128 



TREES GROWING IN MOIST SOIL. 



cheap kind of furniture is made. Celtis is the ancient name of 

 the Greeks for the lotus. 



RED riULBERRY. (Plate LX.) 



Mbrus rubra. 



FAMILY SHAPE HEIGHT RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Mulberry. Head, round, dense; 15-60 feet. Western Neiu England, Aprils May. 

 branches, spreading. southward and 



westward. 



Bark : greyish brown ; rough and separating into plates. Leaves: three to 

 seven inches long; simple; alternate; ovate; approaching orbicular, with 

 pointed apex and rather cordate base; or frequently occurring with unequal 

 lobes at the sides when the sinuses are rounded; coarsely serrate; thin ; yellow- 

 green and rough on the upper surface when young, becoming dark bluish green 

 and smooth; paler and downy or smooth below. Ribs: whitish and distinct. 

 Flowers: growing in axillary, catkin-like spikes; either dioecious or monoecious, 

 usually the latter. Fruit: similar in appearance to a long, wild blackberry; red, 

 turning when ripe to a rich, dark purple ; edible ; sweet. 



A homely barnyard scene, 

 where chickens and pigs rove 

 about at will and a lordly tur- 

 key gobbler exercises a sur- 

 veillance over all, is hardly 

 complete without the shade of 

 a red mulberry tree. No doubt 

 it has been planted there by the 

 farmer or his predecessor who 

 knew that its juicy fruit would 

 fatten his hogs and nourish 

 well his poultry. The flavour 

 is a trifle insipid, but these ani- 

 mals are not over discriminating and root and scratch under 

 the tree when the berries are falling until the ground is often 

 stained to the same deep, blood hue. The juice of the tree 

 itself is milky. Horticulturists have paid little attention to 

 Morus rubra as a fruit tree although it would seem as though 

 it had possibilities for a better development. The tree is very 

 ornamental. In early summer the green of its leaves is par- 

 ticularly enchanting and can hardly fail to attract the attention 



Mbrus rubra. 



