PLANTATIONS OF MULBERRY TREES. 51 



far asunder, are not so highly recommended for us ; 

 trees so remotely dispersed are liable to be neglected. 

 Their complete formation is necessarily the work of 

 years, requiring not only a considerable capital, but 

 much patience and a prolonged outlay. Trees of enor- 

 mous size are more difficult of management and of ac- 

 cess, as recourse must be had to long ladders, or to 

 climbing, which is liable to inflict injurious bruises. 

 Time is also wasted in gathering the leaves, and they 

 are seldom gathered .completely and regularly; and ma- 

 ny years must elapse before the ground can be com- 

 pletely occupied and covered with their shade. 



Standard trees may however be set in lanes and other 

 bye-places, on commons, and on land so completely cov- 

 ered with rocks that no profitable cultivation can be ef- 

 fected by the plough ; or on the steep and precipitous 

 acclivities of hills. Mr. Wilder has stated it as a fact 

 well understood in France, that mulberry trees thus sit- 

 uated, improve rather than diminish the pasture beneath 

 their shade, inasmuch as they protect from the rays of 

 the scorching sun. On low ground they may be set 20 

 feet asunder, and but 12 feet asunder on high grounds, 

 and in any situations. But if mulberry trees are set on 

 the borders of great roads, the dust with which they 

 will be covered is injurious to the silk-worms, and must 

 be first separated from the leaf by washing. 



Standard mulberry trees may be set on the northern 

 and other cold quarters, as a protection to the planta- 

 tions of hedges or dwarf trees. 



It has also been recommended to enclose the planta- 

 tions of the mulberry of every description with close 

 hedge to serve as a fence. 



In India and other warm countries, the seed is some- 

 times scattered broadcast, or sown in rows, and the 

 plants are cropped early in the first year, and when the 

 season is wet they will start afresh, yielding a second 

 crop of leaves. But continual close cropping will in 

 time destroy, and these are renewed from the seeds by 

 continual sowing. 



