paper which has been brought from China. The excellence of American silk has been well tested; and it is a fact that American silk is now sold under the name of foreign silk. A manufacturer writes that "the article of American silk is being produced to a considerable extent, but not equal to the consumption, by a large amount; but we believe, in a few years, with the protection we now have, we should be able to keep back the Italian." To show how much the business has increased in France within a few years, we quote the following paragraph from a good authority:

"Silk in France. Very little more than fifteen years have passed since there were in France only six departments in which there were extensive plantations of mulberry trees, for the general rearing of silk worms. To these may be added sixteen others in which this cultivation was carried on, but on a limited scale and in a precarious manner. Now, however, forty-two new departments have taken up this profitable employment of time and capital; so that we have sixty-four out of eighty-six departments clothed with mulberry trees, and producing silk in greater or less quantities. The present silk crop of France is said, on good authority, to be worth 160,000,000 of francs."

It is evident that the silk business holds out great inducements to the American people; and many years may not elapse before we may find it a source of great profit to our country. If we recollect from how small beginnings the cotton culture has risen to its present state, this will not seem at all incredible or surprising.

A curious application of silken rags is stated in the following extract from an agricultural journal:

"A late number of a French paper (the Quotidienne) states that, through the researches of the learned and much respected Professor Debzenne, the most useless portions of silk can now be transformed, through that gentleman's chemical palingenesia, into new silk again, to serve for different articles. In the same way that caoutchouc is drawn out into filaments, and woven into a durable material, so are these remnants of silk reduced to what is no more than its primitive state, (viz: a glutinous paste,) by means of a dissolvent; and, like fused glass, reacquires, ontcoming into the air, all its original strength and tenacity. Having found the best dissolvent of the caoutchouc, (the distillation of this elastic resin,) Professor Debzenne was not deceived when he thought that he could also distill silk, which he found to be the true medium for its dissolution. The crude silk, and that which is not dyed, was easily managed. The inventor at present has found no difficulty but with the dyed portions of silk, and more especially the black ones; but he hopes, by continuing his close attention to the subject, to overcome this difficulty, and to relieve France from the duty of 70,000,000 francs which she pays to the foreigner for the means of alimenting her numerous silk establishments. We may certainly look upon the invention as one of the most valuable of the present century."

The estimated crop of silk for 1844 is 396,790 pounds of cocoons.

SUGAR.

Compared with the previous year, the sugar crop of Louisiana has been a large advance on the crop of 1843. Though confined to but a single State, it is not always easy to ascertain in sufficient season the amount of the crop, so as to avoid the error of wrongly estimating. The crop was put at what was supposed to be a fair conclusion, from the various accounts which

abundant yield of sugar, they are not by any means flattering in this canegrowing region. In this parish, the crop on the Teché, which is most important, is unusually poor, owing to the rains which prevailed throughout the months of June and July, and interrupted cultivation. The crop on the Bayou Sale, Berwick's bay, and Bayou Bœuf, we understand, is good; and so is the crop in Lafourche. The danger of frost and other vicissi tudes renders it altogether impossible to judge at this season as to the probable product."",

Again :

"Louisiana sugar crop.-A letter from New Orleans, dated the 29th of October, says: The crop of sugar is coming in. The calculation is, that it will reach 180,000 to 200,000 hogsheads."""

The calculation just given is probably too large an estimate. We take as our estimate the following calculation, made by Mr. Degelos; and we think that, notwithstanding recent losses, we may allow one-third of the gain on the crop of the previous year to 1844.

We reckon a hogshead as weighing about 1,200 pounds.

The Planters' Banner of August 3, 1844, says: "Mr. A. Degelos, a commission merchant in New Orleans, has published a statement of sugar made in Louisiana last season, giving the names of the planters in the va rious parishes. There are numerous errors, but, on the whole, it is about as correct as could be expected. There are six or seven planters set down in St. Mary, who do not belong to this parish; and there are several omitted, who made collectively about 600 hogsheads last year. following recapitulation of the quantity of sugar made in Louisiana in 1843 We give the and 1844. It will be seen that St. Mary stands at the head of the list.

Parishes.

St. Mary
Ascension
Iberville

St. James

Lafourche Interior

Plaquemines

Terrebonne

Hhds.

15,311

10,633

9,644

9,350

6,732

6,641

Assumption

6,366

St. Charles

6,256

St. John the Baptist

5,822

Jefferson

5.743

West Baton Rouge

5,453

St. Martin

3,087

East Baton Rouge

2,621

Orleans

St. Bernard

Lafayette

St. Landry

Point Coupee

2,334

2,026

908

778

395

246

Total

100,346

A letter from New Orleans of a later date, published in the National Intelligencer, says: "Our sugar planters have suffered considerably by the

severe frosts within a few days. Fortunately, they began grinding this season very early, so that a larger portion than usual of the crop has been secured; but still the loss is estimated at from 10,000 to 15,000 hogsheads. Notwithstanding this, however, the crop will not be less than 150,000 hogsheads, and many estimate it at 180,000. The price is very low; prime quality from 4 to 4 cents, and from that down to 3 cents, according to quality."

