394 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JUNE IS, 1S34. 



The Morus Multicaulis appeal's to have origina- i 

 ted in the elevated regions of China, from whence 

 it has heen disseminated throughout the low plains 



near the sea-shore. Among the number of Mul- 

 berries cultivated by the Chinese, for the nourish- 

 ment of silk worms, the Morns Multicaulis ap- 

 pears to he the most esteemed of all, not otdy for 

 the facility with which it is propagated and grown, 

 but still more for the essentially nutritive qualities 

 which the leaves possess. Chinese inhabitants as- 

 sured M. Perottet, that to this tree the disciples of 

 Confucius are indebted for the prosperity and so- 

 lidity of their empire. 



The first discovery of this tree by M. Perottet, 

 took place at Manilla, the capital of the Philip- 

 pine Isles. In descending the river which tra- 

 verses that city, and on its banks, M. Perottet dis- 

 covered the garden of a Chinese Inhabitant, where 

 for the first time he saw the Moras Mutticaulis 

 which was there found growing with a vast varie- 

 ty of other precious plants, which had here been 

 Congregated from India, from Ceylon, from Suma- 

 tra, and from other sources, and from China. 



In August, it was brought by M. Perottet from 

 Manilla, and first introduced into the Isle of Bour- 

 bon ; from thence into Cayenne and France. At 

 a later period, it was sent from Cayenne to Mar- 

 tinique, and ironi France to Guadaloupe ; also to 

 Senegal. The numerous plants which are already 

 disseminated in the divers climates of Africa, 

 America and Europe, have all been produced by 

 the two individual plants brought by M. Perottet 

 from Manilla. 



Besides what has been already stated, the char- 

 acteristics which distinguish this Mulberry from 

 others are those which result, 1st. From the re- 

 markable property which the roots possess of 

 throwing up numerous flexible stalks ; the facility 

 with which it is propagated from layers, or eveu 

 from cuttings. 2d. The great length which these 

 stalks acquire in a short space of time.. 3d. From 

 the remarkable developement which the thin, soft 

 and tender leaves speedily acquire, and the prompt- 

 itude with which they are renewed. 



This Mulberry should be cultivated in hedge 

 rows, and never suffered to rise higher than seven 

 or eight feet. M. Perottet has assured us, that but 

 a few years are sufficient to raise considerable 

 fields of them in full vigor, sufficient to support a 

 immense quantity of silk worms; and regular plan- 

 tations can without difficulty, be formed by plant- 

 ing the shrubs at a distance of from six to eigbl 

 feet asunder, a space sufficient for the extension of 

 the branches ; sufficient also for cultivation, and 

 to facilitate the gathering of the leaves. This 

 last operation he further informs us, is so much 

 facilitated hy the flexibility of tbe stalks, and the 

 superior size of the leaf, that a child is sufficient 

 for gathering the food of a large establishment of 

 silk worms. 



The Morus Multicaulis according to M. Perot- 

 tet, will he readily acclimated, inasmuch as it orig- 

 inated in a climate analogous to that of France. 

 It appeared neither to surfer from the excessive 

 cold of the northern, or the intense heat of the in- 

 tertropical regions ; as the plant left in the govern- 

 ment gardens of Cayenne had acquired during 

 eight months, a truly remarkable developement, 

 being clothed at that time with leaves of extra- 

 ordinary size. Those also which were cultiva- 

 ted in Senegal, although planted in an arid soil, 

 and situated beneath a dry and scorching sky, ex- 

 hibited an appearance sufficiently satisfactory; yet 



in all respects they had acquired less developement 

 than those which were planted in the humid cli- 

 mate of Guiana. A humid, rather than a dry soil 

 seems best to suit this plant. 



This Mulberry braves the most rigorous winters 

 of France, not having suffered in the least even du- 

 ring the severe winter of 1829-30. I have taken 

 particular pains to ascertain bow they have fared 

 in the extreme north of that country, and have 

 very lately been informed by letter from M. Eyries, 

 a gentleman of Havre, that they have supported 

 well during ten years, the most rigorous winters 

 of the extreme north of France. He has cultiva- 

 ted them to considerable extent, from their first in- 

 troduction to that country. 



And we are lately assured that, by the infor- 

 mation received from all quarters, this Mulberry 

 is destined (in France,) to replace the common 

 White Mulberry every where, for the nourishment 

 of silk worms, and that the silk which tbe worms 

 form from the food afforded by this plant, is of the 

 first quality. And from the experiments of Dr. 

 Deslongchamps of Paris, it appears to have been 

 ascertained, that the cocoons produced by tbe 

 worms fed exclusively on this plant, are even rath- 

 er heavier than other cocoons. 



In our own country there may yet perhaps he 

 some, who would advance the question whether 

 this most desirable plant will endure the winters of 

 northern climates. At New York, on Long Isiand, 

 this Mulberry has sustained unprotected, the rigors 

 of seven winters, as I am informed, and the ex- 

 traordinary winter of 1S31-2 which destroyed so 

 many trees hitherto deemed hardy even to the 

 root. 



