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through the fifth age. Worms develop more 

 rapidly when fed on the leaves of this tree; and 

 the silk made from it seems stronger and coarser 

 than that from any of those mentioned. It is 

 very advisable to have a good proportion of these 

 trees in every mulberry orchard. 



Within the past thirty years many varieties of 

 mulberry trees have been imported into Cali- 

 fornia. Some of these varieties, through long 

 neglect and want of cultivation, have sadly 

 degenerated, and now are not good food for the 

 silkworm. Notably of this class is a species of 

 black, which has a smooth, dark green leaf, that 

 seems quite oily as picked from the tree. Worms 

 refuse to eat this when they can get anything else. 



The weeping mulberry is of little value as a 

 silk-pro&ucer, and Downing's Everbearing is no 

 better. They both bear fruit abundantly, but 

 the leaves are very thin, and have not much of 

 silk-substance in them. 



** Most of the trees mentioned will grow readily 

 from cuttings. Some will attain a growth of ten 

 feet in a single season. Cuttings may be put in 

 the ground every month in the year in southern 

 California. During the later months of the year 

 they will not grow so rapidly, but they will take 

 root and grow, if properly cared for, and watered 

 so that the ground will always be moist above 

 where the slip ends. If the soil gets dry above 



