414 MORUS ALBA. 



acconlin? to the " Xoiivcan Tonrs d'ALrriciilliiro," is apt to piodiiro loavos wliich 

 are ^^o exceedingly succulent, thul tlu-y cause the worms that Iced on them, to 

 burst. It is a valuabltj variety for poor soils, particularly in calcareous, rocky 

 situations. There is a sub-variety ot* this kind, cultivated in Francr'. under the 

 name ot" La rj^mssr Heine, with very decp-<jreen leaves, and ihiek iVuii, iiistciiu 

 of while. The eelchraled AI/iiiK Miilhernj^ also, intrcjiluccd into the rinted 

 States a few years since, from the south side of the Alps, by Mr. Samuel Whit- 

 marsh, of .M;;ssachusetts, is believed to be oidy a sub-variety of tin; Morns a. 

 macrophylla. When planted on elevated land, even when exposed to cold, dry 

 \vinds, or in a light, sandy soil, it produces a most healthy and nutritions food 

 to the worms, which produce, when fed upon its leaves, the largest quantity of 

 strong silk, of the purest and finest quality. 



2. M. A. ROMANA, Loudon. Rof/ia/i Wh'Uti-fniited Mulberry ; Muricr romnin., 

 of the French. This variety bears a close resemblance to the M. a. macrophylla. 



3. M. A. NERVOSA, Loudon. Tlticlc-nerved-leaved White-fruited Mulberry ; Mo- 

 rus nervosa (' Bon Jardinier," of 1830.) The leaves of this variety are strongly 

 marked with thick, white nerves on the under side. There is a sub-variety with 

 larger leaves, called M. a. nervosa Ion '^i folia. 



4. M. A. iTALicA, Loudon. Italian White-fruited Mulberry ; Murier ditalie., ot 

 the French ; with lobed leaves. In 1S2.5, and for a few years before and after, 

 while attempts were making to re-introduce the culture of silk into England and 

 Ireland, this variety was principally planted. 



5. M. A. ROSEA, Loudon. Rose-leaved White-fruited Mulberry or Small-leaved 

 White Mulberry ; Murier rose, Feuille rose, of the French. This tree is classi- 

 fied by M. Castelet, in his " Traite sur les Miiriers blancs," among the wild vari- 

 eties. The fruit is small, white, and insipid ; and the leaves resemble the leaflets 

 of a rose-tree, but are larger. This kind is said to produce remarkably strong 

 silk. 



6. M. A. coLUMBASSA, Loudon. Murier cohimba, of the French, having small, 

 delicate leaves, and flexible branches. It is considered the most tender of all 

 the kinds. 



7. M. A. MEiMBRANACEA, Loudon. Meinbranoiis-leaved White-fruited Mulberry ; 

 Murier a feuilles de parchemin, of the French, with large, thin, dry leaves. 



8. M. A. SINENSIS, Loudon. Chinese White-fruited Mulberry ; Murier de Chine, 

 of the French; Chinese White Mulberry, of the Anglo-Americans, having large 

 leaves, and is considered as one of the best varieties in the United States, for the 

 production of silk. 



9. M. A. PUMiLA, Loudon. Dwarf White-fruited Mulberry ; Murier nain, of 

 the French ; a shrub seldom exceeding ten feet in height. Its leaves, when 

 young, are nearly as large as those of the M. a. macrophylla. 



10. M. A. fce:\iina. Female White-fruited Mulberry ; Murier femelle, of the 

 French ; a spiny tree, classed by M. Castelet, among the wild varieties. It sends 

 forth its fruit before the leaves, which are trilobate. 



11. M. A. morettiana, Loudon. Moretti's Black-fruited White Midberry ; 

 Murier de Moretti, Murier de Dandolo, of the French ; Dandolds Mulberry, of 

 the English. This variety, the fruit of which is black, has very large, flat, deep- 

 green, shining leaves, that are thin, and perfectly smooth on both surfaces. They 

 rank high, as food for silkworms, and the silk made by the worms fed on them, 

 has a beautiful gloss, and is said to be of a finer quality than any other. It is 

 not so hardy as the Morus a. multicaulis, but is much more valuable for the pur- 

 pose of raising silk. It was brought into notice, in Italy, in 1815, by Signore 

 Moretii, professor in the university of Pavia; whence its name. It was also 

 named in honour of Count Dandolo, who has not only devoted much time to the 

 improvement of the culture of silk, but has written a work on the subject. 



