60 CULTIVATION OF THE MULBERRY. 



each end,) in flour diluted with water ; or, what is still 

 better, water in which rice has been boiled. In the cen- 

 tre of each end of the rope, ten mulberry seed must be in- 

 serted ; afterwards the rope must be laid down in the mid- 

 dle of a furrow dug in the millet bed. The two ends of the 

 rope must be compressed and covered with clods of earth, 

 then a light covering of earth must be spread upon the inter- 

 medial part of the rope. One or two yards farther, another 

 piece of the straw rope must be laid down, continuing to 

 dispose of the pieces of rope in regular lines, in the whole 

 extent of the millet bed. It will be proper to water it after 

 a dry spell of weather. The tenth month the millet and 

 mulberries ought to be cut and burnt upon the place, and 

 the ashes covered over with manure, as we said before. In 

 the Winter and Spring they must be covered with snow, 

 that has been strewn with manure. Before or after the 

 period called Thsing-ming, (the fifth of April,) the manure 

 should be swept away. 



During rainy weather the mulberry trees must be trans- 

 planted to proper distances from one another, as they were 

 sowed in the squares. This method saves much trouble to 

 the cultivator ; and powerfully favors the growth of the 

 mulberry trees, which, by this means, gain two years over 

 the others. 



If a person has any seed from the preceding year, it must 

 be sown in the Spring, which is much better ; but afterwards 

 a small wall must be raised to protect the young plants. 



Some persons fear giving themselves too much trouble 

 and embarrassment in making use of the straw ropes. They 

 mix an equal quantity of mulberry and millet seed, and sow 

 it in the half of a gourd. They* place it in a quarter of the 

 field that is cleared with care. 



If dry weather is feared, a bed of the millet must be cho- 



