with all the accuracy ina ginable. even on
( III S.na lest scale mad ma, ~,o..I. r