182 THE CALIFORNIA 



quently, will allow to begin to feed from them the first 

 year, and thus pay for their cost. 



If you plant your cuttings in a nursery to be trans- 

 planted the year after, the rows must be from three to 

 four feet asunder, and the cuttings in the rows six or 

 eight inches apart. But in a good mulberry soil, in 

 selecting the best cuttings and planting them, as I say 

 above, I think that there would be no danger to plant 

 them at once where they have to grow. Yet, in what- 

 ever way, you must take care of your cuttings, not allow 

 the. weeds to grow, pass the cultivator between the rows, 

 and hoe carefully, remembering that the cuttings must 

 not be touched before they have good roots, because if 

 you hit them any way, you break the young and very 

 tender roots and prevent them from growing. Keep 

 the surface of the ground loose by working it, and it 

 will retain a sufficient moisture ; but in some localities 

 and soils, if it is too dry, give them water. Your care 

 and attention will be well compensated by the good 

 growth of your cuttings. 



Third, BY LAYERS. According to our California cul- 

 ture, the trees have to be cut only a few inches from 

 the ground to make them branch out more freely ; this 

 will greatly favor the propagation by layers. I have 

 observed that the mulberry tree is easier to grow from 

 layers than many other trees ; then it does not require 

 so much trouble or work for the bending of the branches. 



I would recommend simply to do thus : have your 

 branches all round the trees you wish to propagate, laid 

 out horizontally, covered about two inches deep, their 



