M O R 



M O R 



nients, erect, longer than the calyx, one within 

 each calycine leaf: anthers simple: female 

 flowers heaped either on the same, or a different 

 individual from the males: the calyx a four- 

 leaved perianthium : leaflets roundish, blunt, 

 permanent, the two opposite outer ones incum- 

 bent : there is no corolla : the pistillum is a cor- 

 date germ : styles two, awl-shaped, long, reflex, 

 rugged : stigmas simple : there is no pericar- 

 pium : calyx very large, fleshy, become suc- 

 culent, like a berry : the seed single, ovate, acute. 



The species cultivated are: 1. M. nigra, 

 Common Mulberry Tree : 2. M. allu, White 

 Mulberry Tree ; 3. M. papyri [era, Paper Mul- 

 berry Tree : 4. M. rubra, Red Mulberry Tree; 

 5. M. indica, Indian Mulberry ; G. M. tincto- 

 ria, Dyer's Mulberry or Fustick-wood. 



The. first differs from the second sort, accord- 

 ing to Linnaeus, in having the leaves subquin- 

 quelobate, bluntish, and rugged, undivided and 

 shining; the fructification of the second dioe- 

 cious, of this monoecious. These distinctions 

 are not however exact, as this is a larger, stronger 

 tree; and the fruit is dark blackish red and more 

 acid. According to Miller, it has generally male 

 flowers or catkins on the same tree w ith the fruit, 

 but it often happens that some of the trees which 

 are raised from seeds have mostly male flowers 

 and produce no fruit ; and he has observed 

 some trees which produced only catkins for ma- 

 ny years after they were planted, and afterwards 

 have become fruitful. "This," Martyn says, 

 " agrees with a general remark that he has made 

 on monoecious trees, that whilst they are young 

 they bear male flowers chiefly and very little 

 fruit." Trees of this sort of a certain age are 

 not only more fruitful than young ones, but 

 their fruit is much larger and better flavoured. 

 It grows naturally in Persia; whence introduced 

 into Europe. 



This is the sort usually cultivated as a fruit- 

 tree in the garden. 



There is a variety with palmate or elegantly 

 cut leaves and a smaller fruit. 



The second species is a middle-sized tree, with 

 a whitish bark, of which a coarse sort of paper 

 may be made, and spreading branches: the 

 leaves arc broad-lanceolate, obliquely cordate, 

 subscrrate, undivided, or three-lobed, some cut, 

 smooth, petioled, scattered : the berries lateral, 

 iuicy, insipid, pale, oblong. It is a native of 

 China, &e. flowering in June. 



Miller observes that there are two or three va- 

 rieties of this tree, which differ in the shape of 

 their leaves, and in the size and colour of the 

 fruit ; but as it is of no other use but for the 

 leaves, the strongest-shooting and the largcst- 

 laeved should be preferred. 

 3 



This sort is commonly cultivated for its leaves 

 to feed silk -worms in France, Italy, &c; and in 

 Spain, according to Mr. Townsend, they prefer 

 the White Mulberry in Valencia, and the Black 

 in Granada. But the Persians generally make 

 use of the latter; and Mr. Miller was assured by 

 a gentleman who had made trial of both sorts of 

 leaves, that the worms ted with the latter pro- 

 duced much the best silk ; but that the leaves of 

 the black should never be given to the worms 

 after they have eaten for some time of the white, 

 lest they should burst. And Sir George Staunton 

 states, that the tender leaves growing on the 

 young shoots of the black sort are supposed in 

 China to- he the most succulent or juicy. 



The third is a tree which makes very strong 

 vigorous shoots, but seems not to be of tall 

 growth, as it sends out many lateral branches 

 from the root upwards. The leaves are large, 

 some of them entire, others deeply cut into 

 three or five lobes, especially whilst the trees are 

 young ; they are dark green and rough to the 

 touch on the upper surface, but pale green and 

 somewhat hairy on the under side, falling off on 

 the first approach of frost in autumn. The fruit 

 is little larger than peas, surrounded with lonf 

 purple hairs, when ripe changing to a black-pur- 

 ple colour, and full of sweet juice. It is a na- 

 tive of Japan and the South Sea islands. 



The fourth species, which is the Virginian Red 

 or Large-leaved Mulberry Tree with black shoots, 

 grows to the height of thirty or forty feet in its 

 native situation, sending forth many large 

 branches. The leaves are not only larger but rougher 

 than those of the common Mulberry, though 

 in other respects they somewhat resemble them. 

 It produces plenty of catkins, in shape like those 

 of the Birch, and it has a dark reddish fruit. It 

 is a native of Virginia and Carolina. 



The fifth is a large tree, with a soft, thick, 

 yellowish bark, and a milky juice like the Fig, 

 which is astringent. The branches come out on 

 every side. The leaves are on short footstalks, 

 rough, dark green above, pale underneath, al- 

 ternate. The flowers in round heads, at the 

 footstalks of the leaves, on each side the 

 branches, of an herbaceous white colour : the 

 fruit roundish, first green, then white, and fi- 

 nally dark red. According to Miller it is a mo- 

 noecious tree, but Linnaeus suspects it to be di- 

 oecious. It is a native of the East Indies. 



The sixth species is a tall branching tree with 

 a fine head, the whole abounding in a slightly 

 glutinous milk of a sulphureous colour: the 

 timber is yellow, and is used in dveing : the 

 spines awl-shaped, solitary, few; entire branches 

 are frequently without any : the leaves acuminate, 

 serrate, smooth on both sides, veined, distichous, 



