9 o THE BOOK OF PEARS AND PLUMS 



back to an outer eye. If you plant late, don't prune 

 until the following winter. The first branches if cut back 

 to three or four inches will probably throw out strong 

 shoots. In August choose four of the best placed and 

 strongest of these, cutting out the rest that those left 

 may grow and the wood be ripened. The tree bears on 

 short-jointed young wood, and on spurs, not on gross 

 shoots. Keep the tree open, especially the middle, re- 

 moving weak, watery spray, and train the shoots upwards. 

 It will be a pleasure to go under the tree in time and 

 enjoy its shade. The sun and air must have free access 

 if the fruit is to ripen. Sometimes the berries fall 

 prematurely. Drought or want of food may be the 

 cause. Liquid manure in summer as the fruit comes on, 

 and the artificial manures recommended for all fruit 

 trees (see pears) will be helpful. In the winter-pruning, 

 cut out all cross boughs, beginning from below, so as 

 not to tear the bark. Check only branches that are 

 rampant and running away from others. Keep the tree 

 as uniformly round as you can. When the tree has (in 

 four or five years) gained size and fruits well, grass 

 may be grown around the tree, but it should be kept 

 closely mown, especially when the fruit is ripening. 

 All coarse grasses should be spudded out. If the fruit 

 were thinned and the tree well fed, no doubt the berries 

 would be finer. In any case feed well in July. The 

 fruit is not very marketable, as it does not travel well, 

 nor last long. But in cider counties it is sometimes 

 mixed with apples, to make mulberry cider. The trees 

 bear forcing in pots, and give good fruit in July. They 

 will bear a high temperature. The fruit mixed with 

 apples in a tart or pudding is described as " delicious." 

 If it is gathered perfectly dry, it can be used to make a 

 jelly in a similar manner to red currant jelly, and used 

 for light puddings, etc. Mulberry syrup is said to be 

 good for sore throat ; mulberry water to be refreshing 



