the vicinity, with the distribution of a portion of their laboring force towards other objects, forms the surest remedy on which to rely. Dearbought experience, however late, will at last unite all the planters in this conviction, and then a brighter day may dawn on the great cotton-growing States. Their lands are rich, and means still further to enrich and improve them lie fully within their own reach. The variety of products which may minister to their own comfort as food or clothing may readily be obtained from their soil and domestic industry, when once inventive genius shall put still further into operation the physical strength and local advantages which invite them to convert their crops yet more directly among themselves to the supply of all their necessities.

RICE.

In tracing the progress and result of the rice crop, we are mostly confined to a single State; for although this product is raised in some of the other States, yet the very large proportion of the crop which is grown in South Carolina is so great, comparatively, that the indications of it are to be trac ed from its appearance in this State.

From all that we can learn respecting the rice crop of 1844, it is an unusually fine crop-probably from 20 to 25 per cent. better than in 1843. The following are a few of the notices which have been gathered from the public journals in South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana, respecting the growth of this crop :

"The crops in this neighborhood," says the Winyah (S. C.) Observer, of the 6th July, "look quite as well as usual, and the rice crop is more forward than we have known it. On the 28th ultimo we saw an ear of rice taken from a field of Mr. Reuben Pringle, on Black river. The field was planted on the 18th of March, and by to-day must be shooting out generally. The rice will be certainly ready for harvest by the second week in August, which is unusually early."-Charleston Patriot.

"The rice crop.-We saw a few heads of rice on Saturday last from a plantation adjacent to this city, which looked exceedingly well for the season, though perhaps not quite as forward as last year. It was the opinion of intelligent rice planters that the crop promised to be a fair average one, and that the harvesting would commence about the 20th to the 22d of August."-Savannah Republican of 24th July.

"The season and the rice crop.-The Winyah (Georgetown) Observer, of the 14th July, says: From the 7th to 11th of the month we have had a succession of northeast winds and rain, which suspended the harvest for the time, and kept the planters in suspense as to a gale. On Wednesday the weather cleared up, and the harvest was again resumed, and is going on finely.'"

From the Savannah Republican of July 25.

"The new rice crop.-We saw a few heads of rice on Saturday last from a plantation adjacent to this city, which looked exceedingly well for the season, though perhaps not quite as forward as last year. It was the opinion of the gentleman (Rev. Mr. Godfrey) who showed us the specimen, and of other intelligent rice planters present, that the crop promised to be a fair average one, and that the harvesting would commence about the 20th to the 22d of August."

The Winyah (S. C.) Observer, speaking of the rice and other crops, says: "The rice crops in the neighborhood are equal to an average, and on some

places better; and the general belief is, that a full average crop will be made. We saw a head or two yesterday, from Mr. Gilliard's plantation, 13 inches in length, well grained, which he thinks will be ready for the hook about the 18th of next month.

"The upland crops in the neighborhood, which were planted early, and well worked in the early drought in June, will yield an average harvest also; but, from the back parts of this district, and many of the adjacent ones, accounts as to the corn and potato crops are unfavorable; so much so, that in some neighborhoods not half a crop will be made."

"Rice crop.-One or two planters on the river commenced cutting their rice on Saturday, and others on Monday last; though we are informed that the harvesting will not be general for a week to come. The prospect for a fair crop is good; and if the weather should prove favorable, we may expect a full average yield."-Savannah Republican.

"Rice harvest-new rice.-We were in error on Friday, in our market report, in stating that many planters already had their entire crops down. It is true that all are progressing rapidly with their harvesting, but still they are not so far ahead as we supposed. If the present fine weather continues, they will, no doubt, soon have their crops cut, and in fair way of being secured.

"One lot of the new crop, about eleven or twelve hundred bushels, from the plantation of Mr. Cheves, was received here on the 21st instant-earlier than ever known before. It has not been beat out yet, as the seller and the purchaser cannot agree upon a price for it."-Savannah Republican.

"The rice planters on Cape Fear are now busily engaged in cutting and getting in their crops. We are informed that the yield this year is fully an average one. There has been no storm during this month to damage the crops to any extent."-Wilmington (N. C.) Chronicle.

"The crops in South Carolina.-The Winyah (Georgetown) Observer says: The late crop of rice, just harvested, and now in the course of manufacture for market, is about an average one, and of good quality."

Elsewhere we see it stated that the rice crop was earlier than it had been for twenty years, and extra good.

