CULTIVATION OF THE MULBERRY. 49 



METHOD FOR SOWING MULBERRIES, 



The seed of the mulberry must be sown in the fourth 

 month. Small beds must be spaded up, with a southwest- 

 ern aspect, and rotten manure, mixed with earth, must be 

 spread on them, then raked smooth and watered, in order 

 that the earth may be well saturated ; afterwards mulberry 

 seed must be sown. Some persons mix and sow them with 

 an equal quantity of millet seed. The seed being well 

 moistened arid softened with water will not be long in 

 germinating ; and they will be soon sheltered from the 

 rays of the sun. Some cultivators sow hemp seed in ad- 

 vance, south and west of the squares. The young mul- 

 berry trees are soon shaded by the hemp, and are thus 

 sheltered from the summer sun. When they have attained 

 the height of two or three inches, they must be watered in 

 dry weather. If the seed has not been sown with millet, 

 a small roof covered with mats may be constructed above 

 the plants. The mats can be spread during the day, and 

 rolled up at night. When the extreme heat has passed, it 

 is no longer necessary to shelter the young plants. 



After the tenth month, (November,) the mulberry plants 

 and the stalks of the millet must be cut even with the ground; 

 then, at a favorable time they are to be burned over, and af- 

 terwards the ashes covered with manure. 



ANOTHER METHOD. 



( Wou-pen-sin-chou.) 



In well cultivated ground, a bed of millet must be weed- 

 ed with care ; a large straw rope must be taken, and a 

 piece cut off, soak the two ends, (two or three inches of 



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