Oc^. 2, 1908.] Agricidtural Gazette of N.S.W. 795 



Neither here nor in tlie United States has the silkwoiiii industry attained 

 commercial importance. The subject comes into the (hjniain of the Entomo- 

 logist, and there is a voluminous literature, even in Australia, concerning it. 

 Several articles will he found in back numbers of this Gazette,. The United 

 States Department of Ai^ricultui-e has published a useful "Farmer's Bulletin" 

 No. 165, on "Silkworm Culture," by Miss Henrietta Aiken Kelly, Special 

 Agent in Silk Investigations, Division of Entomology. This lady studied the 

 subject in France and Italy for a number of years. 



Most works on Sericulture also contain references to the cultivation of the 

 White Mulberry, so there is no tlitticulty in obtaining access to literature. 



Bulletin No. 34 of the Bureau of Plant Industry of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, by George W. Oliver, i.s valuable. See also 

 Mueller's " Select extratropical plants.'' 



The White Mulberry is very hardy, standing much drought, is readily grown,, 

 both by seeds and cuttings, and although it seems a fp.r cry for Australia to. 

 compete with the highly trained technical labour of Fi-ance and Italy, poorly 

 paid according to Australian standards, my view is that, in the course of 

 years, practically every industry dependent on the cultivation of plants wil- 

 be undertaken in this country of broad acres and many climates. So that 

 the White Mulberry, one of the important trees of the world, is one whose 

 cultivation should be undertak^-n (on a limited scale at present) in every 

 district in which it can be persuaded to flourish. Then, when the right seri- 

 culturists come along (and sericulture will probably be a " petit culture " in 

 Australia for many years, an adjunct to the farm, for the young people, and 

 those in feeble health) we shall not be confronted at the threshold with the 

 statement that an all-essential factor — food for the silkworms — is not 

 available. 



L 15 a. 



There is a variety (var. tatarica, Loudon,- -J/, tutarica, L.) of the White 

 Mulberry, known as the " Russian Mulberry," and Circular No. 83 of the 

 U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (Forest Planting Leaflet) deals with this plant. 

 See also L. H. Bailey, Bulletin No. 46, Cornell. Univ. Agric. Expt. Station. 



It is low and bushy, is a very hardy variety, and was introduced into the 

 United States by the Prussian Meimonites about 1875. "It will endure 

 almost any amount of drought and neglect." It is common now in the 

 Middle West United States. 



It is stated that its wood is valuable, but I do not attach too much im- 

 portance to that so far as New South AVales is concerned. It is certainly a 

 valuable subsidiary silkworm plant, it is useful as a wind-break, and it 

 promises to do well in bleak, cold, arid country. 



It does not appear to have been introduced into New South Wales, but I 

 am taking steps to rectify the omission. 



2. M. nigra, L. "The Black Mulberry tree." See t. 229, in Bentley and 

 Trimen's "Medicinal Plants." Native of south-western Russia and Persia. 



This is the tree which produces the luscious mulberries so much esteemed 

 by many. It has large, coarse foliage, and given low-lying, damp situations, 