"In an extract, which we subjoin from a New Orleans paper, we have an indication that the attention of the planters of Louisiana and Mississippi is turning more towards this crop. The writer says:

"Louisiana rice.-A few days ago we received a beautiful sample of rice, raised eight miles back of Waterproof, in the parish of Tensas, in this State, and which we are told by good judges is equal in quality to the best South Carolina rice. We are glad to see that the planters of this and the adjoining State of Mississippi are turning their attention to the raising of other products besides cotton and sugar. There are plenty of cotton lands in this State which we have no doubt are admirably calculated for the growth of rice; and we doubt not our planters could easily raise sufficient for home consumption." New Orleans Tropic, October 5.

The rice crop of Louisiana is said to have been a "full crop ;" and we have felt authorized to allow an increase of from 5 to 10 per cent. in others, of the States where rice is raised. The whole crop, therefore, will amount to 111,759,000 pounds.

Upland rice is cultivated to some extent in Illinois and other States north of the rice region. It is said, in the Cincinnati Ploughboy, to grow in the most arid soil; is sown some time in April, and is ripe in September. The

usual method as stated is, to sow it in drills about 18 inches apart; but if the land is well prepared and clean, it may be sown broadcast, and it often yields from 25 to 30 bushels per acre. It would probably grow well in some of the Northern Atlantic States.

By a careful analysis of rice and rice straw, by Professor Shepard, the following result is said in his report to have been obtained: "Considering a single rice plant in its dry mature state to weigh 100 grains, (a supposition which will often accord with the fact,) we shall have of mineral matter, in the different parts of the plants, the following number of grains: In the stubble and root Straw and leaves

36.08

36.08

"As, however, in milling, nearly one-sixth of the cotyledon still adheres to the grain, for all practical estimates it will be nearer the truth to state the mineral ingredients of clean rice at 2 per cent. those of the whole crop; and to diminish, therefore, the residuum of the cotyledon and epidermis by 0.06 per cent.; making the per centage statement to stand thus: Stubble and root

Straw and leaves

Husk

Cotyledon and epidermis

Clean rice (commercial)

36.08

He adds in a note: "It may be useful to present also a per centum view of the incombustible constituents of the rough rice :

"It scarcely need be stated that the cotyledon and epidermis are found in coarse rice flour intermingled largely with the husk, and with from 3 to 4 per cent. of clean and powdered rice. The cotyledon and epidermis are richer than the clean rice in saccharine matter and gluten, which materially augment the value of rice flour as a feed for cattle and swine. These principles are thus returned to the soil under the most favorable conditions for agriculture."

He draws, then, this conclusion: "If the foregoing views are correct, it becomes plain, at a glance, that the planter who sells his crop in the condition of rough rice robs his lands of 27.84 per cent. of the mineral ingredients of this species of produce; while, on the other hand, he who sells it as clean rice abstracts from them but 2 per cent. of these ingredients.

"But the true value of these constituents cannot be rightly estimated by their numerical proportions; since the mineral ingredients of the cotyledon and epidermis consist of above 50 per cent. of the most precious saline substances; while in those of the stubble, root, and husk, the like constituents

scarcely rise to 10 per cent., from the extreme slowness with which the husk suffers conversion into humus, unless fermented with stable litter. This portion of the rice plant appears to be almost wholly neglected by the planter; but, as it contains above 30 per cent. of carbon, it must be capable, when incorporated with the soil, of performing, to a considerable extent, the functions of the humus-i. e., of gradually giving rise to carbonic acid, from combining with the oxygen of the air, and of raising the temperature of the soil by its eremacausis, or slow combustion. Besides, its minutely divided silica is in a more favorable condition for absorption. by the roots of plants, than that which is offered them by the soil itself. We may add to these supposed useful properties of the husk, the mechanical service which, in, certain stiff composts, it is capable of exerting, by laying the ground open to the access of air, and as an absorbent of moisture. As it is unlike to the stalk and leaf, in not containing alkali, it might, perhaps, be found advantageous to add wood ashes along with it, to the soils on which it is applied." The whole of Mr. Shepard's report of his analysis is interesting, as showing the elements of the rice, and its straw, &c.; and to those who cultivate this plant offers valuable suggestions for improvement in their practice.

SILK.

The subject of silk culture was so fully considered in the last report, that we have but little to add. Our particular information, also, respecting this crop for the year 1844, is comparatively limited.

