126 THE GARDENER. [March 



makes sure that the water does not remain in the soil so as to make it sodden 

 or sour. 



With regard to the situation most suitable for the Mulberry, it is only- 

 necessary to say that that will depend entirely upon circumstances. In the 

 w\armer and more southern counties of England it does very well as an orchard 

 standard, but, as a rule, in the more northern counties it requires a wall ; 

 while in Scotland it is absolutely necessary not only to place it on a wall, 

 but also to give it a southern exposure if the fruit is wanted in perfection. 

 In some cases it is also desirable to assist the ripening of the wood with a 

 little fire-heat, as we find that, placed in similar circumstances with the Peach, 

 it requires much the same position, and the same treatment with regard to the 

 ripening of the wood and the buds. Here, in one of the worst counties of 

 Scotland, we have it planted both as a standard and as a wall-tree, and we 

 only can get first-class fruit by assisting, not only the ripening of the wood, 

 but also the fruit itself. For this purpose we apply a little fire -heat about 

 the beginning of September when the fruit begins to colour; and from that 

 time till the middle, and sometimes the end, of October, we have a regular 

 supply of first - rate fruit. It is very different, however, with the standard ; 

 for although it yearly produces a regular crop of fruit, these invariably do not 

 attain to more than half-size, are of a reddish-pink colour, as sour as vinegar, 

 and drop off. Those, therefore, who wish to grow the Mulberry to perfection, 

 must be guided by circumstances with regard to the position it is to occupy. 



The next thing for consideration is the mode of training to be adopted. Of 

 course if it is to be a standard, all that will be necessary is to form a leader, 

 which, after it has attained the desired height, may be cut to encourage the 

 formation of side-branches, to make the tree. After the tree has begun to take 

 a form, all that will be necessary will be to regulate the branches to prevent 

 overcrowding — no stopping or pinching of any sort being required. In the 

 case of a tree for the wall, the horizontal mode of training is the best and 

 most suitable. Like the Peach, it produces fruit upon the wood of the former 

 year, and, like the Apple and Pear, upon spurs formed upon the older wood. 

 In cutting the shoots along the main branches at the pruning season, 2 or 3 

 inches of wood may be left the first season, which, in the course of a few 

 years, will form a regular fruit - bearing spur. This may appear to some a 

 rather rough-and-ready way of obtaining a spur, but we find that, if a short 

 spur only is left, there are small chances of it soon producing flower - buds. 

 As already hinted, the leader should in no case be cut back, more especially 

 in an old abundant - bearing tree, as very often the greater part of the buds 

 upon the shoot may prove to be flower-buds. 



In a former part of this paper we have said that the Mulberry often proves 

 very obstinate in producing fruit until such time as it has arrived at a certain 

 stage of its existence. This has been attributed to various causes, amongst 

 others to over-luxuriance. "Whether or not this be the primary cause we can- 

 not tell, but the more immediate cause of it is the production of male flowers 

 and the total want of female ones. The Mulberry being monoecious — that is, 

 producing the male and female on the same tree, yet in different flowers — it 

 is very obvious that if only the one sex be produced the tree will be 

 barren. Those whose botanical knowledge is not capable of distinguishing the 

 sexes in the flower, can easily understand whether or not this be the case by 

 attending to the following : If at the flowering-season all the flowers drop, and 

 none remain to swell into fruit, then the cause is the want of female blossoms; 

 if on the other hand, a portion of them remain till half swollen, and then 



