THE MULBERRY TREE. 205 



the mulberry grows with much vigour in moist lands, 

 it has been found that those produced in such 

 situations are not so nutritious to the worms, in 

 whose constitution they induce a weakness. Hence it 

 is found, that although in dry soils the foliage is less 

 abundant, the reduction in quantity is amply com- 

 pensated by the additional .nutriment which they 

 afford, and the consequent finer quality and even 

 additional quantity of the silk produced. 



The mulberry tree can be easily raised either 

 from cuttings, layers, or seeds. The plan adopted 

 in France for raising plants from seeds is curious, as 

 will appear from the following description : " Take 

 the ripe berries when they are full of juice and seeds. 

 Next take a rough horse-hair line, or rope, such as 

 we dry linen on, with a good handful of ripe mul- 

 berries ; run your hand along the line, bruising the 

 berries, and mashing them as much as possible, as 

 your hand runs along, so that the pulp and seed of 

 the berries may adhere in great abundance to the 

 rope or line. Next dig a trench in the ground where 

 you wish to plant them, much like what is practised 

 in kitchen gardens in England for crops of various 

 kinds. Next cut the rope, or hair line, into lengths, 

 according to the length of the trench you think fit to 

 make, and plunge the line, full of mashed berries, 

 into the trench ; then cover it well over with earth, 

 always remembering afterwards to water it plentifully, 

 which is indispensable to success. The seeds of the 

 berries thus sown will grow, and soon shoot out 

 suckers which will bear young leaves, and these are 

 considered the best for the food of the Silk Worm. 



