THE WHITE MULBERRY ] 161 



stem may be pollarded at i^ metres from the ground, 

 making a slanting cut to cause the rain water to run 

 off easily, and the wound should be thickly painted 

 with tar as a preventive against canker. 



CULTIVATION. The mulberry is as easily cultivated 

 as the fig tree. The ground is tilled twice or thrice 

 during the wet season to keep down weeds. Where the 

 land is cropped regularly, the mulberry will be benefited 

 by the fertilizers used for the crops, but special 

 manuring is not needed, at least not oftener than once 

 in eight years, and then the expense is recouped by 

 a better yield of field crops. Pruning should consist 

 in the removal of dead wood and of superfluous branches 

 and twigs, at the same time keeping the tree in shape, 

 and in case of trees meant for the production of foliage, 

 preventing them from outgrowing the limit of height 

 beyond which the picking of leaves becomes difficult 

 and expensive. The weeping mulberry is pruned hard 

 back every year, otherwise the branches will soon touch 

 the ground, with the result that the leaves may become 

 soiled and unfit for the silkworm. As a rule heavy 

 pruning and shortening of the twigs to three or four 

 buds, may be performed every second or third year 

 with a view to increase the vigour of the tree, and 

 the production of foliage and to improve its quality 

 as well as to keep the trees within the prescribed 

 height. Trees meant for the production of fruit should 

 be pruned only sparingly, as otherwise very few fruits 

 are produced, the fruit buds being produced almost 

 exclusively towards the extremity of the twig. However, 

 it is generally admitted that the foliage of small twigs 

 produces silk of finer quality than foliage taken from 

 vigorous shoots which are making fast growth. 



The mulberry is best transplanted from the nursery 

 to its final destination when its stem is about 3 c.m. 

 in diameter, but younger trees as well as older trees 



ii 



