156 HOME FRUIT GROWER 



Should some readers dissent from my description of the edi- 

 bility of the fruit, I shall not feel aggrieved, because they probably 

 have sampled the Russian Mulberries the whitish or blackish, 

 sweetish, mawkish, sickish berries, gobbled by birds and boys who have 

 not the hardihood or perhaps the opportunity to pilfer better fruit. 

 No, the Russian varieties are decidedly inferior to the named varieties 

 of different origin. 



Of these the NEW AMERICAN, which originated in New York, 

 is the best for the North, the STUBBS for the South. The former 

 bears glossy, black, sub-acid berries, often one and one-half inches 

 long, from June until September. The tree is not only vigorous and 

 very productive, but hardy, at least as far north as Michigan. The 

 Stubbs, a wonderfully prolific native of Georgia, averages larger fruits 

 than New American, the black, rich, sub-acid berries often being two 

 inches long and three-quarters of an inch in diameter. The HICKS, 

 which hails from Kentucky, bears very good, medium-sized, sweet 

 berries in abundance during three to four months. It is not so widely 

 known as the previous two but is a very worthy rival. The DOWNING 

 is unfortunate in several respects. It is not hardy in the Northern 

 States. Too often some other variety is innocently or purposely 

 substituted by the nurseryman for it. If the Northern grower is 

 given New American instead he need not feel badly cheated, because 

 true Downing might winter-kill, whereas New American is hardy. 

 Rut no one likes to be cheated! Downing is best known south of 

 Mason and Dixon's h'ne where its large, black, sub-acid, very good 

 berries are annually borne in profusion. The JOHNSON, an Ohio 

 variety, is too shy a bearer to commend it for general planting, so it is 

 being superseded by the others. Its sub-acid, black fruits are very 

 large often two by three-quarter inches. The tree though strong is 

 irregular in habit. 



TEAS' WEEPING MULBERRY is of no value except to people who 

 enjoy untrimmed poodles, Yorkshire terriers, Angora cats and other 

 unkempt creatures. It is grafted on a straight stem so its branches 

 will droop toward the ground. The fruit is small, reddish and as 

 mawkish as that of its Russian parent. 



The erect growing Mulberries are handsome trees, often 30 feet 

 tall, ornamental in outline and foliage but not desirable to have close 

 to the dwelling because their fallen fruit often makes a mess beneath 

 them. A good place for them is where poultry have access to the 

 ground so as to eat the fruit, which they will do very thoroughly and 

 satisfactorily. Mulberry trees will grow in any well-drained soil 

 but do best in rather light and gravelly ones. After being planted and 

 started like other fruit trees they need little or no attention. 



