THE MULBERRY 



311 



venerable with age and reminiscent of 

 courtly diijnit}'. Some of these, as at 

 Syon House, date back to pre-Refor- 

 mation times, marking the site of some 

 ancient monastic institution long since 

 put to other uses. Many that still 

 survive were planted in the time of 

 James I., who made great efforts to 

 bring about their general introduction 

 with a view to the estabhshment of the 

 silk industry here. Planting the Mul- 

 berry, therefore, became in his and suc- 

 ceeding reigns a matter of courtly fashion, 

 sedulously observed by courtier nobles. 

 So our courtly Shakespeare followed suit 

 in his garden at New Place, Stratford-on- 

 Avon, though house and tree both fell 

 later under the hand of the vandal. Yet 

 cuttings were struck from this tree and 

 afterwards flourished, and a small specimen 

 in direct descent may be seen in the 

 Royal Gardens at Kew. In this con- 

 nection it may be remembered that Milton 

 also planted a Mulberry tree which still 

 survives in the grounds of Christ's College, 

 Cambridge. 



Two kinds of Mulberrv tree are found 

 —the Black and the \\'hite. The Black 



TRUNK AND BARK OF THE MULBERRY. 



LEAF OF THE MULBERRY. 



Mulberry is the hardier and best suited 

 to our English climate. Indeed, it flou- 

 rishes well even in the smoke of the town. 

 Mulberry trees annually bear fruit in the 

 heart of London, as in the Charterhouse 

 Gardens and in Finsbury Circus. The 

 main difference between the two kinds 

 of Mulberry is in the colour and texture 

 of the leaves and in the fruit. 



In whiter the Mulberry shows sturdy 

 branches, which commence rather low 

 down, the lower ones often showini? a 

 tendency to take the horizontal direction. 

 These strong branches di\'ide and sub- 

 divide considerably in sinuous curves, 

 ending in numerous crowded twigs. 



In spriuii the tree is one of the latest 

 to j)ut forth its lea\es, waiting till all 

 danger from frost is over. 



In summer, as the leafage becomes full 

 and mature, the tree shows a tlense. 

 rounded crown, which aft'ords ample 

 shade, and varies in colour according to 

 the class to which it belongs. 



In autitmu the fruit becomes con- 

 >]Mcuous, changing from green through 

 >iiades of red, ami, in the black \ariety, 

 to purplish black. The lea\es slowly 

 assume their yellow lading tint, but 



