408 LXVII. UETIC ACE/K. [M 



)rus. 



in the Peshawar valley and the northern part of the trans- Indus territory. Also 

 in the Panjab plains, in Kashmir and the North- West Himalaya, ascending in 

 Ladak to 11,000 ft. Likewise in Europe, Western, Central Asia, and China. 

 The home of the Black Mulberry is unknown ; it is stated to be wild in Persia 

 and Afghanistan (classic writers were familiar with the tree, which was early 

 introduced to Greece, and thence to Italy). The black is a larger tree than the 

 white Mulberry ; both are hardy in England. In Eastern Europe M. nigra is 

 more tender than M. alba. The home of the White Mulberry is probably 

 China ; it was not known to ancient writers, and was introduced into Europe in 

 the fifteenth century (Hehn Kulturpflanzen, 283). In North India the tree is 

 leafless during the cold season, the new leaves appear from the middle of Feb- 

 ruary to March or even to April there is great variation in that respect ; and 

 trees are often seen bare, while others close to them are in full leaf. Fl. March, 

 April ; the fruit ripens May, June, later of course at great elevations. Attains 

 30-40 ft., with an erect trunk 6-8 ft. girth (occasionally 10-12), one in the Salt 

 range 16 ft. Bark grey or light brown, with shallow furrows. Sap white, soft, 

 heartwood yellow, yellowish-brown or reddish-brown, With distinct annual rings, 

 which, as in the Ash, are marked by an inner belt of large pores close together, 

 forming the spring wood, the outer belt being wider, with small, scanty, but 

 uniformly distributed pores. Medullary rays numerous, showing in a vertical 

 section like narrow horizontal bands. Polishes well, and is a strong useful 

 wood, much employed for building, furniture, and agricultural implements. 

 Also used in boat-building on some of the Panjab rivers. Weight of the Euro- 

 pean wood 38-56 lb. The twigs are tough and strong, in Kashmir they are used 

 for binding loads. The leaves are largely used as fodder, particularly for sheep 

 and goats. In Kashmir the tree is important for feeding the silkworm, and the 

 felling of trees even in private gardens is prohibited. 



The chief product of this tree, however, in the Panjab, Beluchistan, and Afghan- 

 istan, is the fruit, of which there are many varieties, sweet and acid, and of all 

 shades of colour, from white to a deep blackish purple. The large white kind 

 of the Peshawar valley {Shah tut) is one of the best. The following kinds are 

 cultivated in Beluchistan, according to Stocks : Siah, colour black and white 

 mixed ; Bedana (seedless) ; Fewandi (grafted), with delicious pearly small 

 white fruit ; Shah tut (Royal Mulberry) ; Khar tut (Jackass Mulberry). It 

 remains for farther inquiry on the spot which of these varieties should be 

 classed under M. alba and nigra, and it is not impossible that it may, in 

 the Panjab and Afghanistan at least, be found impracticable to maintain the 

 distinction between the two species. In Kashmir and Afghanistan the fruit 

 furnishes a considerable portion of the food of the inhabitants in autumn, 

 and much of it is dried and preserved. 



2. M. indica, Linn. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 596. Syn. M. parvifolia, 

 Eoyle. Sans. Tula. Vern. Till, Pb. ; Tutri, N.W.P. ; Tut, Bengal. 



A deciduous shrub or small tree ; buds, stipules, and youngest leaves 

 with long hairs. Leaves pubescent when young, rough afterwards with 

 minute round raised dots, ovate, long-acuminate, sharp-serrate, often deeply 

 lobed, with 3 basal nerves, midrib penniveined, blade 2-5 in., petiole J-1J 

 in. long. Male fl. short - pedicellate, perianth - segments elliptic, hairy as 

 well as pedicel and peduncle. Female fl. : spikes short-ovoid, on slender 

 peduncles about half the length of spike ; leaves of perianth obovate, with 

 broad white edges ; styles long, hairy, connate to about one-fourth their 

 length. Fruit small, ovoid or subglobose, black when ripe. Dr Stewart 

 considered this as merely a variety of M. alba. Farther researches on the 



