259 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 5 



equal capability of enduring cold and frost, but 

 from the number, quality, and size of the leaf 

 Although not so large as the Manilla leaf, yet a 

 leaf of the same size, is considered much hea- 

 vier than the Manilla— some say double the 

 weight. 



I have cocoons in possession, made by worms 

 which were fed exclusively on the tbiiage of the 

 white mulberry; and another parcel fed exclu- 

 eivelyupon the tbiiage of the Canton. The lat- 

 ter have a lustre and brilliancy far surpassing the 

 former; and the difference is nearly as great as 

 between the Merino and wool of native sheep. 



It is the opinion of horticulturists and those best 

 acquainted with the propagation of trees or plants 

 from seeds, that trees from seed withstand the se- 

 verity of climate better than trees propagated by 

 any other mode. 



Another circumstance occurred last autumn, 

 in favor of the Canton: I had the Canton and 

 Manilla trees, and another kind, called the ^.si- 

 atic seedling, growing side-by-side in my garden, 

 each having the same exposure to an untimely 

 and severe frost, when the Manilla was much in- 

 jured, the Canton and Asiatic escaped unhurt; 

 and two other kinds, called the Chinese and Smyr- 

 na, were uninjured. 



These seedlings, we hope, will be a most valu- 

 able acquisition to the list ol mulberries adapted 

 to the feeding of worms, and enduring the cold 

 and frost; nevertheless, great caution is necessary 

 in the use of imported seed; for instance, seed 

 grown upon the multicaulis tree, will not produce 

 a plant like the original tree; at least, it has so 

 proved under my observation. The leaf is differ- 

 ent in shape, and not one-fourth so large as the 

 original; neither do the seeds produce trees which 

 furnish a uniform leaf in shape or size. There is 

 often deception in seed procured at foreign seed- 

 stores; sometimes the vitality of the seed is de- 

 stroyed, or otherwise injured by neglect. For 

 these and other reasons which might be offered, 

 purchasers of seed have been disappointed, and 

 the mulberry cause injured; because they have 

 expected too much, or that, by the seed of a cer- 

 tain name, they should obtain the genuine tree. 

 The peach, apple, and some other trees, from seed 

 or stone fruit, when planted, produce a great va- 

 riety; perhaps not one seed in a thousand shall 

 produce a tree, in all respects, like the original. It 

 is advisable to have no dependence on the seed, 

 but to procure trees which have developed the 

 true character. 



Having mentioned the Canton mulberry as first 

 on the list, yet some, who do not know the Can- 

 ton, would have the Manilla stand at the head of 

 the list of the most valuable mulberries. The 

 jisiatic and Chinese may be the next best, on ac- 

 count of their capability of enduring cold and 

 frost; the leaf of which, in shape, resembles the 

 Canton, but not so large; each of which, howe- 

 ver, on account of the numerous buds on the 

 stalks, may produce as much weight of foliage, 

 and of as good quality, as the Manilla multicau- 

 lis of the same age. But should the Manilla 

 multicaulis utterly fail of acclimation in this lati- 

 tude, resort may be had to the Canton, jlsiatic, 

 Chinese, and some others which have been pro- 

 pagated from the seed, and give fair promise of 

 adaptation to this climate. 



In a more favored clime, the last year, these 



trees attained a much greater height and larger 

 leaf, than in this place. 



4. Respecting the 6cs<jno(Ze of cultivation, s<r//j- 

 ping, value, expense, and profit, of an acre of mul- 

 berry, I shall not only communicate my own ex- 

 perience, but that of the most skilful cultivators 

 in this region. 



In this climate, the culture, setting out mulber- 

 ry roots, or cuttings, commences at the usual time 

 of making our gardens, after the spring frosts, 

 and when the earth has been suitably warmed by 

 the sun — last April or beginning of May; and. 

 soon as the foliage has grown to the size of an 

 apple-leaf, or the full size of the white mulberry 

 leaf, (about the loth or 20th of June.) the eggs 

 may be brought out for hatching; and, if they 

 can be kept back, so as to be hatched at different 

 times, as the foliage multiplies, the cuhivator will 

 have the advantage of several crops in succession 

 from the same lot of eggs — a much better waj' 

 than to breed tn-and-m, as it is called. Eggs 

 may be preserved during winter in a coo! place; 

 freezing does not injure them; but before spring, 

 they should be secured in glass bottles corked 

 tight, to exclude the external air, and each bottle 

 of eggs put into an ice-house, placed on a cake of 

 ice; if set upon a shelf, they would hatch, even in 

 an ice-house. Eggs thus secured, may be kept 

 back, save much labor, time, and expense. As 

 one class of worms are advanced, another can 

 succeed them on the same shelves or hurdles. In 

 this way, the same number of trees would feed 

 double the usual quantity of worms. 



In gatherinn; the foliage, the buds must not be 

 injured, nor the extreme ends of the limbs de- 

 prived of the leaves, leaving two or three leaves 

 at the end untouched; commencing on one side 

 of the field, and when once gone over, there will 

 be a new crop of leaves ready at the place of be- 

 ginning ; and thus the foliage may be gathered 

 several times from the same shrub or tree, whe- 

 ther the product of a root or cutting. I had roots 

 and cuttings set out last spring, the foliage of 

 which was gathered three or four times from the 

 same trees, without injury; indeed the trees ap- 

 parently grow better by having the leaves taken 

 off so frequently, always leaving the buds unin- 

 jured, and the extreme ends of the branches with- 

 out stripping. Instead of stripping the leaves, 

 each leaf should be taken separate ; if the bud 

 should be injured, it would be spoiled for a cut- 

 ting, or even foliage. Frequent defoliation of the 

 mulberry does not injure it, although such treat- 

 ment would spoil some other trees. 



When trees are started from cuttings, it will 

 often be found that a shoot will grow several 

 inches before there is any root formed; in this case 

 the support is derived from the atmosphere, in- 

 stead of any assistance from the root, as is usual 

 with other trees. 



Vegetables of rapid growth are said to perspire 

 their weight in twenty-lour hours; this rapid eva- 

 poration or perspiration will account for so many 

 cuttings failing to become trees; the leaves be- 

 come "discolored, wilt, and the plant is ruined. 

 But to avoid this, let the cuttings be watered in 

 dry weather, and take off the leaves until roots 

 shall be formed. 



Respecting the cultivation, the earth may be 

 stirred or the trees hoed so frequently as to pre- 

 vent the weeds growing; but not after the first of 



