8o LONDON TREES 



20 feet, and the diameter of branch spread 24 feet. 

 Though the trunk is old and shattered, the globose 

 head of foliage is perfectly healthy, and fruit is pro- 

 duced in abundance ; and as the tree is reputed to 

 be three centuries old, there is no reason why it should 

 not survive for another hundred years at least. The 

 Mildmay Mulberry, though smaller in girth of stem, 

 is, however, the largest both in height and branch 

 spread, and is in a wonderfully healthy state of preser- 

 vation, which is, no doubt, largely owing to the 

 position it occupies, as also to soil conditions and 

 immunity from accident or disease, for there is not 

 a dead or dying branch to be seen, while the trunk is 

 perfect in every respect. This tree is 35 feet in height, 

 the stem 6 feet 4 inches in girth a yard above the 

 ground-level, while the diameter of branch spread is 

 probably unique for a Mulberry, being no less than 

 60 feet. There are good specimens of the Mulberry 

 in Ruskin and Vauxhall Parks, the stem girths being 

 respectively 6 feet 7 inches and 6 feet 5 inches. Two 

 others of still larger size, but difficult to measure owing 

 to their recumbent mode of growth, are growing in 

 Clissold Park and Waterlow Park, the stem girths 

 being approximately 7 feet. 



In 1609 James I passed his famous edict for 

 introducing the culture of the silkworm into this 

 country, and, judging from the expenses of his house- 

 hold, not only planted Mulberries largely himself, 

 but supplied trees to others at the low price of two 

 farthings each. It is well known that the rearing of 

 silkworms and spinning of silk was an industry in 

 several parts of London, notably about Spitalfields, 

 around Arbour Square, by the Commercial Road, 

 and at Maida Vale, at all of which places, remains of 



