334 TREES IN WINTER 



WHITE MULBERRY 



Silkworm Mulberry. 

 Morus alba L. 



HABIT — A small tree with a maximum height of 30-40 ft., and with a 

 trunk diameter of less than 3 ft.; branching low with wide-spreading 

 limbs forming a low rounded head resembling an Apple tree somewhat 

 in habit, but with a characteristic scraggly twigginess to the more slen- 

 der branchlets. 



BARK — Deeply furrowed into long more or less wavy light yellowish 

 brown ridges. 



T^VIGS — Slender, yellowish-green to brownish-gray, for the most part 

 smooth, round, more or less shining, generally zigzag, swollen at the 

 nodes, short branches numerous, often arising at right angles to ranks 

 of previous years and producing a characteristic scraggly complex of 

 branchlets. Twigs slightly sweetish if chewed; bark exuding a white 

 milk if cut on warm days or after being brought into a warm room. 

 LiENTICELS — scattered, similar in color to the twigs and hence incon- 

 spicuous. PITH — light, rounded in cross-section. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, in 2 ranks, small, projecting, oval to de- 

 pressed circular. STIPULE-SCARS — narrow, inconspicuous. BUNDLE 

 SCARS — conspicuous, 3-10 projecting above leaf-scar, irregularly 

 scattered. If leaf-scar is surface-sectioned leaf-traces are reduced 

 to 3 in number. 



BUDS — Terminal bud absent; lateral buds small, about 3 mm. long, 

 bright reddish-brown, roundish, generally about as broad as long, sharp 

 or blunt pointed, somewhat flattended against twigs, often set oblique 

 to the leaf-scar, 1 to 2 small collateral accessory buds sometimes- 

 present. BUD-SCALES — in 2 ranks, about 5 scales visible, increasing 

 in size from below upward, margins somewhat finely hairy. 



FRUIT — A white, juicy, multiple fruit not to be found in winter. 



COMPARISOIVS — The projecting bundle-scars are characteristic of 

 the Mulberries; for points of distinction from the Red Mulberry see 

 under this species. 



DISTRIBUTION — Probably a native of China where its leaves have 

 from time immemorial furnished food for silkworms, introduced into 

 to the United States and Canada from Ontario to Florida and naturalized 

 more or less throughout New England appearing by roadsides or along 

 fences and in waste places, being spread by birds which are very 

 fond of its fruit. Connecticut — occasional; early in last century exten- 

 sively planted to furnish food for silkworms and many large trees re- 

 main about farm houses. 



AVOOD — Moderately hard, close-grained, light yel owish-brown. 



