36 CULTIVATION OF THE MULBERRY. 



plough broken- In the places where the plough has not 

 passed, the soil must be turned over with a spade, the strag- 

 gling roots cut even with the ground, and the soil enriched 

 with the dung of the silk worm. 



First sow the seed ; then plant the cuttings. The third 

 operation consists in arranging the mulberry trees in the 

 nursery. [Same work.]- 



The twelfth month, (January,) is the most proper month 

 for the pruning of the mulberry trees. The first month, 

 (February,) is not so good ; the second month still less so. 

 In general, when there are many mulberry trees, they ought 

 to be pruned largely ; when there are but few, they ought 

 to be cut with a great deal of discretion. 



The seed of the mulberries, before being sown, must be 

 washed with care, and dried in the sun, and then sown in 

 well cultivated ground. [7\hong-chou-chou.'] 



Instead of sowing the seed, to obtain mulberry trees, we 

 think it better to lay the branches along the ground, and 

 to transplant the twigs, when they have taken root. 



The following is the mode of propagating mulberry trees 

 in Tche-kiang. They strip a branch of its leaves and plant 

 it in the ground ; that operation is called ki&sang* Then 

 the head is again covered (the superior extremity of the 

 slip of a tree) with a shell, for fear the rain, of the third 

 month, might injure the bark. After the second year, these 

 slips are strong and vigorous. 



The nursery beds of mulberry trees must not be spaded 

 in the middle of the day. [ Tchong-chou-chou.~\ 



When the time for sowing has come, the seed must be 

 mixed with some ashes from the branches of the mulberry 

 trees, and they must be soaked to make them soft. The 