In the American Agriculturist for December, 1844, we have the following account of an improved method of making sugar by an hydraulic press, which is said to possess some important advantages:

"Improvements in sugar making.-We find in some of the late numbers of Simmons's Colonial Magazine, that a patent has been taken out for the application of hydraulic pressure in extracting the juice from the cane. Two presses, each capable of bearing a strain of 1,400 tons, are worked alternately by one set of pumps, which pumps may be worked either by manual labor, by means of double-ended lever handles, or, where manual labor is scarce, by two mules, or a small steam engine of twohorse power. These presses are calculated to turn about 6,000 gallons of cane juice per day of ten hours, which is more than can be effected by a roller mill, even when driven by a steam engine of twelve or fourteenhorse power.

5.

"The advantages of this system of hydraulic pressure are stated to be1. The juice in the cane (generally 18 per cent. by, weight of saccharine matter) can be wholly extracted; thereby saving about 8 parts now left in the megass. 2. The juice can be rapidly filtered when cold, as discharged from the mill or hydraulic press, if by the latter it should be needful. 3. The tempering can be effected properly and uniformly. 4. The juice can be defecated promptly as it runs from the mill, hydraulic press, or filter; thereby avoiding the deteriorating effects produced by remaining in receivers. The cleansing and evaporating of the defecated liquor (rendered purer by previous operations) can be effected in steam pans, without discharging from one into the other. 6. The evaporated sirup may be decolored and filtered through animal charcoal, which can be revivified on the estate. 7. The final concentration of the sirup can be more rapidly accomplished than by the present mode, in an open pan or trench, at the low temperature of 170° to 180° Fahrenheit, or at about 80° to 100° below the usual temperature of the strike when boiled by the common method. 8. The concentrated mass can be properly crystallized and effectually cured, and the potting avoided, by the use of vessels into which the strikes are discharged consecutively; and the sugar so cured will not drain during the voyage. 9. The molasses can be converted into sugar nearly equal to that of the first production; and sugar can also be made of as good quality, in all respects, as muscovado (and by this peculiar method only) from the molasses that drains from the sugar of the second quality. 10. The megass may be used for manure, if the various operations are performed by the agency of steam. 11. The machinery, apparatus, &c., are simple in their construction and management, and much less costly than others."

In appendix No. 14 will also be found a letter from Mr. Rielleux, of New Orleans, respecting his method of manufacturing sugar, to which allusion was made in a previous report.

Maple sugar still continues to be manufactured in large quantities in many of the States; and the probability is, that it forms a considerable

portion of the supply in many towns in the States where it is usually made. It is said that not less than 10,000 tons are annually sold in the city of New York. The season, on the whole, was a more favorable one for the manufacture of this article in 1844 than in the year 1843; and, in some of the States, a large increase is noted.

In Vermont, which stands foremost among the New England States with respect to the manufacture of sugar, there is some diversity of opinion. In the county of Chittenden, it is said that "the product of maple sugar will not exceed one-half of the usual quantity, owing altogether to the unfavorable season for the manufacture of the article." It should be recollected, however, that there was a falling off, in the year 1843, of not less than 50 per cent.; so that the crop of 1844 was, no doubt, in advance of that year. The whole quantity reported for that county is 88,500 pounds; for Grand Isle, 3,600 pounds. In the other counties there was, it is thought, an increase of 50 per cent. over the crop of 1843, and 10 per cent. over that of 1842. From some of the lower counties our information is, that it is about an average quantity, being four times what was made in 1843, and equal to 1842. From all that we can gather, considering the great falling off the last year, the sugar crop of 1844, in Vermont, was at least 75 per cent. more than that of the year 1843.

New Hampshire also raises a large quantity of sugar, and this is said to be yearly increasing in quantity, and much improving in quality. The year 1843 was a very poor year; and it fell off so much that an equal advance now, as well as in Vermont, should be allowed. We have already stated, at an earlier place in this report, that the figure denoting millions in this crop in New Hampshire, was somehow dropped in 1841, and has been continued so till this time. How the mistake occurred, we have no means of knowing now; but it has been corrected in our table for 1844. We suppose the season has been equally favorable in the other New England States. In New York a similar increase must be made, as it is variously estimated, in the notices we have gathered, at from 30 to 100 per cent. increase. In Pennsylvania the crop is thought, for the most part, to have been a large advance on the crop of 1843, which suffered very greatly from the depth of snow, which prevented the manufacture.

From the Western States, with the exception of Ohio, the report respecting the sugar crop for 1844 is quite favorable, and ranges from 25 to 30 per cent. increase. In Michigan it reaches as high as 75 to 100 per cent. One young man in Kent county, it is stated, made not less than 700 pounds from 100 trees.

Some interesting statements respecting the manufacture of maple sugar will be found in appendix No. 15.

Corn-stalk sugar.-We have received a number of communications relating to this subject. A successful experiment on the manufacture of this article was made by Mr. John Beal, of New Harmony, Indiana, who obtained above 300 pounds from the quantity of stalk used-which was about at the rate of 500 pounds to the acre. Some communications on this subject may be found in appendix No. 16. In the same appendix, also, are added some other papers relating to the subject. The letter of Dr. Jackson, and one addressed to him, are important, showing that crystallization can be effected.

It is believed that the results already obtained warrant the conclusion that, as attention is more and more devoted to it, the apparent difficulties