THE MULBERRY. 263 



propagated. A cutting from a tree which has borne 

 fruit will soon become a vigorous plant. It is re- 

 corded that, at Bruce Castle, at Tottenham, an im 

 mense branch being torn off by the wind from an 

 old mulberry-tree, about forty years ago, the branch 

 was thrust into the ground, and flourished. It is 

 now a handsome tree. That part of the trunk of the 

 old tree which lost the branch is covered with lead. 

 But at the same time the mulberry has been also re- 

 markable for not producing fruit till the trees have 

 acquired a considerable age; and this circumstance 

 has materially affected its cultivation as a fruit tree. 

 The same objection has applied to the walnut. 

 Recent experiments, however, have shewn that, by 

 proper culture, both the mulberry and the walnut 

 may be made to produce fruit at three years old. 



A particular description of the mulberry as a tim- 

 ber tree has been already given,* and its important 

 services to the arts in the rearing of silk-worms has 

 also been noticed. The sort principally cultivated 

 for fruit is the black mulberry (Morus nigra], al- 

 though the fruit of the white, Tartarian, red, and 

 Pensylvanian species (of the white particularly) " are 

 of sufficient consequence to merit a place in a list of 

 edible fruits. "f The black mulberry is a hardy tree; 

 and, as the berries are abundant, and of very whole- 

 some quality, while the wood makes excellent timber, 

 and the leaves are adapted for the feeding of -silk- 

 worms as well as those of the white mulberry, it de- 

 serves more attention than it generally receives. 



The mulberry is the latest tree to put forth its 

 leaves; and it drops every leaf on the first night of 

 severe frost. Some trials have been made of mul- 

 berries [trained against a south wall, and the result 

 has been a great improvement in the fruit. 



* Timber Trees, p. 141. 

 t Horticultural Society's Fruit Catalogue. 



