Mulberries. 317 



The Kussian mulberry lias been allowed by some land offices as 

 a tiinber tree under the timber claim law. 



But the chief merit of the Kussian mulberry appeaim to be its 

 value as a hedge plant in cold regions. Mr. Kosenberger of 

 Nebraska makes the following note of it in a recent issue of 

 American G^ardening: "The Russian mulberry does not make a 

 serviceable hedge to tui'n stock, but for an ornamental hedge there 

 is nothing that I know of equal to it, at least for the west and 

 northwest. It endures the extremes of climate better than any 

 other plant or tree suitable for hedge purposes." This note is 

 accompanied by an engraving, which is borrowed for this occa- 

 sion, of a Russian mulberry hedge in Nebraska. Mr. G. J. Car- 

 penter, secretary of the Nebraska State Horticultural Society and 

 a prominent nurseryman, write me as follows upon this point : 

 "Russian mulberry hedges are found in nearly every town in 

 Nebraska. It makes one of the finest ornamental hedges. The 

 Mennonites, when they came to this country, planted a great 

 many of them and used them to spread their clothing on to dry, 

 and some of these hedges are twelve and fifteen years 

 old and in good condition yet^ There are some very fine hedges in 

 the western part of the State, west of the 100 meridian, that have 

 been out for over eight years, and th.ey are a& pei-fect as any 

 hedge can i>ossibly be. 



I think tlha/t the Russian mulbeiTy possesses considerable merit 

 as a small ornamental tree and for tbe purpose of making low 

 screens or shelter belts in the east. It is now largely usied as a 

 stock upon which to graft the named varieties of mulberry. 



The named varieties or seedlings of the Russian type, are three : 



Victoria. — Originated in 188-3, from seed of the Russian mul- 

 berry, by Gr. Onderdonk, of southern Texas. It is a tall and upright 

 grower, bearing large sweet black fruit, which ils in season for 

 several weeks. 



Mr. Onderdonlc writes me as follows, oonoeming it: "I named 

 the Victoria after our county. It 'is proving itself of excellent 

 quality, and is enormously productive. The more I see of it the 

 more I am convinced that its dissemination is not a mistake. It 



