254 



occupied on political affairs; and the pro- 

 curing of silk in England was neglected, and 

 has never since been attempted, although the 

 mulberry-tree has been found to thrive ex- 

 ceedingly well, and the silk-worms to spin as 

 well as in any other part of the world. The 

 mulberry-trees are now alive, and bearing 

 fruit in many parts of the country, that were 

 planted in the time of James the First, which 

 is a proof of their durability. I have lately 

 seen a mulberry-tree, of the nigra species, 

 which is supposed to be one of the oldest in 

 England, in the garden of the Rev. Dr. 

 Crumbie, adjoining Greenwich Park; and, 

 notwithstanding its neglected and dilapidated 

 state, it is one of the greatest curiosities I 

 have seen in the shape of a fruit-tree in this 

 country. It throws out ten large branches so 

 near the earth, that it has the appearance of 

 half a score of large trees rather than of one; 

 and notwithstanding many of the projecting 

 branches have been sawed off, still it com- 

 pletely covers a circumference of 150 feet ; 

 and although the elder-trees have fixed their 

 abode in some parts of the trunk, and other 

 parts are covered with ivy, yet it continues 

 to give shoots as vigorous as the youngest 

 tree, and produces the finest mulberries in 