I have indeed sanguine expectations, that the 

 Morus Multicaulis may prove as hardy in our cli- 

 mate, as the Peach tree, which was originally 

 from Persia — or the cherry tree, when once their 

 roots have become established. Its vegetation 

 being rapid and luxuriant, and prolonged to a later 

 period in autumn than that of most other trees, or 

 till the tender and yet vegetating tips of the twigs, 

 are checked by the frost; these extreme ends will 

 generally be lost, as they always are of the com- 

 mon White Mulberry, when young. 



In our climate there are many kinds of trees, 

 which need protection during the first winter, 

 though they may never require any afterwards. 

 Such are the young seedling plants of but a single 

 summer's growth, of the Cherry, Plum, Pear, the 

 Quince, and the 1','hitc Mulberry, &c. all which 

 require to be carefully, compactly placed in cellars 

 during winter, their roots buried in soil ; or occa- 

 sionally for protection, may be laid in out of doors 

 compactly and in a slanting position, their bodies 

 being in part protected by soil. For all these spe- 

 cies are liable to be killed occasionally to the root 

 by the first winter, or to be utterly destroyed by 

 being thrown out by frost, yet in the second win- 

 ter it is far otherwise ; their roots becoming strong 

 and firmly established, the well ripened wood ot 

 the second year, and the wood of two years growth, 

 becomes indestructible by any but very extraordi- 

 nary winters. I have taken the same precaution- 

 ary measures with the young and tender plants of 

 this Mulberry so valuable — the layers of but a sin- 

 gle summer's growth, which are separated in au- 

 tumn. 



1 will offer some further evidence of the hardi- 

 hood of this plant, in addition to what I have stat- 

 ed in a former number, (see N. E. Farmer of the 

 15th of January, last.) But the experiments which 



are now in progress elsewhere, as well as here, ves 

 a more extensive scale will, as I trust, soon enabl* 

 us to put this subject more fully at rest. 



Very late in the spring of 1S33, more than nn 

 hundred young trees of the Morus Muliicnulia, 

 were set out on the Place of S. V. S. Wilder, Esi^, 

 in Bolton, Worcester County. The soil springy, 

 the exposition cold, and sloping to the north ; Mr. 

 Joseph Breck, a distinguished botanist of Lancaster, 

 the town adjoining, having especial charge of them 

 plants, has lately very critically examined them. 

 Thus unfavorably situated, and unprotected, they 

 have borne the last winter without injury, except 

 only the very tips of the twigs. Mr. Breck is per- 

 suaded that they are even hardier than tbe comr- 

 mon White Mulberry, since some hundred of th* 

 latter, which stood very near, were killed halfway 

 down to the ground by this same winter. 



I have just received a letter of the 30th uli. 

 from John Gordon, Esq. a public spirited gentlt>- 

 man, who has during the last year, made trial of 

 the Morus Multicaulis at Hampstead, N. H. Theas 

 plants grew well during the summer, and hav* 

 borne well the winter, and are now luxuriantly 

 vegetating to within two or three inches pf tit* 

 tips. Mr. Gordon is now making trial of tbo 

 White Mulberry, and the Morus Multicaulis in tbe 

 city of Portland, in exposed situations ; also of 

 the silk worm, confident that they will all succeed 

 well, and that the culture of silk will answer well 

 in that climate. 



Although the Mulberry flourishes most luxuri- 

 antly in a moist and rich soil, ami protected situa- 

 tion, yet as your intelligent correspondent, R. of 

 Hivgham has before observed, (see N. E. Farmer, 

 page 211 of the loth of January last,) the leaves 

 in such soils and situations, are more crude, and 

 not of a quality so nourishing. Besides, th© 

 growth of the tree in such situations, being much 

 more rapid, the wood is consequently more tender 

 and more liable in northern climates to he killed 

 hy winter ; and authors seem to be agreed, that 

 the proper soils for the Mulberry tree, are dry saiv- 

 dy, or stoney ; and trees on dry, light soils, and 

 situated on the open plains, and on hills the most 

 exposed to cold winds, will generally be found to 

 sutler least of all from the effect of winter. Such 

 r.ppears to have been the case in 1S31-2 ; the rav- 

 ages of that destructive winter seem to have been 

 generally confined to trees growing in particular 

 situations and soils. Even delicate trees and plants 

 the natives of more southern climes, become more 

 hardy, and capable of supporting the northern win- 

 ters hy being planted on the north side of buffer- 

 ings and fences, and in their shade. The expo- 

 sure to the most intense degree of cold, in such 

 situations, is more than compensated by the pro- 

 tection which is thus afforded to the plants during 

 vinter, from the pernicious and far more destruc- 

 tive rays of the sun. 



The prediction, in 1830, of the late Dr. Felix 

 Fasciitis, that, "after the discovery of this plant, a. 

 cbuht no longer exists, that two crops of silk may 

 le produced in B single season ;" — this prediction 

 las since been fulfilled — its truth confirmed by e^ 

 [eiiineiit — the soil and cultivation, the habitations 

 fir the successive generations of insects being y»t 

 tie same ; all thus converted to a double use, ami 

 tie whole production doubled. It must be obvi- 

 ois, that the actual profit thus augmented must be 

 nanifold. 



The honor of the discovery of this plant, its '■=- 

 icry and uses, belongs to M Perottet. 



