166 THE ORCHARD AND FRUIT GARDEK. 



earth, not that which is made rich with manure, unless 

 the growth becomes sluggish from old age, when top- 

 dressing witli good compost will be useful. 



It is usually propagated by cuttings or layers. The 

 old plan of using for cuttings only the young shoots, as 

 in currants, is discontinued, and truncheons of consider- 

 able size are now taken in preference, thus producing 

 bearing young trees in a much shorter time. Cuttings 

 of young shoots may be taken at the fall of the leaf. 

 Plant them in the autumn, leaving only about two buds 

 exposed. 



Large truncheons maybe cut in February : set them a 

 foot deep in the earth, and roll moss round all the portion 

 which is above ground, except the upper pair of buds. 

 This is to prevent evaporation, and the situation chosen 

 should be sheltered from direct sunshine and wind. 



For layering, shoots of the year before are used. The 

 layers may be laid down either in November or February ; 

 they may be slit or ringed, or they will root without; 

 and the young plants may be divided from the parent 

 tree at the end of one year. They should be planted 

 in the nursery for two years, trained as standards during 

 that period, and then they will be fit for their final des- 

 tination. Common grafting seldom does well, but in- 

 arching will make strong young trees in a short time. 



Seedlings may be reared as in the case of other 

 berries. 



A young tree for a standard should have a straight stem 

 without blemishes, with no more than three or four regular 

 shoots for a head. When the tree has been planted a 

 year, and has taken to the soil, cut back these shoots to 

 three or four inches, and they will each put out several 

 shoots. In August choose four of the strongest and 

 best placed, and cut out all the rest, that they may 

 grow, and ripen the extremities. The following spring 

 the head should be thinned out, leaving only the well- 

 placed shoots. The mulberry bears both on short- 

 jointed young wood and on spurs, not on gross shoots, 

 which must be thinned out and stopped, and not allowed 

 to crowd the growth of the tree. 



