THE WHITE MULBERRY ] 157 



binding up dry branches in bundles for firewood, to 

 besmear thickly this cordage with ripe mulberry fruits 

 squeezed to a pulp, and to "sow" by burying this cordage 

 in parallel lines about 10 c.m. apart, in seed beds pre- 

 pared as above stated. The cords should be just 

 covered with soil, because if buried too deep the seed 

 will not germinate. The seed beds should be weeded 

 frequently, and watered regularly in dry weather. 



In a year the seedlings will be strong enough to be 

 planted out separately in nursery beds, about half a 

 metre apart. This operation is best performed towards 

 the close of winter, and in two years the seedlings if 

 encouraged to grow straight and tall by good cultivation 

 will be about 2 metres in height and strong enough to be 

 budded if required. Trees meant for the production of 

 fruit should be always budded either with the large 

 white variety or with the pink one, which are the best 

 two edible forms in cultivation ; but if intended for the 

 silkworm industry, it is not necessary to bud them, or 

 may be budded with the male form, which as it produces 

 no fruit is more vigorous and gives a better yield in 

 foliage. Seedling mulberries occasionally produce very 

 good fruit, some varieties being almost as large and as 

 dark coloured as the black mulberry, but they are 

 generally tasteless and cannot compare in flavour with 

 the two cultivated forms above mentioned. Budding is 

 performed at any time from March to September, and 

 the stock may be budded indifferently either close to the 

 ground or as standards i to 2 metres high. Grafting 

 gives also good results, but as in the case of the fig tree, 

 it is not favoured by our gardeners. The operation of 

 grafting is best performed towards the close of February 

 or early in March, just when the buds are about to swell. 



The white mulberry is rarely propagated by cuttings, 

 chiefly for the reason that the cuttings do not strike very 

 readily, and also because seedlings grow as quickly as 

 cuttings, and give much less trouble. It is possible to 