From all we can learn, however, there can be no doubt that the subject is gradually becoming one of deeper interest. During the past season, in October last, a convention of silk culturists, similar to the one held the previous year, has been held at New York, which was well attended. Much information, we understand, was communicated, and placed in the hands of the secretary, the Rev. J. R. Barbour, of Massachusetts, for publication. We had hoped to receive this document in time for this report, that we might imbody some of the results which it presents to the people, for their consideration, and may possibly be able to do so before it leaves the hands of the printer, in one of our appendixes. As it is, we must rely principally on such scattered notices as we have been able to find in the public journals, and such other information as we have otherwise gathered. From a notice of the silk convention, published in the American Agriculturist for November, it is said, that " within two years there has been a vast increase in the manufacture of silk in this country-an increase amounting, it is supposed, to some three or four fold. In the growing of silk there has been also a large advance-an advance inore difficult to estimate, as the returns are incomplete. We know enough, however, to be assured that the business has essentially surmounted the struggles of its infancy and its miserable nursing, and is now on its feet, and commanding the respect and confidence of intelligent men throughout the country." "Almost all who are now engaged in growing silk are preparing to enlarge their operations, and many new mulberry orchards will be planted in the following spring." It appears that in some parts of the country the morus multicaulis suffered considerable loss from the winter of 1843-'44. Thus the Prairie Farmer states that "some patches that stood the hard winter of 1842-43, perished during the uncommonly mild one of 1843-'44." A corres

pondent of that paper thinks that the multicaulis is not the best for prairie lands; and states that, of 15,000 of his trees, not over 1,000 survived the last winter. Further experience is said to confirm the results of open feeding, which were published in "The Silk Question Settled," from which we quoted in the report of 1843. The Northampton association is said to have made, in this way, 150 pounds of reeled silk. John M. Summers, of Manheim, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, has made the same quantity, also in the same way. Others, also, are said to have thoroughly tested the question, and to have become wholly satisfied that worms must have the pure air of heaven, except in very early or very late feeding. Others, too, have had good success in the ordinary way. This is stated to be the case with Miss Rapp, who exhibited, at the fair of the American Institute, ribands made of the silk of worms hatched of this year's (1844) eggs, and fed on mulberries which grew from seed which ripened in the same year. Other specimens of raw silk, &c., were exhibited; and, altogether, there was a beautiful assortment of the products of silk culture and manufactures, evincing the growing interest which is taken in the subject. At the same time, Mynheed Van Schaick, Esq., of New York, made a donation of $1,000 to the American Institute, to be expended in premiums to promote the silk cause. This will unquestionably have a happy influence in stimulating enterprise; and, at the same time, many who may not obtain the prizes will find themselves well rewarded in the increased profit accruing from their devotion to the subject.

As an evidence of the superiority of this country for silk culture, &c., General Tallmadge, president of the silk convention, observed, during the sittings, that when he was in Italy he noticed the eggs of the silk worm were always hatched by artificial means, on account of the moistness of the climate; and that no care was there required to prevent them from hatching. Here, however, owing to the dryness of our climate, the eggs must be put in ice houses and other cool places, to prevent them from hatching before the leaves of the mulberry are ready for them. In Italy, the books tell how to make the eggs hatch; in the United States, how to prevent From this, he thought it a clear inference that our country is most favorable for its production. Mr. Barbour laid stress on the fact, that the eggs used should be from healthy worms, and they should be kept in a uniform and healthy state. He recommends to put eggs into a tin box cased with lead, and place it in ice until the hatching season commences. No extreme transitions of temperature should be allowed. From the ice house let them be taken to the cellar, and then to a gradual heat, so that they will be 8 or 10 days in hatching. He declares that worms are much more liable to be injured from heat than from rain and dew. His plan is to keep the worms less exposed till after the second or third moulting, and then placed in tents; or he thinks it best to use artificial means at first, and then resort to open exposure.

Some interesting facts with relation to this subject will be found in the two letters of Doctor Stebbins, of Massachusetts, in appendix No. 13. One of these letters is taken from the American Agriculturist; the other accompanied some specimens of paper, much resembling what is called China paper, made of the bark of the mulberry tree. Some of the facts are mentioned in both; but it was thought best, however, to publish both of them entire. The paper shows what may yet further be done in this thing. It has the soft, silky feel, the external appearance, and peculiar smell, of the