DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 157 



ries. None of them are truly handsome in scenery ; and the 

 two latter are generally low spreading trees, valued entirely for 

 the excellency of the fruit, or the suitableness of the foliage 

 for feeding silk worms. Our common mulberry, however, 

 in free, open situations, forms a large wide-spreading hori- 

 zontally branched, and not inelegant tree : the rough heart- 

 shaped leaves with which it is thickly clothed, afford a deep 

 shade ; and it groups well with the lime, the catalpa, and 

 many other round-headed trees. We consider it therefore 

 duly entitled to a place in all extensive plantations ; while 

 the pleasant flavour of its slightly acid, dark red fruit, will 

 recommend it to those who wish to add to the delicacies of 

 the dessert. The timber of our wild mulberry tree is of the 

 very first quality; when fully seasoned, it takes a dull lemon- 

 coloured hue, and is scarcely less durable than the locust or 

 Live oak. Like those trees, it is much valued by ship-build- 

 ers ; and at Philadelphia and Baltimore it commands a high 

 price, for the frame-work, knees, floor-timbers, and trunnels of 

 vessels. The Red mulberry is much slower in its growth 

 than the locust ; but so far as we are aware, it is not liable to 

 the attacks of any insect destructive to its timber ; and it would 

 probably be found profitable to cultivate it as a timber-tree. 

 The locust, it will be remembered, grows thriftily only on 

 peculiar soils, loose, dry, and mellow: the Red mulberry pre- 

 fers deep, moist, and rich situations. No attempts, as far as 

 we can learn, have been made in its culture ; but we would 

 recommend it to the particular attention of those who have 

 facilities for experiments of this kind. 



The Black mulberry of Europe, [Morus nigra,) is a low, 

 slow-growing tree, with rough leaves, somewhat resembling 

 those of our Red mulberry, but more coarsely serrated, and 

 often found divided into four or five lobes ; while the leaves 



