RESOURCES OF AMERICA, SILK, ETC. 41 1 



completely developed till the leaf is fully grown. The leaf, accord- 

 ing to the analysis of Count Dandolo, contains, 1. The fibrous 

 substance ; 2. The coloring matter ; 3. Water ; 4. The saccharine 

 substance; 5. The resinous substance. The saccharine substance is 

 that which nourishes the insect, augmenting its growth and size. The 

 resinous substance is that which, " separating itself gradually from 

 the leaf, and attracted by the animal organization, accumulates, 

 cleans itself, and insensibly fills the two reservoirs or silk vessels." 

 The proportion of this nutriment depends on the variety of the 

 mulberry, the age, the soil, and the moisture or dryness of the 



CHAPTER V. VARIETIES OF THE MULBERRY. 



Space will not admit a very particular description of every varie 

 ty. We will briefly describe a few, all fine for silk. 



1. JAPAN PAPER MULBERRY. Broussonetia papyrifera. 



The tree is of rapid growth, and rises to a large size, with a round 

 head ; the leaves are rough, either cordate, entire, lobed, or palmated. 

 It is a native of China and Japan, and the liber, or inner bark, by 

 being beaten to render it pliable, serves for paper, and as an article 

 of clothing in those countries. The fruit is round and curious, but 

 not edible. The leaves are eaten by the silk- worms; and for this 

 purpose, it is now successfully cultivated in France. 



A beautiful vegetable silk is procured from the bark of the young 

 branches of the papyrifera, as has been proved by M. la Rouverie. 

 He directs that the bark be separated, while the tree is in full sap, 

 and beaten with mallets, and steeped in water, by which process he 

 affirms fibres are obtained almost equal to silk in quality, and which, 

 when woven, form a cloth whose texture resembles silk. 



2. SHINING-LEAVED MULBERRY. Moms lucida. 



Leaves very large, pointed, cordate, and shining; fine for silk. 



3. TARTAREAN MULBERRY. Morns Tartarica. 



The fruit resembles the Morus nigra. A variety from the vicinity 

 of Asoph. It abounds on the banks of the Volga and Tanais 

 Leaves large, oval, oblong, serrated, shining ; excellent for silk. 



4. WHITE ITALIAN. Morus alba. 



A native of China, naturalized in Italy ; already described ; too 

 well known to need a more particular description. The leaves are 

 small, but fine for silk; the fruit insipid; the bark forms a prepara- 

 tion resembling silk. The young wood being gathered in Septem- 

 ber, and steeped by day in still water, and spread on grass by night, 

 for three or four days, may then be prepared and woven like flax. 



5. MORETTI MULBERRY. A new variety, sometimes miscalled 

 Alpine. Leaves ovate, sharp-pointed, entire, cordate at the base ; thin, 

 smooth, large, of a beautiful and rather deep-shining green ; the 

 silk fine. 



6. MORUS ALATA. Leaves large and beautiful. 



7. ROMAN DURA. Leaves large, yellowish green, shining, and 

 beautiful. The Morus Expansa proves identical with Roman dura. 



8. BRUSSA. A variety from the vicinity of Constantinople, some- 



