THE MULBERRY TREE. 207 



who pulls the leaves enters, and removes them, without 

 damaging the trees. 



It has been ascertained that the true mode of 

 producing the most abundant crop of leaves, is to 

 deprive the tree of all its strong and leading stems. 

 In Tuscany considerable attention has been paid to 

 the cultivation of the trees ; and M. Nollet says 

 the inhabitants of these province?, particularly in 

 Florence, do not cultivate half the number of trees 

 which are raised in Piedmont, in proportion to the 

 number of Silk Worms which are reared, and the 

 quantity of silk produced by them. This plan of 

 saving, is in consequence of their causing the cater- 

 pillars to be hatched at two different seasons ; the 

 first in spring, and the second, after the first have 

 spun their cones. In the Isle of France, M. Chazel 

 reared three generations of caterpillars between 

 December and May. Whereas in Italy, it is the 

 opinion of Count Dandolo, that the mulberry tree 

 cannot be twice stripped of its leaves without injuring 

 the trees ; and he alleges, that one good crop of 

 silk is worth more than both the first and second ; 

 and that the quality of the second crop is always 

 inferior. 



That the Silk Worm caterpillar may arrive at its 

 complete state of development, the quantity of leaves 

 which they necessarily consume must bear a relation 

 to their quantity of nutrition. The better the quality 

 of the leaves, less will be required for this purpose, 

 and the animal liable to less fatigue in masticating 

 them. So that saccharine substance, unless combined 

 with resinous matter in a due proportion, may feed 



