The Placer herald., 1873-06-14

FRUITS OF INDUSTRY. Last Wednesday we
made visit to the premises of Mr.. B. Bernhard,
mainly for the purpose of seeing his silk-worms
and observing the mode of feeding and caring
for them; but seeing so much on all sides strik-
ingly illustrative of what honest industry can
accomplish on the apparently rbidding hills
and in the uninviting hollows of this section of
the country, we were induced to extend onr OBJ
servations. Mr.. Bernhard's farm WHICH is loca-
ted on one of the hills Immediately adjoining
town, consists OF about 80 acres all told. year
ago last Winter he set ont 1000 mulberry trees,
and last Spring year ago, made his first at
tempt at raising slk-worms, but they all died,
in consequence, he says, of leaving the windows
of their house open at night. Not to be thus
easily discouraged this Spring he tried again,
and we are pleased to say with much better sue
cess. He bought from Mr.. Muller and from Mr..
Gelette, of Nevada county, one ounce of the eggs,
mostly of tie French Animal variety, from which
he now has from thirty to forty thousand worms
from one to four weeks old, in "a most thrifty
and excellent condition. He feeds the worms
regularly three times day on mulberry leaves,
and cleans away the, refuse stems, etc, about
once in three days. He seems to think the most
important feature in the care of the worm is to
keep their quarters at nearly oven temper
ature as possible. He is greatly ,elate with his
success this year, and expresses determination
to extend his facilities for the culture of silk un-
til he makes Of it substantial and profitable
business and says if we only had the right kind
of popD lation could in few years raise suf-
ticient silk right in and around this town to sup
ply factory. He is anxious to extend The bus
iness, and those wishing to experiment can get
what help and information from him he is able
to give. ..
Leaving the sik-worms we were invited into
the wine cellar. which, though not small, was so
completely filed with barrels and tanks, which
we're informed were all full, that could
hardly get around, Next were shown into
the brandy house, which was also filed with full
barrels of the very best quality of brandy. We
can give 10 estimate of how much wine and bran
dy Mr.. Bernhard has on hand, but. one thing
which though it has become proverbial we
hardly need mention that Bernhard s wine is the
best in the country, and indeed, according to our
eble Judgment in such matters we have tasted
nothing su 3er!or to it of California, ev for
eign production Next we took stroll through
the vineyard, whence all this storehouse of wine
and brandy was produced and to view this COM
paratvely small field with its burdens of grow
ing fruit caused us to marvel that the hand of
man when rightly applied could Ia SO short
lime, accomplish so much. This small field Of
| 80 acres is surrounded by thousands of other
lcres equally good by nature, but viii e the
outs de presents an almost ard appearance with
in this enclosure Mr. Bernhard has besides his
1000 mulberry trees, 950 large bearing frnt trees
of various kinds, one-haIf acre of bhcF 'ries
completely loaded down with the nearl grown
fruit; nice vegetable garden, containing great
variety of fresh vegetables, and II 900 fine thrift
ty grape vines, nearly all bearing, though prom
lsing this year rather lighter yield than usual
owing partly to the late fross and to the vista
tons OF the army worm. Mr.. Bernhard is at pres
ent engaged IN excavating for new WINE cellar,
to be "a by 6f feet in extent, the building to be
two stories high, built of rock. and connected
with hi old cellar by tun, e All this and
even more than we have described is the result
of a few years labor. When Mr. Bernhard bought
this p!ace it had no signifc nee in an agrcul-
tura. po.nt Of view, and without any capllsn tut
his hands he has made it all we have described,
and We fear we have not done justice, and
suces us he has never went III debt dollar COM
paratyely, We give this to show what the coun-
Try is capable Of producing for this place pos
sesses no natural advantages that are not pos
sessed by nearly any tract of the same size for
miles around.