THE SILK CULTURIST,
AND FARMER’S MANUAL.
PUBLISHED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE HART-
FORD COUNTY SILK SOCIETY.
TERMS:--The Culturist is published monthly at Wethersfield,
Conn. at ONE DOLLAR a year in advance.
Letters or Communications to be addressed to F. G.
COMSTOCK, Secretary of the Society, post paid.
THE CULTURIST AND MANUAL.
F. G. COMSTOCK, Editor.
Subscriptions, Orders, &c.: left at the Druggist
Store of JAMES S. FOLGER, No. 201, Main street, Hartford, will be promptly
attended to.
To Silk Growers.
The editor of the Silk Culturist, is entering into contracts for the delivery
of Mulberry Trees, in season for planting the coming spring. The trees
are now growing on the island of Cuba, from stock sent out last fall,
and may be depended upon as being the genuine Morus multicaulis variety,
propagated from layers and cuttings—express written warranties in this
particular will be given to each purchaser if requested. As the trees
will be out of the ground but a few days, they will probably be in the
best possible condition for planting, and it is believed will yield an
increase of from 20 to 25 per cent. more than trees kept through the winter.
Persons in the New England and Western States, wishing
to avail themselves of this opportunity to procure their supplies, must
engage them previous to their arrival, as all unengaged are intended for
the southern markets. Letters of inquiry, free of postage, will receive
prompt attention, and price, terms, &c. forwarded to such persons
as may request them.
Address:-- F. G. COMSTOCK, Wethersfield,
Conn.
SILK WORM EGGS IN ICE HOUSES
As the season for putting eggs in ice houses,
for the purpose of postponing the time of hatching, is advancing, we copy
the following note from Davy’s Agricultural Chemistry, and submit the
question to the more learned in these matters, whether it does not rationally
account for the loss sustained the last summer, by such as entirely excluded
their eggs from the air. Several gentlemen of our acquaintance put their
eggs in bottles tightly corked and sealed, and the consequence was, their
vitality was destroyed.
"The impregnated eggs of insects, and even of fishes, do
not produce young ones, unless they are supplied with air; that is, unless
the fœtus can respire. I have found that the eggs of moths did not produce
larvæ when confined in pure carbonic acid; and when they were exposed
in common air, the oxygen partly disappeared, and carbonic acid was formed.
The fish in the egg
or spawn gains its oxygen from the air dissolved |
in water; and those fishes that spawn in spring and summer in still water,
such as the pike, carp, perch and bream, deposit their eggs upon sub-aquatic
vegetables, the leaves of which, in performing their healthy function,
supply oxygen to the water. The fish that spawn in winter, such as the
salmon and trout, seek spots where there is a constant supply of fresh
water, as near the sources of streams as possible, and in the most rapid
currents, where all stagnation is prevented, and where water is saturated
with air, to which it has been exposed during its deposition from clouds.
It is the instinct leading these fish to seek supply of air for their
eggs, which carries them from sea or lake into the mountainous country,
which induces them to move against the stream, and to endeavor to overleap
weirs, mill dams, and cataracts."
Acknowledgment.
We tender our thanks to Mr. Ruffin, editor of the Farmers’ Register,
for several copies of that valuable publication, a copy of Davy’s Agricultural
Chemistry, and several publications on the culture of silk. Mr. R. has
recently published an edition of Sir Humphrey Davy’s "Elements of
Agricultural Chemistry," in a cheap form, and is enabled to furnish
it at one fourth the cost of the earlier American edition. It is a full
reprint of the latest English edition, with the valuable notes of Dr.
John Davy, a brother of the distinguished author. In recommending this
work to the notice of the agricultural community, we adopt the language
of the publisher, simply adding our own belief that his is the cheapest,
and consequently, for general readers, the best edition extant. This work
well deserves, for its subject and intrinsic value, to be adopted as a
text book in all schools of scientific and high grade of useful
instruction; and for low price, this edition might be economically
and profitably adopted, as mere reading books in primary or common schools."
Law of Georgia.
In another column will be found the Act passed at the late session
of the legislature of Georgia, for the encouragement of the culture of
silk, and it is unnecessary for us to say, that of all previous legislation
on the subject, it is the most liberal. By the provisions of the act it
will be seen that the silk grower will receive about $5 bounty
on every pound of silk he grows and reels, for the term of ten years.
The bounty added to the market value of the silk, will enable him to realize
at least $10 a pound in the raw state, and according to Mr. Roberts’ estimate,
which may be a fair one for Georgia, a gross income of $3,333,33 from
an acre of land.
We considered the Pennsylvania bounty liberal, and witnessed with pleasure
its practical effects the last season; but what are we to expect from
Georgia, where the bounty is double? If we are not mistaken in our views
on the subject, it will immediately become a great silk growing state;
for it is questionable whether yankee enterprize can be kept at home under
present circumstances.
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The genial climate of Georgia for the rearing of the silk worm, and the
munificent encouragement held out by the bounty, will probably overcome
the love of home of many silk growers in the northern and middle states,
and induce them to transplant their trees to the high and healthy parts
of Georgia for future operations. Should this be the case, and enterprize
knows no bounds, we shall be stripped of what few trees there are in New
England, and left to gaze upon and admire the prosperity of Georgia, in
a branch of rural economy substantially of our own devising. It will be
a matter of rejoicing to us to see the work going forward, even if our
native state is not permitted to participate in it; but we do hope there
is sagacity and policy enough in Connecticut to prevent other states drawing
away all the industry and enterprize among us.
Female Subscribers.
Among the many names which have lately been added to our subscription
list, we notice a goodly number of females residing in different parts
of the country, and manifesting a strong interest in the silk enterprize—the
all absorbing topic of inquiry and discussion. It is always gratifying
to an editor to receive this kind of testimonials that his labors are
duly appreciated, especially when accompanied by the best of all corroborative
evidence—payment in advance. This gratification we have hitherto been
permitted to enjoy far beyond our deserts; but when it comes from a quarter
on which we have long depended for the final success of the cause we advocate,
we cannot express our feelings, or the hopes it has inspired. We may rely
too much on female industry and influence, but give it to us in full measure,
give us the aid of the feminine zeal, patience, perseverance, &c.,
and we care not for all the opposition which masculine ignorance can array
against us—go it must, and go it will. With these view and feelings, we
cannot deny ourselves the pleasure of tendering our public thanks to Lucilla,
Miranda, Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary, and a host of others, who have lately
added their names to our list; and thereby expressed their approbation
of the great cause which we are endeavoring to promote. In them we behold
the future benefactresses of our country, and al-most envy the happiness
of the favored individuals who shall hereafter be bound to them by the
strongest of all—the "silken cord."
Repeal of the Silk Law.
An effort has been made in the Legislature of New Jersey, to repeal
the law for the encouragement of the culture of silk, passed a year or
two since. From the following, which we copy from the Trenton Gazette,
it appears, its enemies are likely to fail of accomplishing their object.
"The agricultural committee of the Assembly have reported against
repealing this law. We understand that Mr. Hall of the Committee, though
a Van Buren man, was decidedly opposed to the repeal, and spoke with the
utmost contempt of the prejudice against the law."
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