No. 105.] 135 



They are now propagating this variety very extensively at the 

 silk growing establishment at Economy, Pa., which, in connexion 

 with the morus multicaulis constitute the principal food used at that 

 establishment. 



The fruit should be gathered when fully ripe, and the seed washed 

 out and dried. If south of the 39th parallel of latitude they may be 

 planted the same season. North of this they should be planted in the 

 following spring, in a bed of rich earth, prepared as for beets or car- 

 rots, and planted in drills of about eighteen inches apart. The young 

 plants should be thinned out to the distance of from one to three 

 inches from each other. They should be well cultivated when they 

 will attain the height of three or four feet the first season. In the 

 fall in a northern climate, the young trees should be taken up and 

 protected during the winter, as directed for morus multicaulis. In 

 the following spring, the branches may be taken off near the main 

 stem, the top shortened, and the whole tree planted, completely cov- 

 ering the roots, and the stem from one to two inches deep. In this 

 way two or more trees may be produced from each plant. 



If a full supply cannot be procured, the roots of the young plants 

 may at once be removed to the orchard. They may be allowed to 

 stand nearer than the morus multicaulis, leaving only a sufficien; 

 room for cultivation. 



When seeds are required, it would be well to plant out a portion 

 from the seed bed at once, as standards for this purpose, always se- 

 lecting those hearing full heart-shaped leaves. 



The leaves of the white Italian produce a good heavy cocoon and 

 should always be used in the last age of the worms, when other 

 larger leaved varieties cannot be obtained. 



Cultivation. — The mulbery orchard should be annually cultiva- 

 ted ; the ground kept mellow and free from weeds until the middle 

 of July. The fields should be divided into three equal parts, and af- 

 ter the stco7id season from planting, and one third each year should 

 be cut down near the ground. This will cause a more vigorous 

 growth and an abundant crop of foliage. 



Feeding Apartments. — ^Various plans have been proposed and 

 adopted for cocooneries or feeding sheds, for the silk worm. None 

 of which, I think, are without objection, except a perfect laboratory, 

 so constructed as to be able to filly control the atmosphere and tempe- 



